How can I keep my languages up after graduating from university?
Monday, 22nd March 2010
There are lots of foreign language graduates who don’t go on to use languages in their career. Having gained such sought after skills, it seems a shame to let them go to waste…
Luckily, there are ways to ensure that this doesn’t happen.
Anyone who wants to maintain their skills after university can - especially if they are living in a multicultural and cosmopolitan environment, like London.
Of course, reading foreign language newspapers and websites, and watching foreign films is always helpful, but if you find it difficult to motivate yourself you might find it easier to enrol in a regular evening class. Advanced level evening language courses are available all around the UK, and ensure that for two hours each week you can practise and revise your skills with like-minded people of the same level. Locations are predominantly central, which ensures convenience and accessibility, whether you live or work locally.
If you’re confident about retaining your knowledge of grammar and are more interested in taking a purely conversational course, these are also available in London in 10-week format.
If time in the evenings is in short supply, a further possibility would be to set a week or two aside each year to do a language course abroad. Immersing yourself in the language you want to practise is a fantastic way to keep it fresh in your mind, and spending some time on foreign shores will give you a really nice holiday at the same time. With destinations all around the world, including scores of Spanish courses in South America, and French courses in the Caribbean, you really will be spoilt for choice.
As a language graduate myself, the possibility to do both evening courses and language courses abroad with Cactus has proved absolutely invaluable to retaining my French and German skills. It’s definitely easy to become complacent with your language skills, but it’s important to remember that they’re the fruits of many years hard labour! You’ll never forget what you’ve learnt, but the knowledge certainly does fade if you let it…
There are advanced level evening language courses available all around the UK, in a wide range of languages, including French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arabic, Mandarin and Russian.
London locations currently total 29, and include Bond Street, Baker Street, Camden, Clapham, Fulham, Islington, Kings Cross, London Bridge, Victoria and Wimbledon to name but a few.
Outside of the capital, there are courses available in cities such as Manchester, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Cambridge, Liverpool and Brighton.
Tags: clapham, mandarin, portuguese, language course, brighton, course, language, london, languages, location, cactus, italian, evening class, german, french, spanish
Posted by Laura Lippert 2010-03 under Attitudes to Language Learning,
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