There are many reasons for learning languages, and this section allows you to consider some of the advantages of being plurilingual rather than monolingual. As a student it gives you opportunities to avail of student mobility programmes, allowing you to travel and study abroad. Speaking another language can really enhance your career opportunities, and many experts would attest to this. And you would be surprised at the number of celebrities who speak more than just English and have used their additional language to good advantage. Learning other languages increases our creative potential and can also givee you transferable skills which you may never have thought of.
Have a look at our career opportunities page.
Link to 700 reasons to learn a language: http://www.llas.ac.uk/resourcedownloads/6063/700_reasons.pdf
http://gradireland.com/career-sectors/languages-and-culture
Link to GradIreland booklet on Careers in Languages: (2004 edition)
http://gradireland.com/sites/gradireland.com/files/SCG_languages.pdf
Your career with Irish : a bilingual guide http://gradireland.com/sites/gradireland.com/files/SCG_irish_lang.pdf
In November 2014 The IoTs Languages Network and One Voice for Languages submitted a joint application to The National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching & Learning. Our project proposal for Disciplinary Network Funding consisted of five areas of activity:
- The organising of two CPD events, one on ‘Social Media in Language Learning ‘and a further event on ‘The Year Abroad Experience’.
- The upgrading and maintenance of the websites for both organisations and
- The organising of a Languages Fair 2015 at Filmbase, Templebar, Dublin 2 to profile and promote the role of languages in society and to showcase best practice in language teaching and learning in Ireland today.
- The producing of a short promotional video for languages, using soundbites by students and for students, and based on the theme “Why learn languages?” At the time of application, there was no overall promotional video for languages in the IoTs although some individual IoTs had departmental language clips to promote courses. The project intention was to include a multi-disciplinary dimension to the video-clip in order to reflect the role of languages across various disciplines currently offered in the IoTs; a multi-generational aspect by involving mature students, undergraduates and postgraduates; the concept of multilingualism was also central to the video project and invited the participation of mobility students currently attending IoTs, those on work placement or study abroad, mobility returnees and IoT graduates who now live and work in Ireland or abroad and require their modern language skills.
Language learners in each of the Institutes of Technology were invited to submit a sound bite video clip expressing their thoughts and ideas in response to the question: ‘Why learn languages?’
Here are their individual insights on how language learning has benefited them….
Please disseminate!
Three prizewinners were selected:
Tara Gallagher LyIT Letterkenny - best soundbite
Dave Imperial ITTD Tallaght - best delivery and presentation
GMIT Galway Mayo - best background/backdrop