Studies have shown that those learning foreign languages are often a bit more tolerant of other cultures. Have you ever wondered why this is? Well, let's take a look at the answer to the question; how does learning a foreign language help with cultural awareness?
You have to immerse yourself in the culture
It is no secret that people tend to be more intolerant of other cultures when they understand nothing about it. Let's be honest, a lot of what people hear about other cultures in their own language will be quite negative. You tend never to get positive stories shared from overseas.
When you learn a different language, you have to immerse yourself in a culture. You will likely learn about the history of a country. The language of a country. You will learn about the cultures and customs of this country. This is the stuff that you would never have learned on your own. The result is that you end up with far greater respect for the place. You will learn why things happen a certain way in the culture.
You get to speak to native people
Speaking to native people helps to promote cultural awareness.
If you are learning a language, then you really should be interacting with native speakers of that language. By interacting with native speakers of that language, you learn more about the culture. You learn about the people. A lot of people will end up realizing that, sure, people are going to be different from them. However, at the heart, they are always going to be people.
You should be using learning resources in the target language
You probably have your own favorite books and movies that you grew up with. Guess what? Countries outside of your own may never have read those books or seen those movies. They had a different experience growing up.
When you learn a new language, you get to experience the culture of another person. You get to read the books and see the movies that helped to shape them as people. Again, this is going to lead to a greater understanding of the culture.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are several ways that learning a new language can help you to have a greater appreciation of other cultures. You can only gain this understanding if you are serious about learning the culture, though. This is why it is so important that you choose a language that you have a genuine interest in learning. You should also ensure that you interact with your tutors on a regular basis. They will be able to provide you with guidance on learning resources that you can use. The result will be a far more well-rounded learner!
If you’re interested in becoming fluent in a new language, check out these top online learning resources: Kick off your learning with Babbel, where interactive, enjoyable lessons are designed to blend smoothly into your routine, fostering fast and effective language learning. For those aiming for an in-depth understanding, Udemy provides a broad spectrum of courses from basic to advanced levels. To enhance your speaking skills, Preply connects you with native speakers for personalized coaching, ensuring significant improvement. Take advantage of a 50% discount on your first lesson at Preply with this link.
How does learning a foreign language help with cultural awareness?
Studies have shown that those learning foreign languages are often a bit more tolerant of other cultures. Have you ever wondered why this is? Well, let's take a look at the answer to the question; how does learning a foreign language help with cultural awareness? You have to immerse yourself in the culture. You get to speak to native people. You should be using learning resources in the target language.
How to immerse yourself in the culture?
It is no secret that people tend to be more intolerant of other cultures when they understand nothing about it. Let's be honest, a lot of what people hear about other cultures in their own language will be quite negative. You tend never to get positive stories shared from overseas. When you learn a different language, you have to immerse yourself in a culture. You will likely learn about the history of a country. The language of a country. You will learn about the cultures and customs of this country. This is the stuff that you would never have learned on your own. The result is that you end up with far greater respect for the place. You will learn why things happen a certain way in the culture.
What's the best way to improve cultural awareness?
Speaking to native people helps to promote cultural awareness. If you are learning a language, then you really should be interacting with native speakers of that language. By interacting with native speakers of that language, you learn more about the culture. You learn about the people. A lot of people will end up realizing that, sure, people are going to be different from them. However, at the heart, they are always going to be people.
