At this present age where globalization is the key to better economies, better international relations, better education, and better lives; there is a serious need of proficiency in languages other than our native tongues.   English has become the language if science, international business, politics and the internet yet in different parts of the world, various people learn other foreign languages.  In most English-speaking countries, people pay attention to learning foreign languages such as Spanish, French, Italian and German and many opt to learn them since they are the only languages which are offered for learning in their area.  Other languages are not being paid much attention to since they may not be offered for learning and there could be a shortage of teachers who are qualified to teach those languages.  These “other” languages which are also called “critical need” languages are Chinese, Arabic, Japanese, Russian, Korean, Urdu, Farsi and all the other languages which are not spoken by too many people all over the planet.  These critical languages are considered to be critical from the security point of view and the listings and classifications of critical languages vary from one country to another.

In the United States, the country’s need in increasing the number of people who can speak critical need languages is in the national interest.  The Pentagon would prefer its personnel to speak a second language to improve its ground operations; intelligence agencies need officers who can speak critical languages; and international businesses are concerned about competition with countries which have an unlimited supply of technically skilled workers who speak the English language.  The American school system does minimal work to expose its future scientists, businessmen, diplomats and soldiers to foreign languages when they are still young, when their brains are in their best stage to learn them.  In order to produce citizens who can communicate internationally, the involvement of parents, educators, the government and other sectors are required to help make foreign language learning a must for all students at all levels rather than as an elective courses for a few.  The studying of foreign languages should not be considered only as optional but it should be treated like other subjects since languages are very crucial for economic growth, national security, and diplomacy.

The United States Departments of Defense and State, the Director of National Intelligence, and the Department of Education are proposing to establish grants and train teachers under the National Security Language Initiative of President Bush.  It has been stated that American students must master critical need foreign language skills in order to help advance national security and global competitiveness.  The Department of Education and its partner agencies will be focusing resources toward educating teachers, students, and government workers in critical need foreign languages and increasing the number of advanced-level speakers in those and other languages.  It has also proposed that critical language learning should start at a younger age and continue as years go by; from kindergarten through university.  The budget of the Department of Education will include set budget to create incentives to study and teach critical need languages; create programs in critical need languages in twenty-four school districts in partnership with universities and colleges; create a language teacher corps with the goal of having a thousand new foreign language teachers before the end of the decade; a nationwide e-learning program to deliver foreign language education resources to students and teachers across the country; and a whole lot more.

Since the US is already doing its part in promoting the importance to learn critical need languages, don’t you think it is better that the rest of the world should to the same?  We are at the liberty to learn whichever language we want to learn for our own personal purposes.  However, it is essential that when we chose to learn languages, we know that we will be using them in the future not only for our own benefit but for our countries and for the world as well!

If you are still deciding which foreign language to learn, the best choice is the one you are most interested in and which you consider to be very useful for you in the future.  If you were to choose one or more of the said critical languages, then better you better start learning now and help spread the use of these languages!

Learning languages is one enjoyable and fascinating activity you can spend your time, effort and money on since it is very useful and beneficial in the future and even at present.  Learning a language can help you expand your horizons and have a better understanding of the world that is why it is essential that you start to learn as soon as you can.  There are so many ways in leaning a language.  Learning languages in language schools can be very helpful as they help you attain your goals in language learning by helping you learn the basics such as vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure and pronunciation; and it is also ideal to learn in a language school which is located in a place where the native language is your target language in order for you to be fully immersed in its natural environment and be exposed to the culture where it hailed from.  However, how do you learn languages through other techniques?  Are there easier, cheaper and more convenient ways in learning languages?

Learning languages through music is one of the many language learning techniques which is easier than and not as expensive as other language learning tools.  Music is interesting and it plays a significant role in the language teaching and learning process by bringing life to the language.  Music is international and it is used worldwide for communication and it can be enjoyed and shared by people from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds.  It enables language learners to relax in their learning atmosphere where music affords a pleasant environment to the process of learning.  Music can make language learning interesting since it can easily catch the language learners’ attention, and it reduces tension and pressure in learning the target language as well.  Music has a very powerful effect in a person’s memory; songs learned during childhood can still be recalled word for word when one grows older regardless of what language the song is in as long as it was repeatedly heard during the learning process.

Language teachers use songs and music in their classrooms for various reasons and the main reason is that it creates a good atmosphere in the classroom.  It is also easier for students to relate to music as part of entertainment rather than as a learning task.  Music with the target language as lyrics is more interesting when repeated many times over than just the usual reading and pronouncing of words repeatedly.  Music enhances the ability of the language learners to remember words easily and it can really help in shortening the period of time in learning a new language.  Music can help language learners build confidence in learning a new language since it has a carefree feel to it, not as strict and formal sounding than the usual language learning methods.

Language learning through music is one great language learning supplement.  However, it is not totally recommended as an absolute language learning technique since not all songs teach how to formulate sentences and apply correct grammar to statements; a more formal approach is needed for such elements to be mastered.  Music is considered a good supplement since it makes language learning interesting and fun especially to those who are in the beginner level.  Foreign language words in a song are easier to remember and in many ways they reveal something of the culture where the language came from.  Songs can also reveal emotions and feelings which makes a language learner easily associate certain words to certain emotions.

So the bottom line is, learning languages through music is very helpful in honing your memory with the words of your target language and it also helps you keep interested in learning the language.  Music helps create an interesting and pleasant atmosphere for language learning and it can help you relax and become confident as you learn the language.  Music crosses barriers and it also bridges gaps and differences that is why is very useful in becoming familiar with a language which is not your own.

Learn languages through music and listening to songs in your target language!  Incorporate the beauty of music to your language learning program and find it that you will learn your target language easier, faster and merrier.

Learning languages is interesting and fun, new languages can make you twist your tongue yet they can help you open doors to various possibilities and opportunities.  Learning languages may be beneficial and all but have you ever wondered if it is naturally in you to learn languages?  Have you ever thought whether it is inherent in you to acquire languages easily or not?  Did it ever cross your mind that learning languages may be influenced by your genes?

A study conducted by Dan Dediu and Robert Ladd at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland a couple of years ago has found that there is a possible link between a human being’s DNA and his or her ability to learn a particular set of languages.  The findings could be the first sign of the subtle effect in which a person’s DNA could bias him or her in learning other languages.  You might be wondering why you have difficulty in learning a particular language, well the study shows that your genes could be held responsible for it.

The genes which are called ASPM and Microcephalin are found to play a role in brain development and they appear to still be evolving in human beings.  They are very unevenly distributed geographically yet they are very common in populations in Northern Asia, Europe, and some parts of Southeast Asia and Oceania, and are quite uncommon in East Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.  Impressionistically, the areas where the genes are common are areas where tonal languages are rare, while the areas where the genes are rare are the areas where tonal languages are common.

Tonal languages are languages which use tone to distinguish words.  One of the main characteristics of tonal languages is that, one word can have various meanings depending on the tone it was inflected by the speaker.  Tone is a phonological trait which is common to numerous languages around the world yet they are rare in South Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.  About half of all existing languages in the world are tonal; while the other half of all the languages in the world are non tonal, they use pitch only to stress statements or questions.  Among the tonal languages on the planet are Norwegian, Lithuanian, Swedish, Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, some Slovene dialects, Limburgish, Punjabi, Hausa, Vietnamese, Lao, Thai, Burmese, all Chinese dialects, Central and Eastern Tibetan dialects, languages of New Guinea, the Na-Dené languages of Alaska and the American Southwest, the Oto-Manguean languages of Mexico, Uspantek, a dialect of Tzotzil, and Yucatec.

If you are or your ancestors were from the places where the native languages are nearly all tonal such as sub-Saharan Africa or Southeast Asia, you most probably have the older version of the genes.  However if you or your ancestors were from the areas where most people speak non tonal languages, you most probably have the newer version of Microcephalin and you have the fifty-fifty possibility of carrying the new ASPM gene. The newer versions of the genes may give you a sort of insensitivity for tone therefore you might have difficulty in learning a tonal language if your native language is a non tonal one.

Very young children may not show the effects of the genes while they are learning their native tongues.  Various studies have already found out that very young children can learn any language on the planet equally easily regardless where they came from as long as they are exposed to it from a very early age.  The effects of the said genes are more evident in adults who are struggling to learn a foreign language.  Adults already have developed language systems in them that is why it could be difficult for them to learn new languages especially ones which could be totally different from their native tongues.

The researchers have encouraged more studies to be done in order to have new insights into the nature of the human language faculty so do not be totally discouraged from learning a new language which is from a language set that is different from yours.  There are numerous language learning methods which you can try and learn from and there are so many ways to help you achieve your language learning goals.

People learn languages for various purposes and the main reason why people do so is to be able to communicate with more people.  Travel is also one of the many reasons why people learn languages.  Traveling opens new doors to different horizons; it is also an enriching experience not only for the mind but for the body and soul as well. Being equipped with the language of your destination can have a lot of advantages and rewards that is why it is better if you learn languages aside from your mother tongue.  Who knows, you might have unexpected travel opportunities!

It has been said many times over that it is easier to travel when you know the language of your destination.  Every step of the way will not be as difficult if you know at least the basics of the language of the place you are in.  Whether you encounter people in taxis, trains, hotels, airports, restaurants or shops, you will find it easier to get the information you need or get your point across if you know the language.  You would not have to panic if there is no one around who speaks your native language if you can communicate with the locals in their language.

You will surely enjoy the culture of your place of travel if you know how to speak its language.  One of the essences of travel is to be able to explore and discover the history, culture, and people of the place.  In order to have a completely enriching experience is to understand how the place came to be, how it was in the past and how it developed into its present state.  The best way to have a better understanding of the history, culture and people of a place is to speak its language.

Knowing the language spoken in the place you are visiting can help you have more fun.  Since you will not worry about how to communicate with the people around you, you will have more time enjoying the sights and sounds of the place!  You will have a better travel experience if you can go around the place on your own and discover its charm and beauty at your own pace.  You will also enjoy meeting new people and make new friends if you can speak their language.  Shopping, sight-seeing, dining and other activities will be easier and more enjoyable if you speak the language of the place.

Aside from just traveling to a place for vacation, if you are apt with the language spoken in the place, you can have more opportunities!  If you decide to stay longer in the place, you can try working or studying there too!  It is better that you are already know the language when you plan to work or study abroad so that you will have better chances of getting a job or being admitted into their educational institutions.  You would make a better impression if you can already speak the native language of the place.

Learning a language or two or even more for travel will help you broaden your horizons and it will open many doors to various opportunities for your future.  You can also learn a language while you travel by enrolling in a language travel program.  Learning a language in the place where it is spoken will help you learn the language easier since you will be immersed in the natural environment of the language.

Learning languages for travel is something that you should try and enjoy.  There is so much to see in the world and it will be more exciting if you can understand what you see, hear, and experience!  Learn languages now and enjoy your trips!

Learning languages is for people of all ages and all walks of life who wish to improve themselves and who want to communicate with more people on the planet.  Learning languages has a lot of advantages since they can be used for various purposes, in different aspects, and in numerous fields.  Learning languages can be very beneficial and it would be better if a person can speak more than just one language in order to be able to expand his or her horizons.  Anyone can learn languages anytime but do you know that it is better to start learning languages at a young age?

Young children are more likely to learn a second language naturally.  Exposing young children to a second language will allow them to optimize their learning potential and it helps them to shape their brains at their most flexible stage.  Children can acquire native-like language fluency as easily as they learned to do their first motor skills.  Adults who learn new languages have to work through their established first-language system, study grammar rules, and practice rote drills whereas young children learn languages naturally by building a second language system alongside their first language; and by absorbing sounds, intonation patterns, structures, and rules of a second language intuitively as how they learned their mother tongue.    Young brains are inherently flexible and are uniquely wired to acquire languages naturally.

The best time for language acquisition is during early childhood.  The ease of learning a second language lessens with age that is why it is better to start young.  Experts have estimated that older learners lose the ability to hear and reproduce new sounds by age eight to twelve, resulting in a permanent foreign-sounding accent in any language.  Younger learners benefit from flexible speech and ear muscles that can still hear the significant differences between the sounds of a second language as well as replicate them with native-like quality.

Studies have shown that children who learn languages young go on to show enhanced spatial relations and problem solving skills, have stronger communication skills, and have higher elementary and SAT test scores.  Some parents are concerned that maybe if they start their young children on a second language it will interfere with their developing first language skills, which is not exactly the case.  Children can differentiate between two languages within the first weeks of life and learning another language will actually enhance their overall verbal development.  According to research, children gain additional cognitive benefits to learning a second language at an early age.  Children who study foreign languages show higher cognitive performance in overall basic skills in elementary school, and also exhibit better problem solving skills, heightened creativity, and more.  Children who learn foreign languages tend to develop flexible thinking and communication skills which can help them consider various issues from more than a single perspective.

Young children are able to enrich their lives and open doors to their future when they learn languages at a young age.  Aside from that they gain an expanded world view, have greater intercultural appreciation and sensitivity, have a competitive edge in the global marketplace, and have the ability to learn more languages more easily!  When people start to learn languages at a younger age, they tend to become people who have a better understanding of the world not only because they can communicate in more than a single language but also for the reason that learning new languages can help them have better appreciation of other cultures.

Learning new languages can bridge a lot of gaps and are very beneficial in the future that is why it is better to start learning languages while you are still young!  If you are a parent or an elder sibling or a teacher of young students, better encourage young children to learn new languages and help them equip themselves for their future!