Abbeygate sixthformer Aaron McIntyre says studying a foreign language can open a myriad of doors
Many people may never have seen a point in studying a language.
The notion of immersing yourself in the pursuit of French, German or Spanish appears a world away to some.
But there are still a few of us with our noses in language dictionaries, watching our world films with subtitles – and eating our croissants rather than our crumpets.
Everybody no doubt remembers studying French at school – those lessons of copying endless lists of vocabulary only to struggle in the next exam; the sad reality is that, in recent years, partly due to the changes in GCSE structure and lack of political priority, language learning in Britain is being killed off. Statistics that I have read place German A-level student numbers are struggling at around 4,000, with a number 25 times more people studying on mathematics courses.
Most alarmingly for teachers and professionals is that while generally A-level entries are increasing, the number of students studying modern foreign languages (MFL) continues to be in steady decline.
The importance of speaking a second or even a third language has never been higher in my opinion.
The study of a foreign language provides an education in literature, politics, citizenship and film to name but a few subjects. Unlike some subjects which may focus on repeating buckets of facts, studying languages teaches you high level analytical skills at the same time as giving an invaluable knowledge of society and culture from different countries. In a competitive business world, giving a presentation to a Belgian firm in French is a thousand times more likely to earn you a contract than simply speaking English.
I’d agree that, with Brexit seemingly done and dusted and a pandemic keeping us at home, it is tempting to watch the TV movie Booze Cruise, with Mark Benton, and then claim you’re an expert on northern France. But there is truly nothing more beautiful than understanding others in their own tongue. Now Great Britain is out of the EU, there is a need for skilled linguists to ensure our diplomatic ties continue unbroken. This need has never been so prevalent.
Myself, I’m an economist at heart, also studying politics and maths. Yet in my French class there are students from all subjects, showing that studying languages truly provides something for everyone. In fact, studies show that languages students are much more likely to be employed than our monolingual colleagues. More impressively, scientists believe that those with language qualifications are more outgoing, more knowledgeable and more tolerant than the average citizen; in a world that some might argue is becoming more closed off in some ways, being more open is now a necessity.
Despite my earlier nod to the death of languages, there is hope: Abbeygate Sixth Form College is fast-becoming the East Anglian hub for all things modern foreign languages. Abbeygate offers three languages and a host of extra-curricular activities such as debating and foreign links. Last month for example, the German debating team beat an established debating school and won a place in the next round of a prestigious national German debating competition. Here, we are not only helping languages survive, but we are helping them to thrive.
Languages are so much more than textbooks and listening exams. They are the gateway to the world. So next time you put on ’Allo ’Allo! or Escape to the Château, remember there is a beautiful world of words waiting out there.
Studying a language is the key to truly understanding other cultures.
-- Aaron McIntyre in Year 12 at Abbeygate Sixth Form College and is currently studying A-levels in economics, government and politics, French and maths
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