FOREIGN LANGUAGES | Language Links

Foreign Languages Online

Over the past years, our world has become more interdependent and new technologies have allowed us to communicate with people from the four corners of the world. As relationships grow and strengthen, so does the need to speak a foreign language.

We, therefore, have an enhanced need for enlightened citizenship that is both culturally and linguistically prepared to function in today's world.

Learn French and you can speak with approximately 267 million people worldwide. Learn Korean and you can speak to another 82 million people. Learn Spanish and you'll be able to speak with approximately more than 543 million people. If you already speak English, you would almost be able to speak to half the world’s population!

While English has become the lingua franca of the world, learning a foreign language, or two, increases greatly opportunities for connection and opens the door to the many benefits of bilingualism.

BECOME A GLOBAL CITIZEN

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French

Korean

Spanish

* Other foreign languages are available upon request. Please inquire for more information.

Programs for Young Learners and Adults Learners

Group Lessons & Private lessons

Why study a foreign language?

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Top 10 Reasons:

1. Connect!

One of the most rewarding aspects of our lives is our ability to connect with others. Being able to communicate with someone in their language is an incredible gift. Bilinguals have the unique opportunity to communicate with a wider range of people in their personal and professional lives. Knowing the language makes you a local no matter where you are, opening up your world literally and figuratively. As a student, you will be shaped by new communities. You will be humbled by the kindness of strangers. You will build lifelong friendships. If this isn't enough, you will see the reward of learning languages for many years to come.

2. Advance Your Career

Language skills can be a significant competitive advantage that sets you apart from your monolingual peers. No matter your industry, the demand for bilingual professionals is rising exponentially. Employers are seeking professionals who can communicate seamlessly with customers in expanding overseas markets, as well as serve and sell to a large foreign-born population here in Canada. With more than 6.6 million Canadian residents who speak a language other than English or French at home, you don’t need to get on a plane to put your language skills to work. As an added incentive, in many instances, language skills also lead to hiring bonuses and increased salaries. Regardless of your career aspiration, adding language skills to your resume will put you ahead of the game.

3. Feed Your Brain

There are many cognitive benefits of learning another language. People who speak more than one language have improved memory, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, enhanced concentration, ability to multitask, and better listening skills. Bilinguals switch between competing tasks and monitor changes in their environment more easily than monolinguals, as well as display signs of greater creativity and flexibility. Additionally, as we age, being bilingual or multilingual helps to stave off mental aging and cognitive decline.

4. Deepen Your Connection to Other Cultures

Language is the most direct connection to other cultures. Being able to communicate in another language exposes us to and fosters an appreciation for the traditions, religions, arts, and history of the people associated with that language. Greater understanding, in turn, promotes greater tolerance, empathy, and acceptance of others—with studies showing that children who have studied another language are more open toward and express more positive attitudes toward the culture associated with that language.

5. See the World

Traveling as a speaker of the local language can revolutionize a trip abroad. While monolingual travelers are capable of visiting the same places, travelers who know the local language are more easily able to navigate outside the tourist bubble and to connect and interact with the place and its people in a way that is often inaccessible to those without the language. Learning a second language also opens additional doors to opportunities for studying or working abroad.

6. Go to the Source

In a world of more than 6,000 spoken languages, we sometimes require translation, but speaking at least one additional language empowers us to access information that would otherwise be off-limits. For example, individuals proficient in other languages are able to navigate the Internet as genuine global citizens—consuming and assessing foreign media and entertainment.

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7. Become a Polyglot

Not only does learning a second language improve communication skills and multiply vocabulary in your first language, but research shows that it makes picking up additional languages a much easier feat, especially among children. When you learn a new language, the brain develops networks that are primed and ready for when you embark on learning a third language.

8. Boost Your Confidence

Any language learner can attest to making their share of grammar and pronunciation mistakes while discovering a new language. It’s a necessary part of the learning process! Learning a language means moving out of your comfort zone. However, the upside is the amazing sense of accomplishment you will feel when conversing with someone in their native language.

9. Strengthen Your Decision Making

Studies show that decisions made in your second language are more reason-driven than those made in your native language. Contrary to popular assumptions, when we deliberate in a second or third language, we actually distance ourselves from the emotional responses and biases deeply associated with our mother tongue. The result? Systematic and clear-headed decisions based on just the facts.

10. Gain Perspective

As we explore a new language and culture, we naturally draw comparisons to what is most familiar. Learning about another culture sheds light on aspects of our own culture, both positive and negative, we may not have previously considered. You may find a greater appreciation for what you have, or you may decide to shake things up!