The University Language Scheme (ULS)   Why learn a language?

You may think that language classes at school were a waste of time or that the basics that you remember from then are enough to get by on. You may think that taking the language you had at school a little further now or learning a new language would not serve a useful purpose or fit into your career plans. Think again.

Many jobs both abroad and at home specify fluency in a modern language as a desirable or essential requirement of applicants. Job advertisements mention good communication skills in French, German or Spanish; some even ask for Japanese or Russian. This is especially true in the areas of business, information technology, engineering, the media and tourism. Can you imagine a business that did not, at some point, require employees to answer an enquiry from a foreign firm on the phone or write a letter to clinch a deal? Can you imagine a company that never needed anyone to read literature or internet information from another country in order to keep up to date with international developments? If you speak a foreign language fluently, you increase your job prospects.

Modern languages play an important role in the world of work. Companies can have offices in other European countries; they may merge with a transnational; they might employ an international workforce; they often have major international contracts. Trade tends to be done not in English but in the customerRs own language. If you speak a foreign language fluently, you may be offered the chance to travel.

Quite apart from increasing your employability, knowing another language well means knowing another countryRs way of life and having an open mind as to cultural differences. It can be quite interesting to learn about a countryRs traditions and customs, its towns and countryside, its people and their music, food and drink. If you speak a foreign language fluently, you have a deeper appreciation of the world.

Knowing another language well also means knowing your own language better. Many people find that their ability to write English improves once they have a feel for language in general. They can string sentences together more coherently because they are aware of the mechanics of grammar. They have access to a wider English vocabulary because they have learned related words in another language. They can transfer the skills that they have learned in writing essays in French or giving a presentation in German to essay-writing and presentation-giving in English.

If you are an international student, you may think that if your English was good enough to get you here, it will be good enough to help you pass your degree. The problem is that in order to communicate effectively here, you will need to be able to handle the grammar accurately and appropriately, use the right formal words for the right academic context, and then pronounce it all in a way that people understand without difficulty. You will also need to be familiar with the conventions of essay-writing and presentation-giving that will be evaluated positively here.

Whether you are an English speaker or an international student, speaking the language of the country that you are in helps you to socialise better. If you know what everyone is saying around you and can make friends you will surely have a better time on holiday, or here in Sunderland if you are an international student. Knowing the foreign language gives you access to films, theatre, books etc. that you might otherwise have enjoyed.

Read through these web pages and see what the University Language Scheme has to offer. Do not forget: if you stop studying a language, you start to lose what you have already learned. Refresh the language you know or start out on a new language with us.

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Text & Concept: Tony McNeill
The University of Sunderland
Last updated: 21-July-2001