Why learning English as a second language? That is a question that needs to be answered with some facts. Nowadays, English has become an international language. It is the most spoken in the world: 508 million people speak it fluently in about 45 countries. It is important to note, however, that English is losing ground in some Anglophone countries such as the United States, where Spanish is on the way to dethroning it, and in the United Kingdom, where the Celtic languages
But English is still the world language par excellence. It is the most used in commercial exchanges, in the world of tourism and economics, in all scientific and technological fields, and in everything related to culture and the media. And what about the Internet, which puts at our disposal an infinite number of videos, films in English (with and without subtitles), interesting articles, forums for fans of any activity… And, if we want to focus on academics, managing English is indispensable to be able to achieve higher studies.
In recent years, choosing between bilingual and non-bilingual education has been a matter of strategy for some parents: it has often been said that bilingual classes were better than the others and many teenagers ended up in them only to be surrounded by “the best students of the institute.” However, this statement is false: what really contributes to school success is the motivation of a student when studying, and not so much who is around.
English for speakers of other languages can contribute enormously to the personal and professional future of the student, and therefore they make an effort when it comes to learning it (whether they have chosen bilingual teaching or not). Others, on the other hand, believe that it is only a procedure, a subject without great utility, and they see it as a challenging obstacle.
Currently, English is still essential in the workplace. Even if you, or your children, have a great interest in studying German, French or Chinese, it is very important and advisable that you continue to receive English classes. Begin to receive classes as soon as possible, especially spoken English. Today, the youngest of the house already receive classes to begin to familiarize themselves with the language, but it is important to reinforce this knowledge as they grow.
Do not be satisfied with the English you learn at school or in high school: read books in English, watch films in their original version (subtitled or not), listen carefully to the songs in English of your favorite artists and learn them by heart. Those who like online resources can find very interesting tools to complement the learning: web pages with explanations, exercises, videos, tutorials, contests… The important thing is that you immerse yourself completely and habitually in an Anglophone environment so that your ears and brain are impregnated with the sounds and structure of English.