At Oracle Language Centre, we make language learning fun, effective, and tailored to your needs. We give learners an opportunity to get the full flavor of what it means to learn and understand a new language. Joining us, therefore,  is the best decision you can make!

Why Learn a New Language?

• Boost Your Career: Multilingual professionals have a competitive edge in today’s global job market. Prospective employers prefer hiring people who speak and understand multiple languages. This gives them an advantage of localizing their products to ensure deeper penetration into the market.
• Travel with Confidence: Explore new countries without language barriers. Part of the joy of travelling the world lies in the ability to speak multiple languages. One can easily navigate cities and places of interest, while getting the full flavor of what such places have to offer.
• Connect with New Cultures: Language is the gateway to understanding different traditions and perspectives. It is easier for one to interact with people from diverse cultural backgrounds. Understanding their language ensures that one gets to also understand and appreciate the very tenets of a culture. Nevertheless, the social skills of a people are also enhanced since one can easily interact with people from different language backgrounds with ease.
• Sharpen Your Mind: Studies show that learning a new language improves memory and problem-solving skills. One who understands multiple languages finds it easier to understand concepts. Learning a new language also means that one is already developing multilingualism. The effect of this is actually giving one the ability to multitask by switching between languages since the executive ability of the brain is sharpened.

What Makes Oracle Language Centre Special?

Experienced & Friendly Instructors – Our passionate teachers make learning engaging and interactive. They are more than just educators. They inspire our learners to embrace new perspectives. They are patient enough and understand  that learning language can sometimes take time. They encourage the learners to learn from the mistakes they may make when learning a language all in an effort to make them better. Their creativity enables them to create adaptive ways which suit the students’ learning abilities as they grow.

Small Class Sizes – Get personalized attention and guidance. This also ensures that the learners get more opportunities to participate, which in turn enhances their confidence and mastery. The learners also get an opportunity to build closer bonds with each other, which makes learning language more enjoyable and natural.

Flexible Schedules – Morning, evening, and weekend classes to fit your lifestyle. We are now able to accommodate learners from diverse cadres with varying study schedules. One can always choose what time to have their classes, which again spares them the peace of mind to easily learn language.

Fun & Practical Approach – We focus on real-life conversations, not just textbooks. Beyond the mere theoretical models, our teachers will also engage learners in real life conversations using the language in question in order to determine their level of mastery. Teachers, therefore, get more realistic feedback and are able to make necessary adjustments to fit their students’ learning needs.

Community & Events – Join language exchange meetups, cultural events, and conversation clubs. Beyond attending lessons and/or classes, learners will also get an opportunity to participate in immersive language activities which gives them a chance to showcase their language abilities and put them to real life test. This is undeniably the best way to ensure polished language skills in our learners.

Our Language Courses

We offer beginner to advanced courses in:

• Local Languages – Kikuyu, Kamba, Kalenjin, Dholuo, Luhya, Ekegusii, Maa, Kimeru and other local languages on demand.
• English and Kiswahili – Improve your speaking, writing, and business communication skills.
• French, Spanish, German, Mandarin Chinese – Master popular global languages for travel and work.
• Arabic – Modern Standard Arabic for effective communication, both spoken and written.

Join Us Today!

Are you ready to start your language learning journey? Talk to us

Call/WhatsApp: 0736496025
Email: info@oraclelanguagecentre.co.ke
Website: www.oraclelanguagecentre.co.ke

Let’s break language barriers together—step by step

Children growing up in environments that exposes them to several different languages have an advantage of developing a broader perspective on the world and its various cultures. However, such open-mindedness may cause confusion because they cannot identify with a particular community of people.

Having your child speak their native language gives them a proper identity and helps them stand out. Language is an important piece of your family’s culture and background.  It helps them experience greater levels of closeness and engagement with each other. There are various benefits of immersing your child in your native language.

Here is a list of reasons to let children learn their native languages.

i. Native language plays an essential role in establishing their identity.

Language plays a significant role in the passage of knowledge on the history and culture of a community. Learning the native language signifies learning the same history and culture of their parents, relatives, and even the generations before and after. As a means of communicating values, beliefs and customs, it has an important social function and fosters feelings of group identity and solidarity. The self-awareness that they belong to a certain group or community gives them confidence and stability.

ii. It will increase their grasping power of other languages at school.

Fluency and literacy in the native language can lead to a transfer of skills to the second language. Therefore, the more literate a student is in his/her first language, the easier it is for the student to transfer skills from the first language to the second language with the appropriate support and instruction.

• It helps in cognitive as well as intellectual development.

According to research, children learning additional languages may excel academically, and develop more flexibility in thinking and concept formation.  Children with additional language skills can differentiate and switch back and forth between languages, and identify what language to speak with whom.

iii. It helps them connect with their culture and people.

Our native languages keep our cultural heritage alive. They are critical tools in connecting with our roots and our loved ones. Festivals and religious rituals, ceremonies take on a deeper meaning when they know the language. Being able to communicate with grandparents and extended family members in a home language helps strengthen family ties.

iv. Helps preserve endangered languages.

In communities where the culture and native language is endangered, teaching children, who are often more apt at picking up languages, will help protect and restore dying languages.

v. It is professionally and commercially beneficial

Local languages are assuming greater significance in the corporate world with businesses going more local than ever before. A good command over one’s mother tongue, coupled with the ability to read and write it can be a great advantage and could help one climb the corporate ladder faster.

Our native languages not only allow us to communicate and connect with one another, but they allow us to understand and appreciate the history of our ancestors and our upbringing. Although learning to speak your mother tongue is best done within your family, we can surely help if you are keen to know how easy it is to be able to read and write or type them.

Join us at Oracle Language Centre for customised lessons on the local Kenyan languages. Apply at https://www.oraclelanguagecentre.co.ke/application or call us on 0736 496 025 for more information.

Setting unrealistic goals

When you have unrealistic expectations, it can be off-putting and make you want to give up. For one to get to fluency level, it requires practice, consistency and patience. Expecting to learn all the words and rules of a language rapidly is impossible. It takes time and requires persistence through the entire process. Foreign language encourager Kris Broholm reveals the core mistakes of most learners, setting way too ambitious goals, too easy goals, no goals at all, and having no idea why you are learning the language.

To progress well in the language learning journey, set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable,  Relevant, and Time-Bound) objectives. Start from simple to complex and be disciplined in  following up with the laid down objectives.

Only relying upon one method of learning

When learning a new language, some people tend to rely on one learning method. They might concentrate on listening to conversations, repeating new vocabulary daily, learning grammar rules or just copying what’s already in in the book. This slows down the learning process.

Better results can be achieved by alternating between listening, reading, writing and speaking regularly. Incorporating other concepts like cultural elements can make the process interesting.  

Not speaking/Reading the words without testing yourself

Many of us may be deceived to believe that it’s easy to retain already learnt words without putting them into practice. There are those people will invest much of their time learning vocabulary, completing grammar exercises and reading texts without getting involved in simple conversations. We may think it’s easy to remember words once we learn them and fail to actually test ourselves if we retain the information we’ve just learnt. This is a very risky move as one cannot learn a language without speaking it.

Whether language learning is done online or in person, it’s important to find someone willing to have a conversation with you in the language. It can be a native speaker or someone who is also learning.

Focusing on grammar too much.

Learning grammar means learning the rules and patterns of grammar and having an intellectual knowledge of grammar of a language. Many people believe that learning grammar intensively can help them build their knowledge. Grammar is so important, but focusing on only perfect grammar can make you feel so overwhelmed.

Put more effort to increase the amount of vocabulary acquired every day. It will help you express yourself in your daily life. Aim at flawless grammar once you have acquired enough vocabulary.

Freaking out about Making Mistakes

Most of us are too anxious to talk or write in the new language because they are afraid of making mistakes.  There are often feelings of insufficiency which inhibits learning.

Never let your mistakes stop you. Be like babies who never think of any kind of humiliation if they choose a wrong word or make very weird sentences. Don’t be afraid of trying to talk, listen,  

Translating directly

The more we grow the more it becomes complex to learn a new language. Social changes, interference from one’s primary language and continuing brain development often make it hard. The system(s) of the language(s) we already know register in our minds and one easily thinks through their first language. It can be hard to avoid direct translations from our first language. Direct translations open up room for grammatical and syntactic errors.

When training your brain to think in a new language, avoid using the dictionary to look up for every word. Identify nouns and verbs in your new language, don’t overwhelm yourself with grammar, find reading opportunities especially Children’s books which are simple and rich in description, frequent conversations, both with strangers and with people you care about. Above all, observe, watch, hear, smell and relate vocabulary directly to its meaning — not the word in your first language

Learning too many new words at once

The excitement of learning a new language can tempt one to want to learn 50 or even more new words in one sitting. This can be overwhelming, as it can be a challenge for the memory to keep in record all the new vocabulary.

Learning a new language is about building a communication skill. Instead of endlessly chasing new vocabulary, pace out your learning by adding new words gradually and reviewing older vocabulary. Spread 5-10 words into smaller 10-minute study sessions 2-3 times a day to make it manageable. Also, review the previously learnt vocabulary to help you remember. Do this consistently and it becomes less tiring.

You Don’t Adapt It to Yourself

Many people make a wrong decision of ending language learning in the classroom. This limits one and slows the process.

When you’re learning a language, you should think about how you learn best and adapt your approach accordingly. It is important to seek out things that interest you in your target language. Consider viral videos, funny memes, cartoons, video games, or Q&A websites to learn language patterns in your area of interests.

Losing the drive

Many new students are at first excited about learning a new language but fail to maintain the momentum. Learning languages does require a lot of effort, you have to think about things in a different way: different vocabulary, syntax and semantics. It’s an exhausting exercise that can really overwhelm one.

Why do some people sail through language learning while others barely do so?

For one to succeed, they need to have a scheduled learning plan that they stick to. It is important to focus on necessity by studying subjects that pertain more to your interests. For instance, food, music, fashion, travel etc. Find exciting ways of interacting with the language. Watch a film or go to a cultural fair to remind you why you started learning the language in the first place.

Forgetting to have fun

Too often the demands of seeking perfection make us anxious to learn more quickly that we forget to enjoy the learning journey. Setting up unrealistic expectations makes us become hard on ourselves if we fail to meet them.

Relax, use the language, find ways to make studying fun and, most importantly, find  friends who you can go on this journey with.

Language learning is all about partnering with your brain to find the best method that works for you, and you only. Use these tips to help you get back on track!

We at https://www.oraclelanguagecentre.co.ke/ ensure that our students are aware of the above tips before any learning starts. Join us today. Visit our offices in Karen, Nairobi or contact us through info@oraclelanguagecentre.co.ke or 0736496025.

Use of Language to identify Oneself

Personal/self identity refers to how you see yourself as “different” from those around you. It is what defines you as an individual, could be personal preferences like food, clothes, language(s), music etc. It determines how we interact with other people. Language is an important tool that shapes personal identity. For instance, most Kenyans are multilinguals who speak English, Swahili and their native languages. When many Kenyans travel outside the country to the diaspora, they take pride in identifying with the local food and the local languages in use in particular the Swahili language. Phrases like Habari yako, Jambo bwana and Mimi ni Mkenya show solidarity to the country.

Our choice of language expresses our ethnic, religious, regional, educational, psychological, relational and many other identities. We can be able to recognize a soldier, advocate, mechanic, teacher, child, gender, or any other identity through their language or idiolect. In Kenyan urban settlements, most millennials and Gen zs can easily be identified by their use of Sheng language in communication. Sheng is an urban language which combines mainly Kiswahili and English but also other Kenyan languages such as Kikuyu, Luhya, Dholuo and Kikamba. In the recent past, there’s been a shift in the realm of communication during interactions among the youth who prefer to use the more colloquial sheng language and their native languages. In addition, there’s been a shift in the language used for advertisement in the media as Sheng has become a necessary marketing tool in the twenty-first century. It is used by businesses, NGOs and government to create awareness of their products. Sheng language also plays a major role in the entertainment industry.  For example, hit songs like Tabia za Wakenya by Mejja and Sijazoea kuteteshwa by Kushman have been mainly composed using Sheng language. Many Kenyan youths identify themselves with Sheng language.

Kenya as a country has great ethnic diversity. Most Kenyans are bilingual in the two Official languages English and Swahili, but a large percentage also speak the mother tongue of their ethnic tribe. The major ethnic groups in Kenya as per the 2019 Census report include the Kikuyu, Luhya, Luo, Kalenjin, Kamba, Kisii, Meru etc… Other languages spoken include Arabic and Hindi. A good number of Kenyan citizens realize the importance of our native languages in preserving our heritage. Many Kenyans identify themselves by their ethnic languages. A person’s first language is critical to their identity. Maintaining the native language helps one to value their culture and heritage, which contributes to a positive self-concept. By learning any of the local Kenyan languages, one is able to have a deeper understanding of the history and customs of their community.

There are foreign languages taught in schools and language centres like Oracle Language Centre in Kenya. They include French, Spanish, Chinese etc…People consider learning foreign languages for various reasons namely; to enhance job opportunities, deepen connection with other cultures, for travel purposes, for business and many other reasons. There are those Kenyans who identify more with these foreign languages. Language use and individual identity is a product of lived experiences. It is the outcome of one’s interaction with the social, political and cultural influences. People in new geographical locations may redefine their identities to conform to their surroundings. Thus, a person can change themselves including language based on the environment. Foreigners who travel to Kenya are often interested to learn Swahili as it helps them to easily blend in.

Every individual has a certain identity, but it is not static. It is dependent on the occasion, purpose, and context. People in new geographical locations may redefine their identities to conform to their surroundings. Thus, Kenyans can identify themselves through any one or a combination of the following languages: Official and National Languages (English and Swahili), the urban language (Sheng), ethnic languages found in Kenya or the foreign languages spoken in the country.

At Oracle Language Centre, we offer customised classes at affordable rates for the following languages: Gikuyu, Luhya, Kalenjin, Dholuo, Kamba, Swahili, English, French, Spanish and Arabic languages. For more information, check us at https://www.oraclelanguagecentre.co.ke/

Here is a list of some of the languages with large number of speakers.

Arabic

Arabic is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world. Having emerged in the 1st century, it is named after the Arab people. Together with languages such as Hebrew, Amharic and Hausa, they belong to the Afro-asiatic language family because they are widely distributed over southwestern Asia and Africa. Arabic has over 150 million speakers in Africa and 280 million worldwide. It is the liturgical language of Islam, the world’s second-largest religion. Arabic is the official language of Algeria, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Sudan, and Tunisia. It’s also spoken in Tanzania (Zanzibar), Western Sahara and Somalia.
Arabic has been taught worldwide in many elementary and secondary schools, especially Muslim schools. Universities around the world have classes that teach Arabic as part of their foreign languages, Middle Eastern studies, and religious studies courses. By being one of most largely spoken languages in the world, learning Arabic gives you a leg up in any industry in business, engineering, medical, non-profit and international relations.

Swahili

Swahili or Kiswahili as its people call it has its origin in East Africa. It is the official language of Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.  Swahili speakers are spread over more than 14 countries: Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), South Sudan, Somalia, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Comoros, and as far as Oman and Yemen in the Middle East. It has approximately 15 million native speakers.  It is a lingua franca that unites many in East and Central African countries, bringing the total number to between 100 and 150 million speakers in the continent. African countries such as South Africa and Botswana have introduced it in schools. It is the most spoken African language after Arabic. Due to historical interactions between Arabs, Portuguese, Germans, Britons and East Africans, Swahili has a good number of borrowed words from  Arabic, Portuguese, English and German. Swahili is a very useful language to know regardless of where you are in Africa.

Hausa

‍Hausa is one of Nigeria’s official languages, and one of the most spoken Chadic languages on the continent, with over 65 million native and 50 million second language speakers. The Hausa people are the largest ethnic group in Nigeria, making the Hausa language the most popular language in the country. Hausa is used as a lingua franca by non-native speakers in some areas of Northern Nigeria, Southern Niger, West Africa (Benin, Ghana, Cameroon, Togo, Ivory Coast) and parts of Sudan. It’s also used in East African countries like Eritrea and Sudan, and Central African countries like Congo and Cameroon. Because of its usefulness as a lingua franca in trade, many learn Hausa as a second language.

Amharic Language

Amharic belongs to the Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family. It is the language of the Amhara people and is used as a lingua franca across Ethiopia by over 31 million first-language speakers and more than 25 million second-language speakers. It is the second most spoken Semitic language in the world after Arabic. Amharic has been the language of the ruling class of Ethiopia since the end of the 13th century. It is used as the official working language of Ethiopia, along with English, Oromo  and Tigrinya. Amharic is the second most spoken mother-tongue in Ethiopia after Oromo. It is also spoken by groups in Eritrea, Canada and the US and is often learnt as a second language by Rastafarians, who consider it a sacred language. It is used in government, public media, national commerce, and in education up to the seventh grade.

Yoruba

Yoruba is one of West Africa’s most spoken languages, primarily in Southwestern and Central Nigeria. It is spoken by the ethnic Yoruba people. The number of Yoruba speakers is roughly 45 million, plus about 2 million second-language speakers in Nigeria, Benin and Togo, and it is one of Nigeria’s official languages. It is also widely spoken by West African expats in the US and UK. It is the mother tongue of the Yoruba people in Nigeria, and has over fifteen dialects including Awori, Ijesha, Ilaje and Ila.

Oromo

Oromo is a macrolanguage language of Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Eritrea, and Djibouti spoken by close to 40 million people. It has the largest number of native speakers in Ethiopia, and has the largest number of speakers of all the Cushitic languages. Oromo serves as one of the official working languages of Ethiopia. Oromo is the most widely spoken Cushitic language and among the five languages of Africa with the largest mother-tongue populations.

 Igbo Language

Igbo language is a Niger-Congo language spoken primarily in Nigeria.It is one of Nigeria’s official languages and is spoken primarily in South Eastern Nigeria with a portion of speakers residing in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. Igbo language is spoken by over 24 million people. Igbo is made up of more than 20 dialects which aren’t mutually intelligible to other Igbo speakers at times. The Igbo language gained prominence from Chinua Achebe, author of “Things Fall Apart” and whose majority of books were written in Igbo.

Shona Language

Shona is a Bantu language belonging to the Niger-Congo language family. It is spoken by around 10.7 million people as a first language and by another 1.8 million as second language in Zimbabwe, Botswana, Malawi, and Zambia. The three distinct Shona dialects include the Karanga, the Zezuru and the Korekore. Shona is an official language of Zimbabwe, along with Ndebele and English.

Zulu Language

IsiZulu, also known as Zulu, is one of South Africa’s official languages. Zulu is said to be used by over 10 million people. Part of the Bantu language group, Zulu is very much related to other languages including Xhosa and Ndebele. isiZulu is mostly spoken in and around Kwa-Zulu Natal. There are also a fairly large number of speakers in the Gauteng area. It is the second most widely spoken Bantu language after Shona.

Conclusion

Africa has a mixture of many languages and each language is distinct from the other. Although some have few speakers left, other languages like Somali have a large number of speakers who reside in the greater Somalia and the Somali diaspora. All African languages are important. With the growing influx of migrants and immigrants, and the globalization of the world, there is need for one to learn at least one language commonly used in Africa.

Interested in learning any of them? Join us for Swahili Language lessons

To remain competitive and increase your career opportunity and job prospect, you have to communicate smoothly to pave the way for unfettered business connection flows. That is, being able to use multiple languages.

Here is a list of top 11 languages you should consider to initiate global growth:

English

1. ENGLISH

English is the most widely spoken language in different contexts in the world. It is the one language that the majority of the population in almost every region of the world can speak and understand. Furthermore, the language enjoys worldwide acceptance and usage by every nation of the world.  It’s spoken in 94 countries by 339 million native speakers and is the official language of the 20 most relevant international organizations, making it a very widespread language. In most countries, it’s also the primary foreign language taught in schools and can be understood by one third of the world’s population. The language also retains the number one spot as the most commonly used language among internet users with 949 million users and as the most used language by 52.3% of websites using various content languages. English is, therefore, crucial for anyone who wants to thrive on the global stage.

2. CHINESE

Chinese refers to a group of Sino-Tibetan languages with collectively over 955 million native speakers, accounting for 14.4% of the world’s population, and it’s by far the most widely spoken language in the world with a momentous 1 billion speakers worldwide. In recent years, the Chinese language has become one of the most popular to learn due to the huge variety of opportunities it presents. The Chinese economy has experienced astonishing growth in the last few decades making it a noticeable source of business opportunity. Mandarin is also the second most popular language among internet users. If there’s one language in the world that’s worth learning, it’s Mandarin Chinese. It is now considered as an important language worldwide because of its increased presence in the business world as Chinese are involved in many businesses throughout the world including Hollywood.

3. SPANISH

Though not perceived as a language of business, Spanish language has a total of about 405 million native speakers. Due to the popularity of Spanish culture, arts, and music, it is one of the most popular and favourite languages to be learned. Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language after Mandarin and is spoken in about 30 countries. Having your business content available in Spanish opens doors not only in Spain, but also in booming Latin American countries like Mexico, Peru, Paraguay and Ecuador, and even the United States. The US has a significant number of Spanish speakers who contribute to its position as the world’s second-largest economy, which makes Spanish an extremely important language. Spanish is also important for business purposes in the UK. Mexico has some of the most open trade policies in the world which makes it a key area for investment. If you want to do business in the US, or anywhere in the Western hemisphere, Spanish needs to be one of your chosen localization languages. You can learn this language for travel, business, and international studies.

4. FRENCH

French is an official language in 29 countries and is the native language of some 28 to 38 million people. French is the international language of cooking, fashion, theatre, the visual arts, dance and architecture. A knowledge of French offers access to great works of literature in the original French, as well as films and songs. French is the second most useful language in the world for business. Studying French makes you smarter. French is one of the top ten majors most likely to lead to less unemployment and higher earnings.  It’s also a working language in organisations like the United Nations, International Olympic Committee, and World Trade Organization.

5. ARABIC

Arabic is a Semitic language that has 32 varieties with Modern Standard Arabic as the standard form. It is a widely used language. Most Arabic speakers reside in the Middle East, North Africa, and 26 other nations of the world.  It is one of the most popular languages besides English and French. It is amongst the six official languages of the United Nations (UN). Six Arabic speaking countries appear among the UK’s top 50 export market in goods, with a combined value to the economy that surpasses that of Spain, China or Italy. The Middle East represents a fast-growing market of eager consumers; there is a lot of wealth in the area and there are plenty of governments attracting tourism to their countries, especially for shopping. The internet is also rising in the Middle East, and with many Arab speakers only speaking Arabic. It is a global language with a vast population that uses it.

6. SWAHILI

Swahili has over 200 million speakers and is one of the most widely used African languages after Arabic. It is mainly used in East and Central Africa by majority of speakers who are native speakers of other African languages.  It is the official language in Tanzania and Kenya, and is also used in Uganda, Somalia, Mozambique, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, and Congo. The UN proclaimed 7 July of each year as World Kiswahili Language Day making it the first African language to be recognized in such a manner. Of all the sub-Saharan African languages, Swahili has the highest online presence by far. Africa in a global marketplace, Swahili is poised to become the language of commerce in Africa. Its usefulness for research and travel is one of the most cited reasons given for studying Swahili.

7. PORTUGUESE

 It’s spoken in Portugal, Brazil, and some African countries. Portuguese is set to become the second language of the European Union after English by 2025. It’s also the second most spoken language in Latin America (behind Spanish). Brazil is the largest economy in Latin America and also the most widely cited science base outside the G8, making it a very resourceful country.  The demand for Portuguese in the US is also increasing as it has been recognized as an important language for business and international relations. Portuguese is also gaining popularity in Asia due to the region’s great diplomatic and economic relations with Portugal and Lusophone countries. Portuguese is a useful language to unlock business opportunities located across the four continents.

8. GERMAN

German has 95 million native speakers and a total of 210 million speakers worldwide. It remains today a leading language in science, art, philosophy, and literature and also the fourth most used language online. German is the most widely spoken language in the entire European Union (far more than English, Spanish, or French). German is a useful language for business as Germany itself is the largest economy in the European Union and an economic powerhouse on the world stage. Those who are an expert in this language have job opportunities in many big German companies such as Volkswagen, BASF, Daimler, BMW, Bosch, Siemens, etc. Learning German can be of great benefit for all individuals.

9. RUSSIAN

It is the largest native language in the world with more than 300 million people who speak it. It is spoken throughout central and Eastern Europe and in Russia and is the eighth most common language in the world and the second most used in website content, after English. Russian is one of the official languages of the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Russia is one of the major economic powers of the world and Russian is a global language with so many speakers.  Learning the language could be a great step for anyone’s career and business deals.

10. JAPANESE

Demand for the Japanese language has increased as Japanese companies are expanding and growing globally. Japanese are known for value and quality products and with an expansion in their industries there is need to learn their language. Japan has made great strands in scientific research and it is one of the most technologically advanced nations in the world. Japanese is also the third most spoken language on the Internet, allowing for vital business communication. Learning one of the main languages of the Internet will set you apart in the near future.

11. HINDI

Hindi is the fifth most-spoken language in the world, with 260 million native speakers. In terms of size and population, India is the seventh largest country by area and the second most populous nation. It is one of the fastest growing economies. Learning Hindi is very useful for building your career and connecting with Hindi-speaking communities around the world.

Why not learn a new language in 2022? Join our Swahili Language Classes, French Language Classes, Spanish Language Classes, Arabic Language Classes, Chinese Language Classes.

Start today!

Check out these 10 reasons why you should learn a new language:

Improves your memory

The more you use your brain to learn new skills, the more your brain’s functions work. Research has shown that knowledge of more than one language is associated with better reasoning, problem-solving skills and creativity. A new language pushes your brain to get familiar with new grammar, vocabulary rules and use of new words in contextual situations.  It also helps you deal with unknown and unfamiliar situations.

Gives You More Social and Global Skills

A new language soaks you into an entirely new culture and worldview which opens you up to be open-minded, understanding, tolerant and respectful. We are all cultural beings who are products of our own environments. By seeing the world from a different perspective and understanding where you and others come from, it becomes easy to collaborate with others around the world to address both local and global issues.

Helps you better understand your own language and culture

Learning a foreign language helps you become much more conscious of not only cultural customs, but of the grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation patterns of your first language. You will be able to draw connections and comparisons between your culture and and that of the new language, giving you the opportunity to understand where you come from and how it has affected your personality.

Helps you form meaningful friendships

A new language opens up your range of potential acquaintances and friends. Through language, we are able to express our feelings and desires, connect and form meaningful relationships with other people around us. A new language acts as a common denominator when you meet native speakers and also makes you feel a global sense of community.

Travel becomes cheaper and easier when you learn a foreign language

Learning the basics of the local language can help you become a more confident traveller. It becomes easy to navigate around places in a foreign country turning it into a fun and memorable experience. The best way to avoid tourist traps is to learn some of the local language for use in reading signs or asking directions, ordering food in a restaurant, checking into a hotel, negotiating for better prices at a market and so on.  You don’t have to be fluent; you just need enough to get by.

Provides Broader Access to Education and Information

Another language could help you earn a degree in another country. You do not have to start by enrolling in language classes for you to be able to get admitted for your course. It also helps you enjoy studying abroad as you interact with other speakers of the same language than when you only know one language. Those who speak different languages are able to directly access news and perspectives from the parts of the world where those languages are predominant.

Provides Professional and Career Advantages

A second language not only improves your employment prospects but can also drastically change your career. More companies are continuously doing business internationally thus, they are advertising for positions that favour those who have knowledge of more than one language. This happens because as they continue to trade and create relationships internationally, employees are often asked to travel for work, enhance these relationships or be relocated abroad. Generally, being able to communicate in other languages makes you much more valuable to an employer. In an increasingly competitive job market, why not give yourself every possible edge?

You can help preserve lesser-known languages

Studying a lesser-known language can help promote the preservation of minority languages and protect the cultural knowledge that comes along with them. When a language disappears, so does its culture and the body of knowledge it has accumulated. People around the world have gathered together to try to keep minority languages alive with movies, books and study groups. Learning and communicating using these endangered languages helps keep them alive.

TV shows and movies are becoming more and more multilingual.

Streaming services like Netflix are investing more in entertainment that is multilingual and it is paying off! Some of the best television shows of the past few years have been in other languages apart from English. Though the subtitles have been helpful, they are not always perfect. An understanding of the original language works best.

10. It’s fun!

There’s a joy that comes from being able to speak to others in their native language.  Part of

the fun of learning a foreign language is discovering differences in how people look at the

world. It’s also fun to discover words in a foreign language that don’t exist in your native

tongue. Mastering new accents and sounds is just plain sexy.

Conclusion

By learning new skills, you become a better person and increase career opportunities. Studying a new language helps you break barriers and connects you with other people on a deeper level of mutual understanding. A shared understanding with speakers of a language opens a series of does leading to a more interesting and satisfying personal and professional life. You are never too old to learn a language. Join a class today!

Do not worry much. Learning a new language does not have to be a tedious and slow process. If you dedicate yourself to the course, have an open mind and work hard, it is possible to go from basic to advanced conversational skills within a short time. Apart from the effort that is needed, the right strategy will put you ahead of the game.

Here are eleven (11) top secrets you can use to fasten the process to learn a new langauge:

Set realistic and achievable language goals.

Before committing to learning a new language, set clear and attainable goals. What motivates you? This will help you stick to the course till the objectives are achieved. The following tips will help you sustain your motivation.

• Make big goals and small goals

Set and stick to weekly, monthly and yearly goals that can help you have little mini-victories to keep you motivated. Keep checking your goals to make sure you are on course and revise them when you find them unrealistic. Focus on your personal goals without comparing yourself to others since we are dissimilar people and our learning styles, aptitude, goals and needs might be different. Always remember that doing something well takes time so, do not lose motivation in the process.

• Make specific, communicative goals

Fine tune your goals to actual language use like asking for directions, ordering food in a restaurant or introducing yourself. Do not worry much about the nitty-gritty elements like grammatical functions of a language. Though important, they may not necessarily help you improve your communication skills in practice. As an individual be specific and engage in situations that work best for you.

• Set a schedule and stick to it

Be realistic on how much free time you have during the week or the weekend then dedicate time for homework and reviewing of the already learnt material. A minimum of 30 minutes a day of review adds a lot to the progress. Make sure you stick to the time frame.

• Know that fluency takes years

Native level fluency will never be achieved especially by people who learn the language later in life and that is completely normal.  As we grow older, our ability to make and hear a range of sounds decreases which inhibits our pronunciation but that doesn’t matter. The most important thing is communication taking place.

Start with short, simple dialogues.

Start at a basic level to help you learn easy vocabulary. Master everyday

conversation.  Learn phrases like: Hello, Goodbye, How are you? I’m doing well,

What is your name? My name is…, and so on. As your language level progresses,

you can move on to more advanced reading material like newspapers and

novels.

Learn the alphabet

Familiarize yourself with the letters of the new language. It is important to

understand if the letters are similar to your language or, if they have

special characters or accented letters.

Learn to count in the new language.

Numbers are common in most of our everyday conversations. Start with counting

1-10. Each day learn a new set of ten numbers. Be up to the challenge till you can

memorize all the numbers at least to one hundred.

Focus on the 100 most common vocabulary words.

There are various lists of frequently-used words in most languages. These lists cut across different fields like colours, food, parts of the body, household items, directions, weather etc. In addition, learn the most common verbs, adverbs, adjectives and so on.

Start speaking from day one

Take risks and speak the language as soon as possible and whenever you can. It might be challenging to start speaking in a foreign language, but do it ASAP. Even if you know only few words.

Read children’s books and comic books in the foreign language.

These materials are written using simple language. Read out loud rather than silently to help you work on both your overall reading comprehension and pronunciation skills. Do not try to translate each phrase, force yourself to think in the language you’re reading.

Consume foreign language media.

Watch television shows or movies whose plots you are already familiar with in the

language you are trying to learn. Avoid subtitles to help you gain better

comprehension and confidence in the new language.  Download podcasts or tune in

to radio stations, listen to songs in that language. They help with pronunciation and

comprehension of words and phrases.

Immerse yourself in the local culture.

Doing this helps you speed up your path to fluency. It can be through visiting and spending some time in a country or interacting with the local native speakers. Learning a language within the context of culture and everyday life boosts motivation and offer hands-on learning experiences.

Don’t practice in isolation; get feedback from native speakers.

Some of the things you can do is travel or find a native in your area. Speaking with a real, live person will help you to feel much more motivated. Alternatively, try putting ads in local online forums or newspapers to find someone to tutor you or participate in a language exchange or even connect with someone online. Some important platforms that can be checked are Hellotalk, Duolingo, Italki, and Skype.

Don’t worry about making mistakes.

Aim for progress rather than perfection. When learning a new language, it is important to have an open mind. Be okay with making mistakes and learning from them. For instance, missing on the right word or the correct order of sentences. Or even failing to understand what the other person is saying. The biggest asset one can have in learning a language is having strong tolerance for ambiguity.

Conclusion

There you have it! Those tips are relevant and useful to people who are able and willing to follow them. Remember to set small realistic goals every day and keep at it. However, take note that the best ways to learn a language are the ones that work for you. Be open to explore them. You can join Oracle Langauge Centre today and learn Gikuyu, Luhya, Kalenjin, Dholuo, Kamba, Swahili, English, Arabic, Spanish, Chinese and French languages. Good luck!