Studying English in the degree of primary education

Nowadays, knowing several languages is important to fit in a multicultural society. For this reason, the link between all these different cultures is English. It is said that this international language is essential to be prepared to the future that is coming. So teachers have the responsibility to do this task since early ages. That is because English has to take place as a subject in the degree of Primary Education in our country, to train efficient teachers and give them enough tools to face up all the situations that could appear during their future teaching.

Firstly, in a world where is not barriers, it is a basic necessity to learn English, because as we have said before, it is the link between all the countries, so it could be called the ‘’International language’’. The lack of gates and the knowledge of English, allow people to go abroad just for travelling or even getting a job. Thanks to the language, people find open up doors. There are no obstacles in order to move around.

Is incredible how world media transmit information that only could be taken advantage by English speakers. That is the case of the news channel CNN, which has the most world coverage, whose programming is unintelligible to people who do not have an advanced knowledge of universal language. (Editorial office ‘’El Tiempo’’)

Concerning means of communication, everything is destined for people who know English. That language is the link between all of them. International news or advertisements are promoted in this foreign language. So it is recommended to have a high level if people want to be aware of all of them and not be cheated. Related to the following quote, learning English gives us wealthier and culture if it is not like this, we would be isolated and we would only know a unique point of view of what happens around the world. As a result of this language control people could develop their critical skills.    

            The fact that English is given as a subject in the degree of Primary Education has a lot of advantages. For instance, it allows a quicker and easier integration into the labor market, due to the International recognition. So for that reason, nowadays in all jobs is required a high level of English. According to ABA English Course results ‘’62% of Spanish people use English in their job’’. People who have a good command of this foreign language have more opportunities of being promoted. It is why inside a multicultural world, the more fluent people are in a language, the more competent they will be.

            Although English is not the best strength for some people, it is being demanded by lot of companies in Spain, as ABA English Course says ‘’English is the language more demanded in the business quoted in 80% of the cases’’. In spite of all the difficulties they could deal with the language, people would take it as a challenge or an objective to overcome their adversities. Moreover, it is a way to exercise people’s memory, doing their brain more efficient and flexible. Another advantage is that people who have two languages on practice have more facility to focus on a main objective. This means that due to language people could train their brain and make of the English a goal.

            Studying this language in the first degree at the university could allow students having more resources to confront all the difficulties that they would find when they achieve more levels. If the university provides learners facilities to take level tests or courses to improve their level, it would engage students to the linguistic immersion. Also, university gives them the opportunity to prepare them to the B2 level that is required in their future trajectory. For that reason, they start their first course getting ready to the B1 level, to later on, achieve the next level.

            Furthermore, learning English makes learners feel more confident with themselves. There is no need to travel with company because they are independent and able to go out regularly of their comfort zone, thanks to their management on the language. Besides, it is known that the more speeches people have, the more social relationships they can establish. The fact of being aware of other cultures and showing interest on them, allows people to increase their personal friend’s circle. Thus, learners could prove that their language and culture are not the only ones along the world.

            Regarding students, it is important that future Primary teachers start encouraging children since kindergarten. In order to this pre-schooler, studying another language will realize them that their language and their culture are not the unique, as we have said before. So, the sooner they start with English, the more results they will achieve. Using other resources, such as flashcards, songs, dances, videos, role-playing, storytelling, will attract and motivate children to start with the second language. For these reasons, students in the degree of Primary education should take English and Didactic of English as a subject, because on them they could find resources enough to deal with methodologies to engage the foreign language.

To conclude, English has to take place as a subject in the degree of Primary Education because it has several advantages, not only for the future teachers, but also for the students. We are in a society where a lot of cultures live together, for that reason people should be prepare for interacting with others. Besides, the more languages people have, the more possibilities they will have to get a better job. Moreover, being fluent in English allows people to travel on their own along the world, establish social connections, and the possibility of being aware of all that happens in their surroundings. For these reasons, we think that English should be given sooner, so people could achieve all of the things that the second language provides to them.

Noelia Máñez
Miriam Orón