Language hurdle number 1 of 6: Confidence

Flickr User: gerriet

     Travelling in a country where you aren't a master of the language can be daunting, and often it is quite difficult to get started in speaking the language, especially when locals immediately notice that you speak English (It's international). Particularly when you are a beginner, locals can sometimes get impatient waiting for you to come up with the correct phrase; or you yourself may not feel comfortable making them wait a long time while you find the right phrasing. Also, at the beginner to lower intermediate stage, you often have a very limited pool of vocabulary to draw from and there are many situations that are too difficult linguistically to tackle yet. What you must understand is that you are not alone. Click onward for a great funny video about the difficulties of conversing in a language for the first time.

Why an International Perspective is Gold for Any Job Seeker

UK CEOs are looking beyond domestic and traditional markets to take a more international perspective... and that means they need employees who can also take on this international view. Employees who have experience communicating with people from different countries with different cultures. Those who are unfazed by being surrounded by a multilingual environment, and can even participate in the nuanced multilingual conversations are becoming more and more valuable. Employees who can use their experience of a country's culture to give unique insights to negotiations and business plans... that would or could be YOU!

Check out the article here!

And if this article has inspired you, don't forget to check out our selection of business-oriented programmes, or even get in touch and see what we can recommend for you!

Challenge 2011 - Learn a language!

Today I stumbled across some excellent arguments for why having a second or third language in your skillset is an incredible bonus in the job market. Confessed Travelholic at her Tale of a Thousand Cities blog gives some tips as to what language to choose, and also explains how a language immersion course can really help you get the most out of your travel adventures too! Check it out!

What is a Language School?

A class at our partner school in Peru.

Okay, in some ways the answer to this question maybe obvious: a language school is a school dedicated to learning a language! But how do they work? Why are they special? What’s the point in enrolling in courses at these types of schools? The purpose of this article is to give you some practical information, clear up some of the mystery surrounding this type of school; and give you a little taster of what the experience is like studying there.

Why you need to visit the country where your target language is spoken (and why it isn’t as scary as it seems)

Heidelberg, a picturesque town in Germany

Up until recently, I’ve been a bit of a language scaredy-cat. Sure, I’ve studied 5 foreign languages, but these were mainly in the classroom and at University. Okay, okay, I’ll admit I’m one of those people who enjoys putting up their hand and answering a question and getting it right. There’s something really comforting about knowing there is a right and a wrong answer to a question – particularly with grammar: learn the rules, learn the exceptions, and you’re kind of there.

Unfortunately, languages aren’t really a subject that can be put into neat formulas and rules, because they aren’t dead. Languages are living squirmy things that are constantly changing, and not just that, they are constantly being used in different ways by their speakers.

Business Language Courses

Flickr User: Paul (dex)

      Learning a new language is not only for language majors. In this current economic environment, along with the rapid progress of globalization, it is imperative that you have more than one language you can speak or at least communicate with on a basic level. Human Resources departments prioritize applications which include a global experience that provides a valuable global mind set. Here's why.