There is no question that learning a language opens up doors of possibilities, offers more ways to express yourself, in addition to strengthening relationships. But we often don’t often give the praise that is deserved about languages improving our learning abilities. It’s possible because we are more focused on all the other amazing benefits that we forget that learning a language actually changes the way you learn anything else! Pretty powerful, isn’t it?
Here’s a few ways how learning a language is an investment in your future education and cognitive abilities.
1.Cognitive Benefits
In a survey conducted by the European Commission in 2006, concludes that for a bilingual speaker, they automatically connect similar words in their mother tongue with words from the new language they are learning. This automatically encourages learning by association, which helps with memory and problem solving. The study also proves there are cognitive abilities strengthened with this process being that this is automatically happening in the brain, thus strengthening the control mechanisms of the brain. This is due to the choices occurring in your brain to decide what word to use, and what word to not to use. Plus, when pronouncing the words, your brain is needed to think in a timely manner to associate the correct word, and not just the first letter or the middle sound. This improves your memory and your focus, considering you need to be “all there” in simplest terms, to be able to concentrate on listening, processing and then developing a solution, and correctly delivering it with correct pronunciation and stress on certain syllables. Overall, learning a new language makes you think differently than monolingual people based on the fact that simply becoming conversational requires you to learn by association, strengthen control mechanisms in your brain (which help you improve other tasks at a faster rate), in addition to improving your memory and focus. We’ve only touched the surface of the cognitive benefits of learning a language, thus proving that the benefits include a long list, with only positive benefits.
2.Reaching Beyond The Classroom
Aside from the fact that learning a new language can increase your brain power, it also can help your overall being. How? Well, there is also a long list of benefits in regards to this aspect as well. Learning a language helps you in multiple aspects of your personality, social situations, and even getting out of sticky situations. The way it affects your personality is that it grants you patience. Especially if you’re learning a new language for the first time as an adult. Results don’t happen overnight, thus accepting the learning process of a new language is accepting patience – a key attribute for continuous learning. With patience, comes a drive for wonder. This means asking what a word means in the language, or the correct conjugation. This type of learning includes no limits, and surely can be applied to other subjects and models in life. Scenarios like this are not the only way your well being is positively affected. Learning new languages allows you to connect deeper with family, friends or a significant other that speak that language. Deep connecting and nurturing relationships are detrimental for your health and allow your brain to function better, thus increasing your cognitive abilities. Furthermore, it is without question that travel is an intense way to learn, but traveling to learn a language the experience is even heightened. When negotiating a taxi fare, asking where the airport is or simply running errands in the local shops, using a foreign language to do so allows you to think outside of the box. If you cannot find what you are looking for – for example, toothpaste; you may need to describe the situation of brushing your teeth to come to a mutual understanding. Or, another situation is when you’re negotiating a fair for a taxi cab, you’re compelled to learn whatever the taxi driver is saying to try to understand them to decide on a fair price – which is very likely to include words you do not know (if you are just starting out learning). Learning at this pace will excel all other learning behaviors, proving that learning a new language is extremely powerful in regards to way you learn!
