Why Learn a Foreign Language?
The declaration that 'Knowledge is Power!' was the 1960's battle-cry for equal access to education in the United States, and still serves as a cornerstone for academic excellence and cultural empathy around the globe. Students and professionals alike are forced to compete with peers from other countries for school admissions, internships, and jobs. International travel is also more common now and the need for a basic understanding of a foreign language is real. Furthermore, the world economy is influenced by global politics and cultural norms.
Knowledge of foreign language has become one of the most important skills for children to learn early for success in their future professional endeavors. Thus, most high schools require at least two years of a foreign language. In Cairo, many children have to rapidly adjust to academic life in a foreign language and a new environment where few may look or sound like them. This can be scary and requires a community effort for successful social and collegiate integration. However, there’s hope. With engaging language courses and compassionate teachers, bilinguals become more open-minded about the world and are able to adapt easier to new situations.
From a professional perspective, being able to communicate directly with new clients and companies in their native language will insure lasting, stable business relationships. Success will be the result of effective communication from all sides: what are the expectations, when is the deadline, how is payment transmitted, do you need anything else, thank you for your business... .
Traveling is so much more enjoyable when one can correctly ask where to go, how to get there, and what's on the menu! Understanding the local language can promote safety, help one make new friends, and open a whole new world.
Learning a foreign language can expand one’s world view, improve school performance, make an employee more valuable in the workplace, and provide a more pleasurable travel experience.
M.
2019年4月9日
