LANGUAGES
CATCHING THE WAVE OF EUROPEAN MULTILINGUALISM
Why we should all try to learn another language
By Amy Bell
“I
am just so annoyed about you English people…why should I have to learn your language to get a job in my country? You all come here expecting everyone to speak English and I’m sick of it...” This is a part of a conversation I had a few years ago, during a student volunteer programme in Córdoba, with Jesus, a fellow volunteer from Valencia who was studying to be a journalist. Feeling mildly offended, I tried to explain that I was in Córdoba at least partly because I actually wanted to learn Spanish, but he wasn’t having any of it. While his attitude may have been unfair, I couldn’t help feeling a small amount of guilt on behalf of my compatriots for our collective lack of enthusiasm for learning languages. It is not difficult to see why we have such a poor track record. English is the most dominant language in business and one of the most widely spoken globally, which is why many would argue that native English speakers do not really need to learn another tongue. It is certainly not seen as a priority in the UK and this is clearly reflected in the school curriculum; learning a foreign language only becomes compulsory once students reach secondary school, and since modern languages became an optional subject at GCSE in 2004, they must continue with it only until the age of 14. The number of students taking French, German or Spanish at A-level has also dropped.
The Spanish education system has been overhauled in the last decade to prioritise second language learning Elsewhere in Europe, initiatives to improve second language learning have showed an opposite trend. According to a report produced by the European Commission last year English is by far the most taught foreign language in nearly all European countries with children learning it from an increasingly younger age. Undoubtedly there is now greater recognition, particularly following the economic downturn, that language learning is key as it increases career prospects abroad and in companies with a global presence. Things have certainly changed significantly in Spain since that trip to Córdoba and my conversation with Jesus. While
in the past English teaching in public schools may have been pushed to the sidelines, with students entering the workplace with little more than “Hello, my name is”, the Spanish education system has been overhauled in the last decade to prioritise second language learning, with a particular focus on English. Students now start learning a foreign language in the second part of pre-primary education, and as early as the age of 3 in most Autonomous Communities. Additionally, as one of many who have taken the TEFL route as a means of living and working abroad, I can testify to an increased awareness among Spaniards that English has become a necessary skill for those wanting to get ahead in business, with companies and individuals investing time and money in improving their English abilities. So why are so many people in both the UK and Spain still monoglots? A greater emphasis on foreign languages in the Spanish curriculum is encouraging as it should lead to younger generations growing up with stronger language skills than previous generations, and we can only hope that the UK will follow suit. But for those who have long since left school, it is still worth the effort. Everyone can benefit from learning a second language: it gives you a deeper knowledge of another country and its culture, while in turn helping you to understand your own, it can increase career prospects by providing more opportunities to work abroad and in multinational companies, and it gives you a greater appreciation
and respect for those who speak your language as non-natives. Of course, learning a language is difficult and perhaps the problem is that we don’t like to fail. No one likes to feel incompetent at something, and the feeling of trying out your new conversation skills only to have the other person respond to you in your own language can be discouraging. That said, challenges are there to be overcome and learning a new skill can not only be hugely rewarding, it also makes us more outward-looking and aware of the world around us. According to a report in El Mundo, the number of Spanish immigrants officially registered in London at the end of 2012 was 73, 659 (an increase from 57, 350 at the end of 2009), although since registration is not always compulsory the real number is estimated to be closer to 150, 000. For the younger generation in particular, the reasons for moving here are not only the lack of employment options in their own country, but also because they are serious about learning English. In such economically fragile times, language is a universal skill which can always be depended on to set you apart on an individual level. And on a global scale, perhaps the UK should take note: when the whole of Europe is investing in foreign languages, the British would do well to keep up. We live in a multilingual continent and should embrace any opportunity which can bring us closer to understanding each other. Illustration by Amy Bell
Summer 2013 • La Revista 33