September 3

Why learn a foreign language?

Ciao a tutti,

I often get told by people: “Why learn a foreign language like Italian when everybody speaks English?”. Here’s what I found on the Telegraph newspaper

Val D'Orcia Tuscany

Physiological studies have found that speaking two or more languages is a great asset to the cognitive process. The brains of bilingual people operate differently than single language speakers, and these differences offer several mental benefits.

Below are seven cognitive advantages to learning a foreign language. Many of these attributes are only apparent in people who speak multiple languages regularly – if you haven’t spoken a foreign tongue since your A levels, your brain might not be reaping these bilingual benefits. However, people who begin language study in their adult lives can still achieve the same levels of fluency as a young learner, and still reap the same mental benefits, too.

You become smarter

Speaking a foreign language improves the functionality of your brain by challenging it to recognise, negotiate meaning, and communicate in different language systems. This skill boosts your ability to negotiate meaning in other problem-solving tasks as wellStudents who study foreign languages tend to score better on standardised tests than their monolingual peers, particularly in the categories of maths, reading, and vocabulary.

In my humble opinion: You learn Italian but you gain so much more than that. When you go to Italy next time, you’ll be able to make friends and understand so much more about Italian culture and traditions than you would if you were using English all the time.

Also my students tell me that they’ve improved their English

Learning a foreign language draws your focus to the mechanics of language: grammar, conjugations, and sentence structure. This makes you more aware of the English language, and the ways it can be structured and manipulated. These skills can make you a more effective communicator and a sharper editor and writer. Language speakers also develop a better ear for listening, since they’re skilled at distinguishing meaning from discreet sounds.

What do you think?

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About Learn Italian Manchester: My name is Amedea and I’m a native Italian tutor with a real passion for my language. I run Italian classes in Manchester which are sociable, fun and designed to teach you Italian you will really use. As well as Italian courses in Manchester I teach 1 to 1 Italian lessons and cover areas including Manchester City Centre,Didsbury, Chorlton, Sale, Altrincham, Hale, Woodford, Bramhall and others. I also run Italian cookery classes: fresh pasta, Italian vegetarian food, cookery classes for busy people, Italian style cocktail masterclasses and more. If you would like to do something new, learn to speak Italian and make new friends along the way! Contact me at: hello@learnitalianmanchester.co.uk

Tags

Learn Italian, learn to speak a foreign language, Why learn a foreign language?


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