Language is an extremely important part of our lives. We use language to speak with others, share our ideas, and emotionally connect with people.
We all know at least one language. Our primary language is our gateway to understanding the world. But what about those who know two or more languages? How does that help them in their day-to-day lives? Does being bilingual really affect their lives? And are the benefits worth learning another language?
Here are four amazing benefits of being bilingual.
Earn more money and opportunities
Not everyone speaks the same language. That becomes a huge problem for employers who want to appeal to a larger market.
Employers could hire two people to do the same job but in different languages. Or, they could hire one person to do the exact same job. Hiring bilingual workers saves companies more money and resources.
The demand for bilingual workers is rising, and that rise won’t stop anytime soon. In fact, there were 630,000 job postings seeking bilingual workers in 2015. That number is up 2x from 2010.
John Feinblatt, chairman of New American Economy, states that “In today’s global economy, businesses require employees who can serve customers in a variety of languages,”
Knowing a second language makes you stand out on a job application. Plus, once you land a job, you’re likely to earn 5 to 20 percent more than the listed salary. This is because your workplace is likely to send you out to foreign offices or assign specific tasks for you. Things that monolingual workers can’t do.
The job market is getting stiffer and stiffer, so you should try to get every edge you can. And being bilingual is an incredible way to stand out.
Get a new perspective
Knowing multiple languages can open up your mind. Learning about another culture can be very enriching. People from different cultures oftentimes think differently about certain situations and have distinct values.
It’s also scientifically proven that people act differently when speaking another language. If you were asked a question in English, you would reply differently than if you were asked that question in another language you know.
This new perspective reaches out into our daily lives as well. People who speak multiple languages are often more confident, outgoing, and willing to try new things. Knowing more than one language leads to a healthier brain. And a healthier brain leads to a healthier life.
Great for the brain
Learning a language is no easy feat. It actively works your brain—but in a healthy way.
Speaking, reading, and listening activates many important parts of the brain. But speaking two languages is even better. The more languages someone knows, the more active their brain is. Important regions in the brain, like Broca’s area, angular gyrus, and the insular cortex, are located on both sides of the brain.
Each side of the brain is responsible for different things. Such as creativity, problem-solving, memory, or emotion. When both sides of the brain are working, such as when speaking, then people can achieve a left-right brain equilibrium. This is the most optimized a brain can be.
And even down the line, people who know multiple languages see many health benefits. It’s been proven that knowing more than one language can delay dementia and slow cognitive decline.
According to a study done from 1947 to 2010, those who spoke a second language were much stronger in general intelligence and reading than those of their monolingual peers. The study tested monolingual and bilingual individuals in many aspects. They were tested when they were about 10-12 and again when they were in their early 70’s.
There’s a group of people who benefit the most from being bilingual: children.
Bilingual children have better focus and are more flexible in the classroom. They do better in school. When they’re older, they can enroll in higher-level language classes and earn college credit early. AP courses or local community college courses can be taken if students have a good understanding of another language.
It’s enriching
On top of all the great professional and academic benefits, knowing multiple languages is just fun.
You get to experience and explore more cultures, making you a more balanced person. Being able to communicate with more people is a big plus.
The confidence that comes with being able to communicate with more people is amazing.
But it also comes with more content to enjoy. More music, TV shows, movies, books, and more. There are a lot of beautiful creations out there that aren’t in English.
All of this makes traveling a lot more feasible and enjoyable. Speaking to natives in their mother tongue will definitely make your experience a lot better than running everything through a translator.
Looking for a way to teach students a second language?
Teaching a second language is a lot easier said than done. There’s a lot that goes into offering students a language course, but it’ll definitely pay off for them.
Many schools will meet difficulties along the way of teaching students. Some of those difficulties being a limited budget, lack of instructors or the current system just isn’t working.
If you’re looking for a platform that’ll teach students a second language, then consider HiLink’s HiClassroom online teaching platform. HiClassroom has various features and teaching tools to ensure an engaging language class, helping both students and teachers succeed. By using an OMO model of education, students learn more efficiently with advanced technology.
HiLink Education empowers educational institutes with our immersive and comprehensive OMO learning solutions, incorporating aspects from both online and traditional learning.
Contact us and discover how HiLink Education can introduce students to a whole new world!