There are a whole host of reasons why it’s important to speak a language other than English. We are part of the European Union, in which we can live, work or study in any one of 27 countries. The balance of the world economy is changing as countries like China, India, Russia and Brazil grow in importance. Speaking the language of other nations will be a huge factor in how successful we are in the future. So in the world of work, language skills are going to be increasingly important in organisations and businesses who want to remain competitive on an international level.

But economics and employability aren’t the factors at play, here. By speaking a language other than English, the world opens up to you. You have an asset for life! Languages help us build friendships with people across the globe, and understand and experience different cultures in a way that enriches our own lives, too. They open up travel opportunities, the chance to study or live abroad and, ultimately, allow us to experience things that speaking English alone we simply wouldn’t be capable of.