Unlock Your World: The Powerful Advantages of Learning English
Hello and Welcome To Educate English!
Most recent estimates put the number of English speakers worldwide at around 1.5 billion people (Statista, 2023). That means that almost 20% of the total population, or 1 out of every 5 people, speak English as either a first or a second language. If that is not staggering (or scary) enough, consider that in many scientific fields it is believed that over 90% of academic writing is published in English. It goes without saying, then, that the ability to speak English is something that will open many doors throughout your life and enhance your ability to maximize your own potential. Here at Educate English, that is exactly what we aim to do. We’re a family-owned organization full of English speakers, both native and non-native, and we decided to make it our mission to help others experience the benefits of being able to speak English effectively. Our purpose in today’s post is to help you understand the educational opportunities, career prospects, travel benefits, and overall importance of the English language to your future.
Global Communication
Have you ever heard the term Lingua Franca? Unless you have studied to become an English teacher or happen to already be fluent in Latin, then chances are this is a new term for you. What Lingua Franca literally translates to is Language of the Franks, which probably does not mean much to you either unless you are familiar with medieval European history. In our modern world, Lingua Franca is a term used to describe a common language, sometimes referred to as a bridge language, between two people that speak different native languages. Here’s an example to help you understand what this means today. In China, many school children are taught to speak English from a young age. Likewise, in China’s neighbor, Vietnam, school children are also taught to speak English from a young age. Let’s say a Chinese student attending university meets a Vietnamese student the same age who is also attending university. One of these students speaks Chinese and English, the other speaks Vietnamese and English. As a result the Lingua Franca, or common language, between the two is English and this will therefore be the language in which the two students communicate. This practice occurs all over the world in various fields such as science, medicine, engineering, business, research, and many, many more. If you were looking for any motivation to further your English skills, hopefully you have just found it.
Educational and Professional Opportunities
Whether you are currently a student or already a business professional, the additional opportunities offered to you by speaking English fluently can be quite remarkable.
As a student, your opportunities to find employment or further your education increase dramatically once you gain the ability to speak English. One thing that we cannot recommend highly enough for students reading this, is to learn English with the intent of studying abroad in an English speaking country. Studying in an English speaking country will only help you increase your English skills further, helping you to become almost fully fluent in the language. Not only this, but you will have access to some of the best educational programs anywhere in the world.
Professionals, the chances for promotion, salary increases, and increased networking will only improve as you become stronger in English. It’s no secret in the professional environment, often who you know can be more important than what you know. Meaning, being able to network, create strong professional relationships, and obtain glowing professional references are the factors that increase your chances of progressing your career further. Quite simply, using your connections and references enable you to land the job interview, which gives you the chance to showcase your professional skills. This applies to both native and non-native English speakers alike where the most difficult part of advancing your career is often getting a job interview. It’s also no secret that one of the scariest, if not the scariest, parts of career progression for non-native English speakers is often the job interview process. However, with the right training and plenty of practice, that fear of job interviews will become a thing of the past.
Travel and Leisure
Aside from increasing your study and professional opportunities, another key benefit to learning English is the ability to travel all over the world and be able to communicate your needs and desires. The worldwide tourism industry is heavily catered to those that speak English. Whether you’re relaxing on a beach in Phuket, cruising down the Rhine, or sipping a Sangria in Cancun, you’ll be able to find other English speaking tourists and customer service available to you in English. This piggy-backs on our previous section that stated your job opportunities increase when learning English, because many of those job opportunities will be located in the tourism industry that favors having staff with the ability to speak English. As you become more fluent in English, the only question you’ll need to ask yourself is, “where will you be traveling to next?”
Our Mission
As mentioned above, here at Educate English, it is our goal to help you achieve all of the points laid out in this article. If you’re a student, we can help you gain the skills and confidence required to land a position studying overseas. We have experience and resources in our staff members who have already taken this journey themselves. If you are just starting or already on your professional journey, we can help you understand the small talk that builds relationships. Furthermore, we can work with you exclusively on job interview preparation. Maybe you just want to travel the world, let us help you work on the language that is sure to increase your opportunities for travel and leisure worldwide.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, we hope to hear from you soon!
Works Cited
Dyvik, Einar H. “The Most Spoken Languages Worldwide 2023.” Statista, Ethnologue, 4 July 2024, www.statista.com/statistics/266808/the-most-spoken-languages-worldwide/.
