“The French are really terrible at English” (Slate, 20/02/2012); “Why are the French so bad at foreign languages?” (BFMTV, 27/09/2017)… When it comes to criticising language proficiency, French bashing is rampant. Whether the consequence of a set of deficient factors or the cause of deep-seated discomfort, our conviction about ourselves and our counterparts regarding our mastery of foreign languages is deeply rooted in popular beliefs. It has even become a myth. In business, this language malaise translates into frustrations and blocks that go well beyond linguistic mastery. In meetings, competent professionals fade into the background, negotiations fail to conclude, and embarrassment sets in during annual reviews when individuals admit they are “not gifted”, thinking it is too late to learn. Where do the blocking factors in language learning come from? Is it possible to overcome them?
Between business needs and reality on the ground
The Céreq survey report published in 2016, entitled “Analysis of the needs of French employers regarding foreign language skills[1]” highlights the benefits associated with learning foreign languages. The practice of a language symbolises openness to the world, the effort to want to communicate, and is a necessary condition for the employability of individuals personally, as well as for the future of global companies. According to Céreq, 67% of recruiters favour candidates with a linguistic profile, across all business disciplines. In reality, language skills carry weight, as a manager who masters one or more foreign languages is paid 447 euros more per month.
The international accessibility of companies depends on the level of foreign language skills of their employees. Based on the figures from the Céreq report, 70% of companies admit that their employees’ language skills constitute a real asset for international expansion. These skills also have a positive effect on the company’s overall image and enhance its employer brand.
A glimpse at the figures makes it clear: the EF Education First ranking places the French in 32nd place out of 80 (third to last European country) in terms of English proficiency. Leading the pack are the Netherlands, followed by Sweden, Denmark, and Norway.
If everyone agrees that mastery of foreign languages has a direct impact on companies’ international expansion, it is pertinent to ask the following question: what causes the gap between an ideal situation for companies—and therefore the French economy as a whole—and the ability of employees to speak a foreign language fluently?
Are blocking points founded?
As adults, we have been conditioned by language learning methods at school, based on rules to be learned and error-free written expression. However, there is very little oral expression, very few “small talks” which are nevertheless essential at the professional level. In business, these learning biases translate into adults who are reluctant to take the plunge and speak in a foreign language, unaccustomed to conversing, etc. Moreover, individuals believe they are “not gifted” and think they have reached an age where it is no longer possible to learn.
Among the blocking factors in adult foreign language learning:
- The fear of making mistakes, a legacy of an educational system criticised by Till Gins, director of OISE (Oxford Intensive School of English), which he describes as “often too rigid, where reflection reigns and mistakes are pilloried”.
- Lack of motivation, essentially due to the fact that language learning and soft skills in general touch on areas of little interest to learners. In business, language learning is often done on topics that are out of step with the learners’ professions, on areas that concern them only remotely, and is thus experienced as an ordeal.
- Lack of time, linked to the rigidity of old face-to-face courses that required availability.
The thought that the goal to be achieved is too ambitious, closely affecting individuals’ motivation and self-esteem. - The inability and unwillingness to follow a set path, considered “academic”, marked by stages to be completed and imposed modules.
Although, when faced with learning a foreign language, individuals’ blocks stem from more or less objective elements, the cause is not lost. 7Speaking provides solutions that present themselves as real remedies for business woes:
- Stimulate the interest and enthusiasm of learners, through a self-motivating platform, integrating tailor-made workshops, based solely on their interests and profession;
- Reduce the gap between language learning and professional activity, thanks to numerous 7Speaking workshops: news lessons on a specific sector, an Eclil module allowing learning English at the same time as a professional skill;
- Make the goal achievable thanks to a Digital Learning platform 4 times more effective than traditional learning, with the integration of cognitive sciences via the 70/20/10 approach in particular;
- Offer a linguistic immersion in which the learner freely practises what they wish on a daily basis, without imposing mandatory steps;
- Address the problem of lack of time, thanks to a platform available at any time and anywhere, thanks to the mobile application (Mobile Learning).
Note: “It ultimately takes only 10 nouns, 10 verbs and 10 adjectives to make 1000 sentences”. This reality, presented by 7Speaking, aims to simplify and above all, demystify the learning of a foreign language.
