Learning Spanish in a post-Brexit Britain
The British Council recently released a report, entitled “Languages of the Future”, about the foreign languages that will be most important for the United Kingdom in the years following Brexit. These languages were chosen “based on economic, geopolitical, cultural and educational factors”, and the first language on the list was Spanish, in front of other European languages such as French and German, and Asian languages such as Mandarin and Arabic.
The report gives several important reasons for Spanish being the most important foreign language for Brits to learn. Firstly, the sheer number of people who speak Spanish as a native language — 437 million in 21 different countries, making it the second most widely spoken first language in the world.
Secondly, from a business point of view, Spain is the eighth largest non-English speaking export market in the world, valued at nearly £15 billion in 2015. And thirdly, there is a lot of tourism between our two countries: 14 million Brits go on holiday to Spain every year, and the Spanish are the third largest non-English-speaking group of tourists to the UK.
So learning Spanish can change a person’s life in many ways, offering countless opportunities for work, travel and tourism. In these uncertain months before Brexit, it’s essential that Britain maintains strong relationships with Europe, and learning a foreign language is an good place to start. This exactly what a school trip to Spain can provide.
At Spark Languages, we can provide the opportunity to learn Spanish in a supportive and safe environment, where your students can study this incredible language and immerse themselves in the culture of Spain, as well as soaking up the sunshine and relaxing on the beaches of El Puerto de Santa Maria!
There are so many rewards that a student can reap from a trip abroad. A first experience of a foreign country, the chance to make friends abroad, the possibilities of work and employment in the future, or perhaps simply the understanding that Britain is just a single country in a diverse and colourful world.
If you would like to see information on how a school tour can help your students to improve their Spanish and keep up European links, please don’t hesitate to contact us for more information.
