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European Day of Languages > Activities > language journey > Sounds

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Did you know, learning a language helps your memory, creativity, listening skills and self confidence?

Internet Explorer users: If the video does not play for you please try again in compatibility mode

By taking a language at GCSE you'll have amazing skills and a valuable talent that's applicable to almost everything you do - so, it's quite a handy subject really. A language GCSE builds on what you've already learnt in years 7, 8 and 9 and you probably know more than you think. Language classes are still fun and interactive and you cover things at a slightly quicker pace, but this is good as you'll easily notice the improvements that you make in your foreign language. Plus by taking a language GCSE you don't just learn the language, you get to find out about other people, countries and cultures so it really is an interesting and varied subject.

Here are our top 10 reasons why languages are great:

1. English is not enough! Not everyone speaks or wants to speak English.

2. A language will always be useful, no matter what you do.

3. In class, you get to study a wide range of topics all about different people and cultures, not just how to speak.

4. You can read books, watch films and listen to songs in their native language - and understand them too!

5. Languages mean business - being able to speak a language will make you really stand out.

6. They're good for you! Speaking more than one language increases your brain capacity, improves your memory and you'll be at less risk of developing Alzheimer's.

7. It's really impressive to be able to speak a foreign language. It's a real achievement that your friends will envy and employers will love!

8. You can understand and talk to lots more people when you go abroad.

9. Using a language at work could raise your salary from 8-20%.

10. Learning languages really improves your communication skills.

Alternative qualifications

For information on alternative qualifications visit CILT's website.

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Did you know, learning a language helps your memory, creativity, listening skills and self confidence? Internet Explorer users: If the video does not play for you please try again in compatibility mode By taking a language at GCSE you'll have amazing skills and a valuable talent that's applicable to almost everything you do - so, it's quite a handy subject really.

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Have you ever gotten stuck trying to ask for directions or ordering food abroad? Perhaps you have watched a foreign film and wished you didn't need to read the subtitles? Whether you dream of living overseas, travelling the world with work and helping people communicate: gaining language skills can help you.
Before, we begin, for more advice on studying languages at university, you might want to take a look at our 60 Second Interview with a History and French Student.

What languages can I learn at school?

Typically, the main Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) you can take at GCSE and A-level are French, German and Spanish. But that's not all! Depending on your school, the adventurous can choose from an exciting array of languages, including: Afrikaans, Portuguese, Italian, Mandarin Chinese, Polish, Russian and Japanese.

Find out more: Our Languages Subject Guide links what you learn in class to your career

If you're a history buff, you can also take choose 'Ancient Languages', which includes Classical Greek and Latin. And why not? You may as well... carpe diem! ("seize the day!" Yeah, we had to say it).

What skills will I get from studying a foreign language?

The ability to speak another language, of course! Ok, that's an obvious one but there's more to it than that. Learning a foreign language can build your communication, interpersonal, intercultural, and public speaking skills - otherwise known as 'soft skills'. Some studies have also shown that learning another language can improve your ability to multi-task and block out distractions. That would definitely come in handy during exam revision...

What careers are foreign languages good for?

Languages are great for a wide variety of careers especially those involving translation or communication with people from non-English speaking countries. This can include careers in tourism, government, politics, media, publishing, and journalism.

You can also work in education, fashion or law! Learn more about where languages can take you in your career.

What subjects do languages go with?

Languages go well with subjects like English Literature, History and Geography as they are closely linked and can inform each other. Learning a bit about the French Revolution in history? Knowing some French could give you a whole new perspective! Comme il faut!

What degrees and other qualifications do I need languages for?

Entry requirements for language courses at university tend to vary across institutions. If you want to study a language such as French or Spanish at university you will need to have studied it at A-level as an entry requirement. Some universities, like University College London, require a Modern Foreign Language GCSE for entry across all of its degree programmes.

Bear in mind too that languages are classified as facilitating subjects: which are subjects favoured by top universities for a whole range of degree courses, so they are a great option, whatever you want to do!

Other subjects in our Why Study? series:
Photo by quinn.anya CC Attribution

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why study languages at university? should i study languages at university? what careers need languages?

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Have you ever gotten stuck trying to ask for directions or ordering food abroad? Perhaps you have watched a foreign film and wished you didn't need to read the subtitles? Whether you dream of living overseas, travelling the world with work and helping people communicate: gaining language skills can help you.

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To celebrate the European Day of Languages, we suggest a quiz to give you the chance to test your knowledge about the languages of our continent.

The quiz is divided up into 7 categories:

You get two points for answering correctly the first time, one point if you get it right at the second attempt. Please note that sometimes the correct solution requires more than one answer.

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European Day of Languages > Games > Language Quiz

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Have a go at this fun quiz. Can you guess which language is being spoken? Make sure you've got the sound turned up so you can hear the speech.

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Learning a new language should be compulsory for pupils up to the age of 16, according to a new report highlighting the UK's recent abysmal record in encouraging young people to study languages other than English.

The report published by the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) cites an EU-wide survey showing that just 32% of young people in the UK say they are able to read or write in more than one language, compared with 79% of their peers in France and more than 90% in Germany.

The report calls for the overturning of the government's 2004 decision to drop compulsory study of languages at key stage four - when pupils take GCSE exams in England, Wales and Northern Ireland - which has led to a steep decline in the numbers in England going on to study languages at colleges and universities.
UK schools are turning to foreign governments to fund languages
It also recommends that the government should start subsidising the teaching of languages at universities, "in light of declining enrolments and growing vulnerability for lesser taught languages", for strategic and cultural reasons.

"It was a big mistake to scrap compulsory foreign languages at GCSE," said Megan Bowler, the report's author. "Rather than continuing to present languages as not suitable for everyone, we need to include a broader range of pupils learning through a variety of qualifications geared to different needs.

"Given the shortage of language skills in the workforce, we should safeguard higher education language courses, particularly those involving less widely-taught languages, and prioritise extra-curricular language learning opportunities."

Fewer than half of all pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland sit a GCSE foreign language exam, compared with three in four in 2002 when study was compulsory. The report notes that GCSE entries in German have fallen by 67% since 2002, while French entries have dropped by 62%.

The British Academy said it supported the report's recommendations, which match many of its own concerns.

"With Brexit just around the corner, we need linguists more than ever. Languages are vital for effective trade, diplomacy and soft power, for social cohesion, social mobility, and educational attainment, all of which will be essential to the UK's future success," said Neil Kenny, languages lead at the British Academy.

Nick Hillman, Hepi's director, said making foreign languages optional at GCSE was one of the worst education policy blunders in recent memory, and that reinstating them was a "no-brainer".

"In terms of speaking foreign languages [the British] have never been good. But now the level has gone from low to dire," Hillman said.

The report suggests that GCSEs in England be supplemented by less academic alternative qualifications, including one for vocational language use and another for the study of community languages, available up to the end of the sixth form.

A symptom of the decline has been a shortage of teachers, with the report recommending that language teachers be added to the Home Office's shortage occupation list, to help recruit teaching staff from overseas. Currently only Mandarin teachers are on the list.

The report notes that the devolved school systems in Wales and Scotland have had more success in encouraging the study of languages than England's, especially in primary schools.
Topics

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Learning foreign languages should be compulsory, says report

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Learning a new language should be compulsory for pupils up to the age of 16, according to a new report highlighting the UK's recent abysmal record in encouraging young people to study languages other than English.

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If I could write a letter to my 15-year-old self, I'd thank her profusely and congratulate her on taking one key decision. Although she had no idea at the time, I'd tell her how crucial that decision was to her entire path through life. I'd congratulate her for choosing to continue studying Spanish to AS and A-Level. Why?
Two weeks ago I returned to my secondary school, King Edward VI School, for the first time in nine years. Nine years! After spending every weekday of my life there for seven years on the trot, one day I simply left and took nine whole years to return. So why did I return? It wasn't for one of those awkward school reunions, it was actually to give a series of talks to 4th, 5th and 6th formers (aged 14-18). In total that day I spoke to some 300 students and I titled my talks '50 Countries and Counting: How Languages Let Me Discover the World'. My aim was to try and convince the students at GCSE level to continue with a language to A-Level. For those who are unfamiliar with the British schooling system, we study 10 or so subjects to GCSE (age 16). After GCSEs we specialise down to just 4 subjects at AS Level (age 17) and then specialise even further to just 3 subjects at A-Level (age 18). Nationally it's not compulsory to study a language even to age 16, but my school thankfully did make it compulsory. I also spoke to 6th formers (age 17-18) who are studying a language at A-Level and I explained why they should consider including a foreign language in their university degree as well.

I bang on about the importance of learning foreign languages an awful lot to anyone in my vicinity, and it's been a little while since I did so here on my blog, so I thought I'd share some of the key points from my talks to current students at KES.
So why I am so grateful that I took Spanish at A-Level?
At age 16 I was studying English Language, Spanish, Business and Art at AS-Level. I had my heart set on being a journalist, and I wanted to study English at university and then do a Journalism qualification afterwards. I had it all planned out. I'm not even sure why a year beforehand I'd chosen to continue with Spanish to AS-Level, as I certainly wasn't planning on becoming a linguist. Anyway, at age 16 I clearly remember going to a 1-to-1 with the careers officer and telling her about my plans to study English and become a journalist. She herself was an English teacher and quickly pointed out that the top universities teaching 'English' are actually teaching 'English Literature', not the 'English Language' A-Level that I had chosen, and that therefore I couldn't apply to study English at a top university.

This was news to me. I had always preferred the 'language' aspect to the 'literature' aspect anyway, so I wasn't too sorry to miss out on all those literature degrees at top universities, but it did leave me feeling a bit flummoxed and confused about what to do instead.
I wasn't a good enough artist to apply for Art. I was top of my year in Business but wasn't passionate enough for a whole degree in Business. That left me with Spanish, which I was fairly good at, I enjoyed, and I loved the school trips to Salamanca. But I didn't know of anyone who'd studied languages at university - literally no one. No one ever seemed to speak about languages degrees either - it just wasn't one of those subjects that you heard much about as a 16-year-old in the peaceful, monolingual, monocultural, quintessentially English county of Hampshire (see the photos above and below for an idea of what Hampshire looks like). By sheer fortune, my combination of A-Level subject choices and a bit of ignorance on my part regarding the two types of 'English' subjects, lead me to look into, apply and then start a languages degree at the University of Exeter.
Basically, it was a sheer fluke. And now I can't imagine what my life would be like, or what I'd be doing, if I hadn't done a languages degree. I most likely would never have moved abroad, I wouldn't have spent an Erasmus year in Italy and Spain, I wouldn't have discovered all those amazing cultures, I wouldn't have met my wonderful friends from all over the world, I wouldn't have fallen in love with the boyfriends I met while living abroad, I wouldn't have started an international graduate scheme, I wouldn't have travelled so far and wide, and I probably wouldn't be living abroad and studying for a Master's in the Netherlands right now.

Every single thing I've done and every opportunity I've had since age 18 has been a direct result of that decision to continue studying languages (honestly, that's completely true), and the thought that I so very nearly could have chosen another subject is absolutely terrifying. Those 15-year-olds have such important decisions to make at such a young age!

What I wish I had known at age 15: Keep your options open

Having realised that such a pivotal decision in my life took place at the mere age of 15, it seemed important to me that other 15-year-olds grasp this fact and consider their A-Level choices very seriously indeed. I showed the students this quote:

"One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way." - Frank Smith

In essence, I wanted to tell students to keep their options open. To keep those doors in that corridor open! I wasn't broadcasting propaganda that all 300 of them should study languages at university and follow my exact path - not at all. I was just saying that by choosing an A-Level language, they can keep their options open. This is for a number of reasons. With a language A-Level you can:

Study that language at university

Study a new language from scratch at university (known as 'ab initio', for which universities require proof that you have language learning ability, through an A-Level language)

Combine any language with any other subject at university (eg. History and Spanish, Geography and French, Law and Italian)

Study, work or teach abroad with Erasmus (which normally requires some proof of language learning ability too)

Study for an entire degree in a different country (which are often far cheaper than in the UK)

Take a Gap Year to travel, with the excuse of wanting to practice and improve your foreign language

Easily pick up other languages later on, once you understand the grammar and language learning techniques

Better understand the countries you travel to if you speak the language

Count yourself in the 5.5% of the British population who speak a foreign language (isn't it shocking that that is so low?!)

Better position yourself in the job market (as speaking a foreign language in the UK is so rare for Britons, it's a real asset in any job application)

More easily find a job abroad (every single one of my six jobs abroad has required me speak the local language)

Apply to a much wider range of jobs in lots of different countries

Apparently earn 10% more than people without a foreign language

Discover more of this beautiful world through more opportunities to travel and live abroad

The number of doors opened to me just from studying Spanish to A-Level was a total surprise to me and I wish someone had told me at the time! In my year of 120 students, in the end I was the only one to study languages at university. Two others studied German and Engineering or German and Law, but overall, 3 out of 120 students is pitiful. So I sincerely hope that I may have convinced some of the current students at KES to give languages a decent thought. We have a dire languages shortage in the UK and I don't believe it's because we're fundamentally 'bad' at languages. We simply need role models and advocates of language learning if we're ever to see any improvement!
Here's a great little video made a couple of years ago that demonstrates the sheer variety of roles that linguists can go into and why languages are so important in the job market.

So if you speak a language or have used languages at any point in your life since school, I really urge you to return and give a talk to current students, to explain the opportunities open to them through languages and to open up their horizons. You can either get in touch with the Alumni team or the Head of Modern Languages at your old school directly, or if you live far away you can sign up to the Inspiring Languages website to be matched with local schools as a volunteer available to give talks. Here's a fantastic guide that Inspiring Languages have produced about the benefits of giving talks about languages and how you can get involved.

And if you also believe that learning languages is important, please share this post! Share it with current students that you know, share it with friends and family, so that as many young people as possible know there are language graduates out there for them to ask questions to.

Did you learn a foreign language at school? If you carried on learning, why was this? And importantly, if you gave up studying a language, why was that? I'd be fascinated to hear your experiences of learning languages at school.

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Other languages-related posts you might be interested in:

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Why Every Pupil Should Study a Foreign Language at A-Level

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If I could write a letter to my 15-year-old self, I'd thank her profusely and congratulate her on taking one key decision. Although she had no idea at the time, I'd tell her how crucial that decision was to her entire path through life. I'd congratulate her for choosing to continue studying Spanish to AS...

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Careers and Languages - Why study languages? GCSE options

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Private German Tutor, Online French Teacher Qualified EFL Tutor

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I have been a language student for over 22 years and a language teacher for over 10 years and I often hear the question: 'why learn languages?' In this post, you'll find some background, the benefits of language learning and a free PowerPoint which outlines why people should learn languages!

Why Should People Learn Languages?

It always impresses me hearing people speaking a language that is not their native tongue. I currently have a Business English student who speaks Spanish, German and English fluently. He also works as a successful manager at a well-known luxury car manufacturer. In addition, I have an ESOL student who speaks Italian and French fluently and is working on improving his English to improve his job prospects further. For these people, the benefits of learning languages are seen through their professional lives and their earning potential. Although many are lucky enough to grow up speaking multiple languages, or learn them to use in their professional lives, not everyone has the opportunity or occasion to do so. So, why learn languages?

How Has Learning Languages Helped Me?

Myself, I speak English fluently, German and French to high levels of proficiency, as well as Gujarati and Spanish. I have been able to use my language skills to travel more easily around the world and communicate with people in other countries. Additionally, I have been able to make friends and maintain friendships with foreign people from abroad. Learning German helped me find a husband (!). I have also been able to earn extra money as a private tutor, earn a good income teaching business English to foreign students in France and Germany, work as a modern language teacher in secondary schools. Learning French and German helped me to complete a degree in languages, as well as be able to read literature in other languages, watch foreign films and understand songs in different languages. It has also taught me to be respectful of, recognise and appreciate the richness of other cultures.

Whilst I realise that not everyone is a language enthusiast or will have a use for languages in their every day life, it's important to educate. I feel that nowadays more and more people don't see the benefits of language learning. These people need to be educated on why languages are beneficial and how languages can be useful to your life. I say this based on first hand experience of teaching in schools and students saying: 'but....Miss, everyone speaks English!. Not only do many students in schools not see the benefit of learning languages, their parents equally don't. If you wish to promote languages in your school, then why not invite parents and students to come in and educate them on why to learn languages?

How to convince students to learn languages?

It's a shame that as language teachers we must try and convince students why learning languages is useful. However, I take it as a brilliant opportunity to share my knowledge of why learning languages is a positive thing, give my experiences, describe some great success stories of others who have learnt languages, as well as state the facts.

In the past, I have done assemblies on the benefits of language learning during the European Day of Languages, but this 'Why Learn Languages?' PowerPoint contains a very clear picture on why students should learn languages. You will find quotes, celebrity examples, video clips, statistics and accessible reasons, all of which are clear, concise and highlight the importance of learning languages. Download the now!

Have you seen my 'why study languages?' video on YouTube? Here, you'll find 6 top reasons to share with students.

This article was posted recently by The Telegraph and promotes the top 5 languages to learn for future job opportunities. As it's linked and a point in my top 6 reasons to learn languages, take a look! It's nice to see Spanish, German and French take spots 3, 2 and 1 respectively!

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Why Learn Languages? Ideas For Students! - Private German Tutor, Online French Teacher Qualified EFL Tutor

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I have been a language student for over 22 years and a language teacher for over 10 years and I often hear the question: 'why learn languages?' In this post, you'll find some background, the benefits of language learning and a free PowerPoint which outlines why people should learn languages!

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It's never been a better time to study languages with hi-tech teaching to boost grades and employers saying language qualifications give candidates the edge. One leading language expert shares 8 reasons why opting for a language at GCSE and A level is the smart choice

Language learning in schools, colleges and universities has hit the headlines for the wrong reasons of late. A recent report by the British Council flagged "serious disruption" to language teaching during the Covid school closures, and it's already been announced that oral exams will be dropped from GCSE and A level assessments in 2022.

But as schools and pupils adapt to a greater emphasis on hybrid learning, it's actually never been a better time to study languages. We're seeing a growing take-up of languages and this summer saw record numbers of pupils gain a Spanish A level for the second year in a row. The government is getting behind the trend and wants 75% of pupils to take a modern language GCSE by 2022 and 90% by 2025.

Languages are set to get a long overdue boost and the way pupils learn, engage and adopt languages is accelerating at pace. Schools are adapting to educating a tech-led generation of pupils who have grown up with Google Translate. AI-first technologies, VR learning, Learning Management Systems and real-time progress tracking are just some of the EdTech developments that are resulting in soaring confidence and grades in language labs across the UK.

Employers are also increasingly seeking out candidates with language qualifications, and the rapidly changing global job market means language-related jobs are booming. Throughout my time studying languages in school, Sixth Form and university, the career paths open to me were in teaching, tourism and hospitality. I breezed into a finance job in the City as I spoke five languages but actually knew nothing about finance!

The same applies today - languages give you the edge and help you stand out from the crowd, especially with grade inflation making it harder for employers to distinguish between candidates with high grades across the board.

Languages play a vital part in our personal, academic and future career development. So if you are choosing options for GCSE and A level this year, here's eight reasons why you should 100% considering choosing a language.

8 Reasons To Study a Language at GCSE or A level

'I want a job in tech but employers want me to speak a second language.' This is something we hear often among students at My Language Lab. It might seem counter-intuitive but there's a huge demand for linguists in tech. Billion-dollar companies Duolingo and Quizlet are just a handful of giants that recruit translators, proof-readers and content creators with more competitors joining the scene.

A recent report by employment website Indeed positioned Mandarin at number five in a list of the top ten emerging skills searched for in the tech industry. You'd expect a range of programming languages to be there but China's predominant language ranks highly. This goes to show the impact the world's second largest economy is having on the tech industry.

Covid-19 made 2020 the year of streaming and there's been a huge spike in the need for translation work such as subtitling and dubbing.

German and French were the most in-demand languages for tech jobs in Ireland. Professor Andy Way of Dublin City University School of Computing says: "Many tech jobs see a second language as a desirable skill, putting you ahead of some of the competition. In my field, engineers need the insights from translators to improve their technology in the future. Our systems are trained on data produced by human translators so, without them, we couldn't even begin to do what we do."

"Language skills are very sought after by employers," says economist Pawel Adrjan. GCSE or A Level qualifications in languages open doors for traditional careers but also in digital marketing, social media and sales.

Learning any language can make us more successful working abroad and builds resilience and agility. It provides 'cultural capital'.

Heather Morgan, international economist and serial entrepreneur, describes languages in tech companies: "It's also really helpful if you're thinking about changing careers or want to go to a company that's in a new space, which many tech start-ups are."

We're living in the age of the soft skills, so being good listeners and communicators will not only boost your grades but also give you the edge in side hustles, networking and future life.

Languages give you the edge because they're academically rigorous and challenging to learn and therefore not mastered by many. In applying ourselves to a second language, we improve our aptitude for study itself, especially our listening and communication abilities.

When you learn one language, your brain is hardwired to those specific skill sets and so the next language will actually become that much easier to absorb - your grey matter is actually just built to learn yet another new language.

It's easy to fall back on outdated excuses like "English is the world language" to get ourselves out of trialling our own abilities. It was recently announced that French will replace English as the official working language of the EU. In this increasingly globalised world, languages have become like currency or stock - the more you speak, the higher your value rises.

Every Modern Foreign Language teacher will tell you that language qualifications give you the option to teach. It's worth remembering that in the UK there's still a shortage of MFL teachers, making it a buyer's market and providing a lot more freedom for where you want to settle as well.

Speaking a second language teaches you communication, presentation and soft skills that help you to connect to your audience more. All these transferable skills will give your overall confidence levels a boost, regardless of the scenario. I've trained students for university interviews, internships, work placements and job interviews and we've harnessed these skills to give them a head start and help them stand out from the crowd.

Excellent GCSE and A level Language Resources - Recommended by School Guide

Our language expert is Drew Rogers, Director of My Language Lab, an innovative online language platform and tutoring agency. In 2021, 94% of their learners achieved 9-7 GCSE grades and 100% A level students got A grades.

My Language Lab offers free expert Guides and Resources for language pupils.

Our top picks include:

How to Transition to from Spanish or French GCSE to A level
(Free Video Tutorial)

How to Transition from Year 9 to Year 10 language GCSE
(Free PDF)

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8 Reasons to Choose a Language at GCSE and A level

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Language learning in schools, colleges and universities has hit the headlines for the wrong reasons of late. A recent report by the British Council flagged "serious disruption" to language teaching during the Covid school closures, and it's already been announced that oral exams will be dropped from GCSE and A level assessments in 2022.