As a Spotlight reader, you’re someone who’s actively interested in maintaining or improving your level of English. We hope you feel good about it – and you should! Because the good news is that you’re doing so much more for yourself than just learning a language. Here, we’ll tell you exactly why this is – and we’re not making it up. It’s all scientifically proven!
It’s like sex and chocolate, but better
A study in the scientific journal Current Biology found that learning the meaning of new words activates a part of the brain called the ventral striatum, also known as the brain’s reward centre. You get the same “hit” of pleasure as when you have sex, eat chocolate or play a game of poker. And learning a new language has zero calories and is less risky than some other activities!
Go with the flow
Do you know that feeling when you’re totally focused on what you’re doing? You forget the world around you and are just “in the zone”. Psychologists call this the “flow” state and it’s very good for our mental health because it pushes out negative thoughts and stress. “Flow” can be achieved by doing creative activities like painting, by engaging in a physical activity such as running or by learning. When we’re totally engaged in a lesson, or in learning by ourselves, we can enter the flow state and give our brains a break from the stresses of everyday life.
Feel better about yourself
Would you like to feel better about yourself? Then don’t go on a diet or sign up for the gym – learn something instead! A study at University College London found that learning makes us feel better about ourselves. It also helps us to feel more able to deal with life’s challenges. “There is robust evidence that adult learning leads to increases in self-esteem and self-efficacy,” says the lead researcher of the study.
Boost your brain function
Learning is good for the brain. Learning anything is a good way to stay mentally sharp, but it seems that language learning has extra benefits. In tests, people who speak more than one language are better at remembering lists and sequences. They are also more perceptive to their surroundings and better able to zoom in on important information.
Open a window on new cultures
Learning English opens a window on other cultures – without you having to leave your home. You can appreciate the lyrics of more songs, watch a wider variety of television on different streaming services and even understand untranslatable jokes on Twitter. If you’d like to experience “culture” in a more formal sense, try watching livestreams of fantastic new theatre – such as London’s National Theatre, through its website www.ntathome.com.
Make more money
It’s obvious: speaking the global language is good for your career – and your income. English not only helps you to find a job, but is often also essential to climb the career ladder. If you want to rise to the top in any business or profession, you need English. And, of course, with these better jobs comes more money. According to the English language course provider EF, employees with good English can usually expect to make 25 to 35 per cent more money than those without.
Stay social
Social contact is good for us, and speaking a language is an inherently sociable activity. There are a lot of ways to spend time with people while learning or practising your English, and it doesn’t have to be at an evening class. Look for other English- speaking groups, such as an English Stammtisch, book group, crossword club, “knit and natter” group or sports team in your area. With so many activities now available online, you can join in live with a Zumba class in Australia, a crafting tutorial in the US or a book club hosted in Canada – the world is your oyster!
Learn more than English
If you already understand English, you can learn other things that are taught through the medium of English. It could be a short online video showing you how to mend your washing machine. It might be a TED Talk. You might want to try an online self-study course (check out www.coursera.org). Or, you may even think about applying to do a full university course by distance learning (find courses at www.distancelearningportal.com). English is the key to opening these doors to education.
Stay mentally fit in older age
It almost seems too good to be true, but speaking good English (as well as your own native language) can help to ward off dementia. Research published in the journal of the American Academy of Neurology shows that bilingualism delays the age of the onset of dementia by 4.5 years, regardless of your general level of education.
Be better informed on world affairs
As well as checking out the world news from your own local news service, why not try looking at what commentators are saying from the ground in those different countries? English is the main language of international journalism, so if you can read English, you can find out what’s happening anywhere. The BBC World Service (www.bbc.worldservice.com) has been broadcasting news and reports on current affairs from around the globe since 1932 and is now available online.
Better than a midlife crisis
Learning a new language, or refreshing your “school English”, is a great hobby in middle age or as you approach retirement. A study carried out by the UK’s Institute for Employment Studies found that 80 per cent of language learners in their 50s and 60s reported a positive impact on at least one of the following aspects of their lives: their enjoyment of life, their self-confidence, how they felt about themselves, their satisfaction with other areas of life and their ability to cope with everyday problems.
Goal!
Achieving our goals makes us happy. Those goals can include completing a language course at an adult education college, passing a language exam or simply watching a movie without the subtitles. When we make progress towards our goals, our subjective well-being and our sense of happiness and satisfaction increase. This motivates us to set new goals, which make us happier, and so on. It’s a virtuous circle.