Test anxiety is a growing problem for university students, affecting about 16-20 percent of them, according to the American Test Anxieties Association. There are several causes of test anxiety – fear of failure, lack of preparation, and a poor test history –  but for international students, the main cause is usually the immense pressure to perform. Failing a test makes international students feel like a serious letdown to themselves, their families back home, and their sponsors in the case of those who are on scholarships. With exams just around the corner, it’s normal to be feeling some anxiety creeping in. There’s nothing wrong with a bit of edginess, as it can help you sharpen your focus come test time. But, if it morphs into full-blown test anxiety, it can affect your performance, grades, and even the trajectory of your life. To prevent this, here are a few great ways to cope with test anxiety.

Preparation is key 

Ensuring that you’re well prepared for a test will put your mind at ease and get rid of your anxiety when test day arrives. It’s no secret that studying is the key to test success, but many students still don’t know how to study well. First of all, studying does not mean cramming everything in your books a few days before your test. Last-minute cramming can actually lead to more test anxiety every time you forget a sentence or a word that you know is an integral part of the answer. If you want to be well prepared, you must develop good study habits throughout your school life. You can start by setting aside some time every day or every other day to go over your schoolwork while identifying the areas that you don’t understand very well so that you can work more on them and ask for help if necessary. Thanks to modern technology, you can also find various test prep products online that you can access on your laptop or smartphone, allowing you to study for tests anywhere. Lastly, find out everything you can about the test – types of questions and possible topics covered – to avoid last-minute surprises.

Following proper test day practices 

When test day finally arrives, there are a few things you can do to relieve any traces of test anxiety and increase your chances of success. On the night before your test, you want to ensure that you get the recommended 7-9 hours of quality sleep. This not only soothes your anxiety, but also ensures that your brain is fresh and operating at 100 percent during the test. You also want to start your day off with a healthy, nutritious breakfast free from high sugar foods that may lead to a sugar crash when you’re taking the test. If caffeine makes you feel jittery, skip the coffee or energy drinks before your test. After your meal, make your way to the test location well ahead of time so that you avoid the anxiety that comes from rushing in at the last minute or even losing a few valuable minutes through being late. Once you have the test in your hands, read the instructions carefully, budget your time, and get to work.

Ask for help 

If test anxiety becomes too much of a problem, don’t be afraid to ask for help from the tutors, instructors, and counselors in your school. In some cases, you may even qualify for various test-taking accommodations, such as additional time or getting a quiet room for yourself. It’s also a good idea to seek help from a psychiatrist or doctor to find out whether any underlying medical issues may be causing test anxiety. Talking about your anxieties with a medical professional may help diffuse their powerful hold on you. If necessary, the doctor may also prescribe medications to alleviate your anxiety.

Whether it’s a routine test or an important final, test anxiety can derail months or even years of hard work if you don’t deal with it. By implementing these coping strategies, you’ll be well on your way to stress and anxiety-free test-taking. However, always keep in mind that no single test can ever define you as a student or a person.

It does not matter what you choose to study at university, you need to make sure that you have the funding to do it. Everybody knows that you have to pay tuition fees when you attend university. This is something that is not a surprise. But a lot of students do not realize that there are other costs and expenses you need to budget for too. Let’s take a look at what you can expect so that you are financially prepared.

 

https://pixabay.com/illustrations/online-education-tutorial-3412473/

A Laptop and Other Technology

Heading off to university may mean that you have to update your technology for your studies. In particular, a lot of students need their own laptops in order to complete research, reading lists and take notes in classes. Of course, this can be a big expense that you have to make before your semester starts. In addition, you may want to invest in other technology to make your studying sessions easier, such as a printer. 

Accommodation

If you are studying in another state, you are going to have to move out of your family home and choose a dorm. This can be a very exciting experience and a great opportunity to make friends and grow as a person. But it does require a lot of money. Unfortunately, if your university is far from home, you do not have a choice. This is when you have to wring as much as you can from the money you have in your available budget

As an example, Dominique Broadway is an award-winning personal finance expert. She offers some excellent advice about where and how to source the best student loans, to help you manage your finances better by helping individuals make better and more informed financial decisions. 

Books and Learning Materials

Back in high school, a lot of learning materials and textbooks are provided for you. At university, the core reading materials for your course will not be the same. Some books may be available in your library. But most of them you will have to buy each semester. This can soon add up, especially if you buy them new. You may be able to get your hands on some used materials. Otherwise, you are going to have to budget for these if you want to pass your course.

The Graduation Ceremony

If you have just started university, you may not even be thinking about graduation yet. But there is one reason why you should and that is because of the cost. By the end of your education, you may be low on savings. Expenses can take their toll on your bank account. But you need to make sure that you have some money stored away so that you can properly celebrate your graduation. You have worked very hard over the years and finally gained your degree. You will need enough money for your gown and hat hire, as well as your tickets to graduation. There are usually two to four tickets for your loved ones and they all cost money. In addition, there are special mementos you can purchase and official photographs.

Being a native speaker of English is sometimes said to be ‘all you need’ to teach someone English. However, anyone with a TESOL qualification will tell you that there are vital skills you need to learn to become a good teacher. Even with a TESOL certificate, there are certain points you need to keep in mind when teaching someone English. If you want to know how to teach someone English, read our list of top tips to hone your teaching expertise.

Assess Their Level

Knowing your student’s level is a vital element to teaching appropriate and successful lessons. If you’re teaching for an online platform, they might have already assessed the student’s level before introducing you to them, and in both online and face-to-face classes of multiple learners, the students are often grouped together by level. However, if you’re teaching freelance or on a platform without a pre-class level check, you’ll have to do it yourself.

The best way to gage a student’s ability is to ascertain their CEFR level. CEFR stands for Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, and it’s a guideline for all language abilities (not just English) that’s used all over the world. Most schools and platforms will divide students by their CEFR level, as well as using their own in-house levels (particularly for young learners or beginners). A1 and A2 are beginner level (absolute beginner and elementary), B1 and B2 are independent users (intermediate and upper intermediate), while C1 and C2 are proficient users (advanced and mastery).

To give your student a placement test, look at various ‘can do’ statements from each level of the CEFR and see whether or not the student can produce the language for that level. For example, can they introduce themselves and ask introductory questions? (A1 ability). Can they describe hopes and ambitions, giving reasons and explanations? (B2 ability). Details of the CEFR levels and what questions to ask the student can be found online.

Knowing what your student’s level is will help you to tailor lesson content to their ability, check their progress over time, and ensure that their lessons are challenging enough without being too difficult. A good tip to remember is that a student should already know 70% of the language used in a class, with 30% new material. Too much new material and they won’t remember it, nor will they understand the classroom activities.

 Find Out Their Goals

Knowing a student’s ability is the most important, but a close second is finding out why they’re learning English. If a student has enrolled on a course hoping to learn Medical English and you teach them English for Tourism, the lessons will be useless to them. 

Students learn for all sorts of reasons, and there are a huge number of specialised courses and topics you might be asked to teach: Business English, English for Academic Purposes, English for Pilots, etc. Some students are working towards passing a certain exam, such as IELTS. But also remember that many students are learning English for fun, and have no specific goals other than to achieve an intermediate or advanced level. 

Some students have no set language goals but are learning for a purpose, such as to prepare for a holiday abroad or a university degree. Also, you might meet some students who have no goals because they don’t want to learn English. Some employers enrol their staff on language courses which are mandatory, and for these students who are learning by force rather than through passion, motivation can be an issue. If this is the case, try to keep lessons light-hearted and fun as well as covering the content set out by the employer.

Cater to All Skill Sets

People often focus on speaking when it comes to learning a language, but this is just one of several important skills. Reading, writing, listening, speaking, vocabulary and grammar practice are all important elements of the language lesson. Try to keep a good balance of activities that focus on different skills when you’re teaching someone English, even if the student wants to focus on one skill in particular.

Learning Style and Student Types

We all learn in different ways, a fact that can make it difficult to cater for individual learning styles when teaching group classes. There are four student types – visual, auditory, kinaesthetic and combination. Broadly speaking, we’re all combination learners, but from time to time you’ll meet students who are much more productive and motivated when doing certain tasks. 

Students who respond well to oral dictations are auditory learners. Those who flourish with gap-fill activities or picture matching will be visual. A kinaesthetic learner needs to be active, not just listening and taking notes, and might benefit from games that get them up and moving rather than stuck at the desk. Keeping different learning styles in mind will help you to create tailored lessons when teaching someone English.

Respect Their Cultural Quirks

When it comes to language learning, there’s no one-size-fits-all. If you teach students from different places around the world, you’ll soon see that there are general traits when it comes to your student’s attitudes and confidence. Chinese students will be mortified and clam up if you ask them to talk about relationships with their peers, whereas a chatty Spanish student will love dishing up the latest gossip. A Japanese student might be shy and not want to engage in creative or imaginative activities, whereas a passionate Italian will love a chance to use language fluently. While there are always those who buck the trend, as a TESOL teacher you need to anticipate how your students will react to certain activities and what’s appropriate when teaching them English.

Plan Student Centred Lessons

Each lesson you teach should have a clear goal, one that is completely focussed on the student and what you hope they’ll achieve. Each lesson plan you write should start with the words ‘By the end of the lesson, the student will be able to…’ This will help you to remember that the lesson isn’t about what you’re going to do (‘Cover page 34’ or ‘Talk about the past tense’) but what the students are going to do, and why they’re doing it. 

A warmer and introduction, an example of the language in use, an activity with closed questions followed by one with open questions, ending in a fluency exercise and a review – your activities should come in a carefully planned order to ensure that the students are building their knowledge step by step towards using the language independently. Keep the students in mind for each phase of the lesson and your classes will be engaging and purposeful.

Discover Their Weaknesses

We all like doing things we’re good at and shy away from things we’re bad at, but don’t let a student’s reluctance put you off certain activities. It’s nice to be praised for getting things right, but if the activity was easy for the student, the celebration is unfairly won. How much more rewarding is it to receive praise for something you struggled with and had to work hard at? Whether it’s a particular skill (like pronunciation or grammar) or a topic that a student really struggles with, make sure they’re challenged in every class.

 Review

When you teach someone English, whether it’s a short course of just a few weeks or a long-term client who you teach for years, it’s important to check in with their progress and see how they’re doing. A mini review at the end of a lesson, or the start of the next class, is a great way to see what’s stuck in their short-term memory. However, it’s important to see what they remember in the long-term, too. Quick review questions can help inform you if they’re committing what they’ve learnt to long term memory. Also, make sure that you’re reviewing how close they are to reaching their goals – are they now at the CEFR level they wanted to be at? Have their goals changed?

Push Them

Remember that rule about 70%/30%? It’s important to get that balance right continually, not just in the first lesson. It can be tricky to pitch things appropriately to a group of learners, but in a one-to-one class, content can really be tailored to the student. Make sure that you’re keeping tabs on how the student is advancing. Are the activities you planned for them weeks ago still challenging, or do they need something fresh to spark motivation?

Relax

It sounds like there’s a lot to keep in mind here, but don’t get stressed out. You’re not a doctor – if a lesson goes badly, no-one is going to die. This long list of considerations when learning how to teach someone English may seem insurmountable at the start, but with a few months of teaching practice, it will become second nature. 

Even seasoned teachers need reminding of these tips from time to time (when they get set in their ways and pick up bad habits!) so in the beginning just remember to be practical. Reflect on how your teaching has gone after a lesson and see how you can improve, remembering that one bad lesson isn’t going to ruin a student’s progress – every class is a baby step up the mountain that is language learning, and you’ll be there to guide them along the way.

The field of study abroad is up against what seems like an endless list of challenges and some host organizations may go out of business over lack of enrollment due to COVID-19. Some are offering virtual study abroad alternatives, but not everyone is in a position to go online, and without students, some of these institutions may fail without help. We noticed a couple of fundraising initiatives to help these providers stay solvent or to help stranded students. If you are in a position to help, please donate. Here are campaigns we recently found:

Dagbe Cultural Institute & Arts Centre, Ghana – COVID-19 Relief Fund
https://www.gofundme.com/f/dagbe-covid19-relief-fund

Youth for Understanding Emergency Fund
https://www.yfuusa.org/emergency

If you know of additional urgent fundraising efforts tied to the pandemic, please send an email with the fundraising link to: fundraiser@abroad101.com

A Master’s degree can cost between $30,000 and $120,000 according to research by FinAid.org, an amount that can be unaffordable for the average graduate who is already saddled with debt. Not being able to afford a postgraduate degree can be frustrating for ambitious students, especially those who wish to make the biggest return from their investment in education. In the U.S., the gap in earnings between undergraduate and postgraduate degree holders is sizable, amounting to around 17% in areas such as software engineering and 22% in business (i.e. comparing a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree). How can study abroad help you leap across this gap and enjoy a more fulfilling professional life back in the U.S.?

The Cost of Postgraduate Degrees Abroad

Law student Leo Cutting recently reported that the high costs of a year-long MA in the UK (around $5,000) was way beyond his means. Keen on pursuing an LLM in Public International Law, the keen student researched fees in other countries, finding that this qualification cost less than $1870 at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands. This university in particular has an excellent reputation on a worldwide scale, ranking within the world’s top 100 and ensconced between the dynamic student cities of Leiden and The Hague. The University has another bonus for foreign students: it is known for its international nature, with students from across the globe being attracted by its stringent standards and buzzing student lifestyle offerings.

Reducing Costs Further

The current pandemic is highlighting the utility (and the possibilities) of online education, both for school and university students alike. It is also sparking a stronger interest in online study for postgraduate degrees, bearing in mind the significant cost and time savings that can be made by choosing this option.

As stated in www.mydegreeguide.com, today’s students are looking to maximize return by opting for shorter degrees — including accelerated bachelor’s degrees, one-year doctorate programs and thesis-free Master’s degree. Opting for one of these accelerated degrees from an already more affordable university abroad can reduce costs further and enable you to continue working full- or part-time at home while getting significantly closer to your dream job.

Countries to Consider

Just a few countries that might be of interest if you are considering a postgraduate degree abroad include Italy and Spain. These countries are known for their sunny weather, rich cultural offerings, and active student social life. Other choices in Europe that blend a rich educational offer with cost-friendly living conditions are Lithuania, France, Germany, and Portugal. A Master’s degree in Spain costs anywhere from €300 to €3,500 per year. In Portugal, you can expect to pay between $950 and $1,300. If you will be working part-time, opt for tourism-friendly spots such as the Algarve in Portugal or Málaga in Spain. These areas have a high percentage of English speakers from abroad and vibrant communities comprising people from all over the world.

For many students, a Master’s degree or doctorate can be an impossible dream owing to the rising cost of education. Opting for a postgraduate degree abroad is a great way to learn a new language and immerse yourself in a culture while saving on the cost of education. Spain, Italy, and Portugal are just three places you might consider but you can probably build a far longer list of potential destinations.

How to write an academic paper and avoid plagiarism? It’s all about giving credit where credit’s due.

With easy access to thousands of sources, thoughts and theories, original thinking is more valuable than ever. It’s also the only way to succeed. Offering your perspective on what’s already out there is what makes you unique. Sure, it sounds good, but how to write an academic paper and not plagiarize at all? We feel your pain – it’s hard to produce something original when it seems like literally everything has already been discovered, researched and described. Don’t worry, with our help, you’ll find out how to write an essay or paper while avoiding plagiarism.

Ideally, any written academic assignment should be based on thorough research, source analysis and your own expertise. For students, referring to someone else’s findings is often a way to cut corners. There’s a thin line between using one’s research to ground your opinion or draw conclusions and unintentionally plagiarizing someone else’s work. It’s critical to understand what plagiarism is, especially unintentional, and how to avoid it when crafting your works.

Avoiding plagiarism is not only about creating original content but also about giving credit where credit is due. Most cases of unintentional plagiarism have their roots in an improper citation or use of references. We won’t talk about situations when plagiarism is intentional because a) all of us know it’s wrong, and b) academic institutions use AI-based plagiarism checkers, which reveal all types of plagiarism and cheating, even advanced ones. Instead, let’s focus on how to write an original academic paper with accurately formatted citations.

Citation Rules: Tricky But Manageable
The first rule, check which formatting style guide you should follow in your paper or essay. Whether it’s MLA, APA or Harvard format, stick to one style and remain consistent throughout your entire essay.

Second, remember that statements, statistics and research data must be backed up by corresponding references. Also, if you use an in-text citation, be sure to include it in the Works Cited list at the end of your paper and vice versa.

However, don’t go overboard with citing: if a paragraph refers to one source several times, wait until it ends and then add the reference.

Now, the most essential part.

What Should Be Cited to Avoid Plagiarism?

When writing an essay, every time you summarize, refer to or quote any words or ideas of other authors, use in-text citation. This concerns not only printed copies and websites but also social media, video, images, etc. Plagiarism is not about copying only but also about using another author’s ideas without acknowledging the source. And plagiarism checker will show a positive result if you fail to cite the resource or do it incorrectly.
Be sure to include the author, the date of the article and its title, and the website name. Depending on the type of source you’re referencing, you may also be required to add an issue date, the page number, the time of posting or other information. For instance, if you quote a blog post, the following pattern is appropriate:

The author’s nickname [real name]. “Posting Title.” Name of the website. Version number. Name of institution/organization affiliated with the site (sponsor or publisher). The medium of publication. The date of access.

For more details, carefully study your institution’s formatting style guide and follow it explicitly. You can also use this handy cheat sheet.

If you want to convey the author’s idea in your own words, read the source several times until you grasp the essence, and then put it down as you understand it. Imagine you must explain what you’ve just read to a friend. One piece of advice: do not keep the source in front of your eyes when paraphrasing. Otherwise, you might unintentionally copy the phrases from the text word for word. By the way, the following is not considered plagiarism and doesn’t have to be cited:

● historical overviews from various sources
● your own findings – that’s what your academic paper is about, right?
● things that are considered common knowledge

While it’s up to you how to write your academic paper, these standard rules of crediting should be followed. If you are unsure whether you took everything into account, use a plagiarism checker for students – it will show you where you tripped, and you’ll have enough time to correct any slips.

New Stopgap Programs Keep Students’ Dreams Alive, Abroad101 now features Virtual Summer Study Abroad Programs

Press Release:

NEW YORK (PRWEB) April 13, 2020

College-level study abroad programs continue to innovate and rise to the challenges of today’s rapidly changing world. With “study at home” directives coming from their colleges, students now have new options to see the world in the form of “Virtual Study Abroad” and “Virtual Internship” programs. The first of these stopgap options are rolling out for the upcoming summer break and are helping students cope with home study. “New programs like these are a sign of hope for students stuck at home. With the online options, students can explore a global immersion while they wait for travel restrictions to lift. While never as good as the real thing, virtual study abroad can be a cultural bridge until they can be there in person,” says Phil Kollitsis, Managing Director of Abroad101.

Abroad101 has compiled a list of these virtual education abroad programs in response to growing interest and has added four new programs just this week. While nobody in the field sees this as a permanent shift, an online immersion should prove to be the second-best alternative. One example of virtual study abroad comes from Arcadia University, who was one of the first study abroad providers to announce an online education abroad program for the summer called Virtual Europe. Dr. Andrew Law, Academic Dean, The College of Global Studies at Arcadia University explained that the program’s goal is to “take engaged local learning into the virtual space. The courses will all employ, to the degree possible, engagement with local realities in order to bring the course material alive for the students, asking them to navigate difference in the same ways that we have them do so when they are in-country, just virtually. Virtual Europe has created online learning opportunities that embody the pedagogy of context-informed learning that is at the heart of the Arcadia Abroad’s educational mission, vision and lived values.”

“Study Abroad is not Dead” says Abroad101’s Kollitsis. “Program managers, providers and host universities worked tirelessly to assure the safe return of students this semester and that same passion and dedication is reflected in the creation of suitable alternatives for the upcoming summer session. While we all long to venture back out again, we can take temporary comfort in exploring the world, online, guided by renowned faculty and facilitated by reliable providers, the hallmark of credit bearing college study abroad.”

Another advocate for study abroad is Missy Gluckmann, founder of Melibee Global and the International Education Career Academy. She said, “Study abroad isn’t going away. It will change and we will adapt – opening up new roles for technology and cross-cultural learning for those who are inspired to connect people across cultures and disciplines. As an international education career coach, I remind them that our resiliency is not about whether we “sink or swim” but rather how we approach and navigate through change. Our field is changing, no doubt. I expect that when we look back in the rearview mirror, we’ll be grateful for a new path that was unexpectedly forged despite the painful times we are experiencing today.”

About Abroad101
Founded in 2007, Abroad101 is the first and largest study abroad review website and program evaluation software. This innovative platform serves past and future students, parents and advisors through its market-leading online evaluation tool. Under the direction of their academic advisors or program providers, students complete thorough online evaluations hosted by Abroad101 with both quantitative and qualitative responses. Excerpts from those evaluations get published for the public in the form of Study Abroad Reviews.

About Arcadia Abroad
Arcadia has been a leader in study abroad for over 75 years and in 2009, its existing Center for Education Abroad was elevated to College status, thereby creating The College of Global Studies. It is the first College of its kind dedicated to the delivery and development of education abroad. Nearly 3,000 students from over 300 colleges and universities participate in Arcadia University’s programs abroad each year.

About Melibee Global
Melibee Global books talented culture and food speakers at colleges, companies, and conferences and offers innovative professional development to those who care about culture, travel, and diversity. Melibee created and trains at the International Education Career Academy, the first program of its kind to formally train those interested in international education as a career path to craft effective applications for stellar jobs in the field of International Education.

Across the globe, college students are spending their days in an awkward shift from campus to online. For some students, a fully online education is a door opener and a powerful way to experience the benefits of a university. For most of the world’s students, however, this immersion happens on campus, in classes and being physically put in the learning environment. Nowhere is that immersion more impactful that in study abroad!

While the world struggles with the effects of the pandemic, we at Abroad101 are holding on, believing in the power of the human spirit and how it is manifested in study abroad. We believe in the power of personal interactions, in the wonders and strengths of our cultural differences and the ongoing quest for knowledge that embodies the human spirit. We celebrate the wonder of discovery when travel and education come together, which is the motivation behind Abroad101, providing students and their universities a platform to share these stories and the triumphs they tell. We believe the world is a better place when we all prosper, and we look forward to the days when travel and personal contact becomes normal again.

Until that time, Abroad101 is keeping things going. We encourage you to escape today’s normal and think about what is possible in the future by reading and sharing study abroad reviews and exploring the world through the eyes of former students. We welcome the former students who have not yet submitted their stories and add your study abroad review to the more than 40,000 reviews on Abroad101, adding yet another testimonial that will guide and perhaps motivate future students.

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When was the last time you had your eyes tested? Or gave your eye health a seconds thought? Most optometrists recommend eye checkups every 1-2 years depending on your requirements. So, if you’re planning on heading abroad to travel or to work then you need to take your eye health seriously.

Its easy for things like eye tests and vision check-ups to take a back seat when we’re on the other side of the world, however keeping on top of your eye health and looking after your vision will ensure that your trip abroad won’t be cut short by eye-pressure issues, changes in your glasses prescription or even glaucoma and cataracts. Discover more information about looking after your eyes when traveling and working abroad below.

The Importance of Glasses
Wearing contact lenses is fine, however, it’s important to give your eyes a break from time to time and wear a good pair of glasses. If your job abroad involves lots of staring at a screen or going through important paperwork, then a high-quality pair of reading glasses is crucial to protect your eyes from strain. Having an additional pair of glasses is also a good idea, in case you damage your contact lenses, or you lose your other pair of glasses. No one wants to be stranded abroad and not be able to see properly!

These days, glasses aren’t just great for protecting your eyes and helping you see properly, they’re also great fashion accessories that can complement your look and style.

Protect your Eyes from the Sun
When we think of sun protection it’s normal to think of sun cream, sun hats and drinking plenty of water but when you’re traveling and working abroad protecting your eyes from the sun is just as important. Invest in a good pair of sunglasses to keep your eyes safe from damaging UV rays, sunglasses are ideal if you’re working outdoors in the sun for long periods.

Don’t worry, you can still get UV ray protection with elegant and statement sunglasses, so if you’re feeling a little fashion conscious then you’re sure to find something to match your style.

Stay Protected in the Water
Working at a water park? Or spending some time in the pool on your day off? Chlorine and saltwater can play havoc with your eyes, leaving them dry and irritated. Always remember to wear goggles when engaging in work or play at the waterside.

Some of the most successful business owners in the world are multilingual, including, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Michael Bloomberg, Entrepreneur reports. This is no coincidence: learning a second language equips budding entrepreneurs with a host of skills essential for business success. We live in a globalized world, and language skills are vital for networking and building a solid client or customer base that spans multiple geographical locations. Moreover, they also help you to develop strong active listening and problem solving skills, enabling you to thrive in even the most high-pressured business situations.

Improve active listening and problem solving skills

Learning a language involves maintaining focus for long periods of time, closely watching and listening, and replying deliberately (even if you make mistakes). In turn, this develops and strengthens your ability to actively listen. This skill is crucial for forming strong business relationships and boosting productivity. Additionally, learning a language is essentially an “exercise in cognitive problem solving,” a study in Massachusetts found. It also increases cognitive flexibility and higher order thinking skills, which further strengthens your ability to solve problems in other areas. Effectively solving problems and making business decisions are crucial skills for any entrepreneur.

Support your employees

In addition to impressing clients and customers, learning a second language also helps support your employees. By being able to form strong relationships and make effective business decisions, you’ll boost overall morale and confidence in the workplace. Your employees will therefore be happier and more loyal to your organization as a whole. It’s important to provide your employees with as much support as possible to retain their loyalty and succeed commercially. Investing in workers’ comp insurance is another great way to do this. Unfortunately, a worker is injured on the job once every seven seconds. When accident strikes, workers’ comp insurance protects you as the employer from legal repercussions, as well as protecting your employees financially from potentially devastating wage losses and medical expenses, Cerity Insurance advises.

Build a bigger client base

Roughly 20% of the worldwide population speak English — and most of those aren’t even native English speakers. Being able to speak at least a second language opens you up to a plethora of communication and networking opportunities that would otherwise be inaccessible. You’ll have the skills to communicate with potential foreign business partners all over the world, whether in-person or online. Additionally, if you want to set up your business in a foreign country, knowing the local language is essential. Certain requirements like paperwork may not be in English, for example. You’ll also appear more professional, trustworthy and respectful to the natives when you communicate your brand message in their language.

Language skills have multiple benefits for budding entrepreneurs, whether you’ll be working in your home country or abroad. They provide you with the confidence and knowledge required to understand all your markets. Not only is learning a second language fun and rewarding; you’ll find it also empowers you with skills and attributes needed for commercial success.