There has been much discussion about the decline in the number of students taking modern languages as a school option, however for those who do decide to learn a language there are several positive benefits. Specifically, learning a language can have substantial benefits to brainpower, personal development and potential job opportunities for a child. So, how can we assist the learning process?
The Language Exchange
Sending a child on a hosted homestay language holiday presents an opportunity for parents to develop their child’s language skills, without having the obligation to host a child as part of a language exchange program. This allows you as a parent to immerse your child in a language, greatly improving their language use. In order to maximize the benefits of this, parents can tailor their experience to their needs using the Lingoo platform.
The need for language skills is rising as the range of different types of job that require this skills increases to as part of the evolution of the economy. This development means that jobs which might not previously have required a language skill, may now specify language skills in the application process. The jobs that may come to mind when thinking of language skills include translation, interpreting, tourism and teaching. However, there is a much wider network of jobs where an additional language could provide your child with a competitive edge over other applicants.
In a global economy the demand for language skills from employers is on the increase. Learning a second language can help increase your child’s career earning potential when they enter the world of work. In the United Kingdom, it is estimated that two-thirds of businesses look to recruit staff with foreign language skills. A language skill gives an employee an in-demand skill that the majority of the workforce does not possess.
