Londoners who only speak English are frequently lucky enough to have an easy ride when travelling – there are many places where it’s possible to get away with not learning the native language. It’s no reason to be complacent, however. Learning a new language can really work wonders for your career, social life and makes travelling so much more pleasurable…

But for the millions of athletes and visitors from all over the world descending on the capital for next year’s Olympic Games, it won’t necessarily be the same, as they will not all be able to rely on their hosts being able to communicate with them in their own languages. The multi-language nature of the Games has inspired a number of initiatives to encourage language learning in the capital.

Last September, the BBC reported that London cabbies were being taught basic phrases in French, Chinese and Spanish to help visitors make their way around the city. Once the drivers have learned the phrases, their cabs will be marked with a flag sticker denoting the language they speak. Being able to welcome and assist our visitors like this is a great motivator to learn languages; and it can only benefit London’s tourist industry by making things easier for newcomers to the city.

It’s never too late
Language learning has declined in the UK, with fewer pupils studying a second language at school, and campaigns such as Speak to the Future are working to improve the situation. But what if you’ve already been through the school system and want to improve your language skills? Don’t panic - there are lots of ways to do so, and they don’t have to cost you the earth. As well as university and college courses, there are evening classes, private conversation lessons and clubs that gather to socialise while improving conversation skills.

Search www.meetup.com for details of groups in London and you’ll find everything from the German group who meet in Bavarian theme pubs to Francophones who get together to go and see French movies and multi-language groups who meet for conversation practice and dance lessons. And in a city where 300 languages are spoken, there are plenty of ways to immerse yourself in them; like the increasing numbers of foreign-film festivals; cinemas like the Riverside in Hammersmith, the Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Square and the BFI Southbank offer seasons of Polish, Russian, Spanish and other foreign films.

Career boost
Learning languages in London doesn’t just benefit tourism and leisure. According to the National Centre for Languages, 95 per cent of London employers believe language skills are important for the city’s economy – more languages mean a greater capacity for international communication, and more opportunities. So by signing up to learn a new language, you could end up impressing a prospective boss who’ll recognise that your skills are valuable.  



LANGUAGE LEARNERS

GERMAN

Name:  Freya Pascall
Course: German Assessed Module GE06
College: King's College Modern Language Centre

‘I studied German at A-level, but I haven't had any chance to practice and improve my language skills since then. I really didn't want to lose my knowledge of German, which was certainly what was beginning to happen! Taking an assessed module has ensured that my knowledge of German keeps progressing forward.
An average class consists of a mixture of different exercises to help with the different aspects of learning a language: listening, reading, writing, speaking and grammar. Writing exercises are normally done as homework, but grammar, listening and reading exercises, as well as being practised at home, are done either individually or in small groups. We only speak in German in the lessons at this level, so there's a lot of speaking practice, either just in discussing the results of exercises or in specific speaking tasks.
I think the hardest thing is probably understanding the harder grammar points being explained in German. German grammar can be pretty tough even when you're learning it in English, so understanding the technical German vocabulary as well as the new grammar point can be tricky.
It's nice to break the preconception that English people don’t learn other languages. People who speak other languages are highly respected, as it shows an awareness of other cultures and a real ability to commit if you're able to take your learning to a high level, so when applying for internships I've found that it's something that interviewers are always impressed by.’



RUSSIAN

Name:  Susan Ellison
Course: Russian False Beginners
College: King's College Modern Language Centre

‘Language learning is a hobby of mine as well as being part of my work. Travelling and working abroad I meet an increasing number of Russian speakers, not only in Europe but also in India, and have been ashamed of how little I could communicate despite having studied Russian as a schoolgirl, albeit over 35 years ago. Not wanting to start from scratch but also not ready to pick up where I left off, so False Beginners was ideal for me.
The class is around six or seven students from a wide range of backgrounds: professionals, those with Russian or related eastern European language backgrounds, undergraduates, and students of totally unrelated disciplines. Our teacher keeps us very busy and always prepares a plethora of activities, some structured language drills, but many more light-hearted role plays and listening based on film, song and literary extracts. The lessons and course are very well organised and the pace is fast.
Understanding continuous spoken Russian is difficult for me, since in the past I have had very little opportunity to do this. Regular weekly interaction with a Russian speaker is helping me to improve and motivating me to study on my own.’


SPANISH

Name: Leighton Morgan
Course: A2 Spanish
Institution: The Institute

‘I chose an evening class which meant that I could learn Spanish without interfering with my work commitments. I started out with a Spanish Improvers course (2nd year level) and went on to sit my Spanish GCSE. With surprisingly little effort on my part outside of the class, I managed to get an excellent grade. I have always found the classes interesting and engaging and I am now studying for my A2 exam.
I appreciate that exam courses are not for everyone but, for me, the exams provided a focus for my study. I would recommend that anyone interested in studying a language give it a go. You’ll be fluent before you know it.’



MANDARIN CHINESE

Name: Jana Velebova
Course: Mandarin False Beginners
Institution: King’s College Modern Language Centre

‘I wanted to understand Chinese culture better, so I thought I should start learning the language first. Eventually, I would like to be able to read books and get around in China on my own. In the lessons we talk about the past week, talk about Chinese culture, watch videos and try to get the pronunciation right.  
Writing characters is the biggest challenge. It takes time to get the sounds right, too. It is not just about being able to speak Chinese. By learning the language, you learn about the rooted ways of Chinese life, mentality, and approach to life. It is very rewarding.’