Number of Learners of Foreign Languages in the United Kingdom Still on the Decline

Despite the real need of the UK to have more of its citizens take up foreign languages, there seems to be some strong opposition to the prospect at the moment, as the number of learners is still on the decline. John Worne of the British Council observed that the citizens are still anxious to take the plunge.

He said that there are three words that describe the view of the majority of the British population: don’t, won’t and can’t. While this fact does not represent the whole nation, he was disappointed at the continuing decline of the number of students opting for a university course in foreign languages, and it had been going on for the last seven years. For a person who had been tirelessly working to promote foreign language learning, this is a disheartening reality.

Different situation among migrants

He was quite amazed when he rode a taxi driven by an Afghan. He said the driver not only knew Pashto and Dari but was also able to speak Punjabi and Urdu, Turkish, Persian as well as English. He thought that the driver was quite amazing but the driver did not even consider himself exceptional. Worne laments the fact that the British people have relegated learning a foreign language to the back of their brains.

Minor progress

Still, the idea of foreign language learning is not totally lost in the UK, as there are more primary schools that are including it in their curriculum. However, the results of the last national school exam were still low for languages at the A-level and GCSE. The number of takers of the A-exam level last year was lower by 10,000 from the figures in the 1990s. The number of exam takers of Modern Foreign Language showed growth for two years, but like the A-levels, is now also on the decline.

Cause for worry

English is purported to be the language of business today, and some people think there is no reason to worry because smartphones and high-tech gadgets are capable of translating, if you are prepared to pay the exorbitant charges for data roaming.

UK’s global standing and economic prosperity in the future will rely on language learning because languages will be very significant for the country’s national security, diplomacy, cultural exports, and trade.

About two thirds of the businesses in the UK need people with skills in foreign language, based on the CBI/Pearson Education and Skills Survey. This situation is expected to grow exponentially as more companies are looking to establish fast-growing markets around the world as the country increases its export initiative. Currently, the companies in the UK use translators or hire people from abroad to fulfill their foreign language skills requirement because of the lack of local talents.

As of now, there are a few universities that are offering their students the chance to study a foreign language together with another degree and students are preferring to do just that.

The citizens of the UK need to step up their game because of the country’s increasingly need of foreign language skills for its export and trade. Likewise, since the country is multi-ethnic, learning foreign languages will help the people to understand other cultures, have an international outlook and develop an open mind.

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