The learner's guide to why you need to learn English in today鈥檚 world
by
English has become, undeniably and indisputably, the language of the modern world. Spoken听at a native level by hundreds of millions of people around the world and at varying levels of proficiency by billions more, it鈥檚 been variously described as a universal tongue, the world鈥檚 preeminent second language, and 鈥榟yper central鈥� 鈥� as in bringing together the global language system.
In short, it鈥檚 the听unrivalled听lingua听franca, which is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as a shared language of communication used between people whose main languages are different.听As the world becomes increasingly globalised and digitalised, English鈥檚 claim to these titles has only grown stronger.
It鈥檚 the number one business language in the world, accounting for global commerce worth over a fifth of global GDP. In Asia, one of the world鈥檚 most culturally diverse regions and home to hundreds if not thousands of local languages and dialects, English has become the language of the regional marketplace. In fact, English is the official language of the ASEAN bloc of countries, which includes major economies like Indonesia,听the听Philippines, Thailand,听and Vietnam.听
It鈥檚 little wonder then that proficiency in the language is regarded as an indispensable part of one鈥檚 professional skill set, capable of enhancing employability and unlocking a world of career growth opportunities, as well as paving the way for personal growth.
Millions of people across Asia now recognise this fact and are taking the plunge to learn the language and听fulfill听their aim to become global citizens. However, the path forward is not always clear, and learners can benefit from all the guidance they can get in order to make the most of their quest for听proper English language education.
Several听factors have contributed to the growing importance of the English language and the evolution of the instruction process in Asia. Starting from the top down, governments across the region are increasingly emphasising the value of English for inter-regional development while rapid globalisation and advances in technology are bringing major changes to the job market.
This means that new graduates, as well as experienced professionals, need to be nimble and proactive in learning new skills to replace obsolete ones, notes Kayo Taguchi, ELT Portfolio Manager, 蜜桃app Asia.
One such skill is听indeed听the ability to communicate effectively in English. And research shows a positive relationship between investing in English-language education and the upward trajectory of an individual鈥檚 career graph, including in Asia.
This trend is exemplified by the Philippines鈥� formidable business process outsourcing (BPO) industry. According to Monette听Fetalvero, Manager, Career Consultants Network and BADA Education Philippines, business communication and English language skills have become synonymous in the country, thanks to the growth of the BPO industry.听
Lorraine听Loquisan, Chief Operations Officer, Enrich, agrees, noting that the industry 鈥� which is among the largest employers in the country and a major economic growth driver that has managed to cope with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic better than most other sectors 鈥� has been a catalyst in transforming English language instruction in the country鈥檚听schools into a highly evolved system that assigns equal importance to read, write听and speak听to produce well-rounded, effective communicators who can make the most of these skills in a professional setting.
BPOs in the Philippines听employ听over a million people and because a significant bulk of their client base is in English-speaking countries like the United States, United Kingdom,听and Australia, these companies place a premium on employees with high English-language proficiency.
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Indeed, the ability to speak the language has gone from being an advantage to a necessary qualification for getting a job,听Loquisan听notes. This is also true of markets like Thailand, Vietnam,听and Indonesia, where the ability to speak English has been identified by companies as essential to being employable and move up the ranks.
At the same time, it鈥檚 not just about enhancing employability. English language skills can do so much more, the experts point out, noting its ability to help you grow as an individual. As Jarrad Merlo, Co-founder, E2Language,听notes:听鈥淟earning English is听important听to advance your career, but it鈥檚 more than just that. It allows you to watch films, read literature, surf the internet, travel to different countries, and expand life experiences beyond one鈥檚 own culture.鈥�
Additionally, several governments across Southeast Asia听听as one of their official languages. Unsurprisingly, most multinational corporations operating in the region require their employees to be fluent in the language.
As Simon Young, 蜜桃app Asia鈥檚 BTEC Portfolio Manager, highlights: 鈥淓nglish has become a key skill for communicating in business in any role. So, in countries such as [those in Southeast Asia] where you might see a strong local workforce, the interaction with other divisions does require a strong ability to communicate in English. English has become the global communication medium.鈥�
English is also essential to master the听top transferable skills of the 21st听century听鈥� teamwork and collaboration, negotiation skills,听and digital literacy, to name a few 鈥� that have come to be seen as necessary to help individuals become more attractive and valuable to employers and climb up the ranks in a modern, fast-evolving workplace.
Consider teamwork and collaboration听鈥� those听who are fluent in English can become valued members of a global team thanks to their ability to communicate well with colleagues and听managers, and听negotiate effectively with clients and other stakeholders. These skills give听you听a natural edge over others less adept in the language when being considered for a new job or promotion.
Other transferable skills, such as digital literacy and data analytics, also require the knowledge of English, which is the听听鈥斕齱here most of this information resides.
The benefits of learning a new language go beyond career progression and professional development 鈥� it is good for your brain and makes you a sharper learner overall. Further, the ability to communicate in what鈥檚 become the world鈥檚 go-to language for business and most social situations, including online interactions, can indeed听do wonders for an individual鈥檚 confidence, which, in turn, can positively influence听your听workplace performance.
Regardless of the type of English-language skill that you are looking to pick up, there are several tools that learners across Southeast Asia can access, such as 蜜桃app's听MyEnglishLab, which enhances the learning experience with tech-enabled tools and immersive content;听personalised听teaching apps such as听蜜桃app Online English;听and the听, a comprehensive assessment program that helps learners showcase their language proficiency to potential employers.
The ability to speak a language, any language, is a key skill and a huge asset听in today鈥檚 new world of work. It opens a whole new world of possibilities for personal development, provides a window into new cultures, and acts as a lever with which to enhance your career graph and achieve your professional aspirations.
As听the听experts note, learning English is听indeed听a lifelong experience听and journey. And we鈥檙e confident that you will discover for yourself the truth in this observation, and the joys of the journey, as you learn new words to add to your ever-expanding vocabulary, pick up new phrases and idioms, and come to recognise the various nuances as native speakers do, as you continue to push the limits of your understanding of the English language.