Spanish Multilinguism

A second language is a definite advantage in a multilingual world

It is estimated that the combined total of native and non-native Spanish speakers is approximately 500 million, making it the third most spoken language by total number of speakers (after English and Chinese).

In the world

Spanish is the second most studied language after English (17.8 million students) The third most used language on the internet (7,8%)
By 2050 it is thought that 10% of the world’s population will be speaking Spanish.

In Europe

Spanish is the fifth most commonly used language.
Spanish is the most widely known language besides the mother tongue after English, German and French.
69% indicate their level of English to be ‘very good’ or ‘good’, and 65% of those speaking Spanish respectively.
Respondents speaking French or German tend to rate their language skills slightly lower.

Spanish is the first Western language by number of native speakers
Mandarin: 13.69; Spanish: 5.05; English: 4.84; Hindi: 2.82; Portuguese; 2.77; Bengali: 2.77 Russian: 2.68; Japanese; 2.27; German: 1.99; Chinese Wu: 1.49

Spanish is one of the few truly international world languages, i.e. a language spoken in and recognised by a large number of countries, adopted by a significant number of international organizations, and taught/learnt in virtually every country in the world.

Spanish is one of the official languages of the United Nations, the European Union, the OSCE, the African Union, the Organisation of American States, the World Trade Organisation, and about 70 other international organisations. Access to work in these organisations, where 2-3 languages are usually required, is much improved by a working knowledge of Spanish

Despite the increasing use of English as a global lingua franca, the reasons for learning languages are more compelling than ever – especially for the kind of study that goes beyond ‘survival’ language skills and provides a deeper knowledge and appreciation of other cultures and societies. Language skills have become the mark of an educated, and employable, global citizen.

Knowing Spanish opens the door for you to communicate with 1/3 of a billion speakers worldwide!

English speakers have a significant advantage: English is the language of today’s sole super power. It is spoken widely throughout the world as a lingua franca as well as a native language. However this should not encourage complacency. As English is more widely spoken English native speakers will lose the competitive advantage that is conferred by fluency in English. Reliance on one language places English monolinguals at a significant disadvantage in a multilingual world in which:

90% of the population live in countries where English is not the native language.
67% of the world economy lies in non-English speaking countries.
65% of the world’s on-line population is non-English speaking.

Benefits of Learning Spanish

Functional Values

allow pupils to explore life style and culture of another land through its language;
introduce learners to language awareness;
promote social interaction in and beyond the classroom;
listening, reading and memory skills improve, and speaking and writing become more accurate; therefore, students who are bilingual and students who keep studying a second language achieve better academic results;
provide skills for adult life e.g. for work or travel;
through the study of a foreign language pupils understand and appreciate different countries, cultures people and communities;
pupils begin to think of themselves as citizens of the world as well as of the UK;
pupils learn about the basic structures of language;
lay the foundations for future study of other languages;
contribute effectively to society and achieve personal fulfilment;
increase knowledge and understanding for their own sake and to foster their application to the benefit of the economy and society;
serve the needs of an adaptable, sustainable, knowledge-based economy at local, regional and national levels;
play a major role in shaping a democratic, civilised, inclusive society. majority can communicate only internally.

Symbolic Values

The ability to speak the language of another community provides an instrument which allows access to their culture; conversely, if other communities can speak your language, they have a powerful tool for accessing your community. Language therefore has both an inward- and an outward looking functional value, and a symbolic value associated with identity.
If the teaching of foreign languages is restricted, the minority possessed of second language skills acquires a potential advantage over the majority of his monolingual community. This is because the bilingual group has the power to communicate both internally and externally, and the monolingual
Today, English has an international, practical, value for other nations. This has had both functional and ideological implications for the UK, affecting its citizens’ need and willingness to learn other languages. While non-English speaking nations have embraced a multilingual model, looking outward to functional need in order to communicate with other peoples, the UK has remained essentially monolingual. At the functional level, there has been little apparent practical need to learn foreign languages so long as other nations have been willing to learn English. Symbolically, the country has been able to maintain one element of its identity, its language. But this is misguided in the present-day context of globalised English.
Over recent decades, governments have become increasingly aware of the economic disadvantages of monolingualism. This is not only a question of functional incompetence: symbolically, the ability and willingness to speak the language of others alters perceptions and relationships.

Language skills have become the mark of a global citizen. Reliance on one language places English monolinguals at a significant disadvantage in a Multilingual world “Those who know nothing of foreign languages, know nothing of their own” (Goethe)

Multilingual Policies

The British position

In Britain, the independent Nuffield Languages Inquiry was launched in 1998. It’s still influential findings were:
1. English is not enough.
2. People are looking for leadership to improve the nation’s capability in languages.
3. Young people from the UK are at a growing disadvantage in the recruitment market.
4. The UK needs competence in many languages – not just French – but the education system is not geared to achieve this.
5. The government has no coherent approach to languages.
6. In spite of parental demand, there is still no UK-wide agenda for children to start languages early.
7. Secondary school pupils lack motivation or direction.
8. Nine out of ten children stop learning languages at 16.
9. University language departments are closing, leaving the sector in deep crisis.
10. Adults are keen to learn languages but are badly served by an impoverished system.
11. The UK desperately needs more language teachers.

English is the UK’s national language. It is also growing as an international language of communication. But English alone is not enough for learners. In our increasingly multi-lingual world, more people speak two languages than one, and contact with speakers of other languages is rapidly growing. The UK must build on its diverse linguistic and cultural environment which is a result of its history, geography and migration.

Education in a global community brings with it an increasing need to focus on developing inter-cultural understanding. This involves the integration of language, culture and learning. Inter-cultural language learning helps learners to know and understand the world around them, and to understand commonality and difference, global connections and patterns. Learners will view the world, not from a single perspective of their own first language and culture, but from the multiple perspectives gained through the study of second and subsequent languages and cultures. Inter-cultural language learning contributes to the overall education of learners, developing in them the capabilities to:

communicate, interact and negotiate within and across languages and cultures
understand their own and others’ languages, thus extending their range of literacy skills, including skills in English literacy
understand themselves and others, and to understand and use diverse ways of knowing, being and doing
further develop their cognitive skills through thinking critically and analytically, solving problems, and making connections in their learning.

Such capabilities assist learners to live and work successfully as linguistically and culturally aware citizens of the world.

Language skills and cultural sensitivity will be the new world-order currency
The UK must build on its diverse linguistic and cultural environment

Spanish in Europe

In European countries other than Spain, it may be spoken by some of their Spanish-speaking immigrant communities, primarily in the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, France, Germany and the United Kingdom where there is a strong community in London. There has been a sharp increase in the popularity of Spanish in the UK over the last few years. It is an important and widely-spoken language in Andorra. It is spoken by much of the population of the British colony of Gibraltar, though English remains the only official language.