In this modern age, where we can almost talk to anybody anywhere, communication is very important, and language is the very core of it. English as a language has been used for international affairs, thus making everyone have a responsibility to learn English if they want to compete in any international league. This statement excludes those who do not want to participate in global affairs. However, I still personally believe that every student should learn English alongside the mother language for three reasons.

              The first reason why students should learn English as a second language is that it is a great opportunity for them to get a cross-cultural understanding. Studying a language goes hand in hand with learning its culture, too. One of the products of culture is literature. Literature is closely tied with language because it uses language as its media to express the creator’s ideas. For example, a book that is written in English may offer a different experience when it is written in the students’ mother language. The diction must be different between both languages. Though this could be the case of translation, at least the students would have two points of view in reading the book. This applies only when they have mastered both languages.

              The second reason is that students can communicate with people from different countries. People from different countries most likely have different culture, too. By talking and sharing with them, hopefully, the students will get an idea about how people in another land live. Marya Axner, a writer from the University of Kansas said that building relationships with people from different cultures, often many different cultures is key in building diverse communities that are powerful enough to achieve significant goals. One of the goals includes opening the students’ minds and perspectives. An open-minded student will most likely become a good student because he can accept that some people are living in a completely different situation than us. A simple example is when a student from South East Asia talks with another student from Alaska. They can talk about many things if they have a prominent skill in talking English.

              The third and last reason is to open a chance to work overseas. By working overseas, we would meet other people from all over the world and share with them. Also, let us be honest. Who does not want to work in a place where everything is completely different from our hometown? A completely different environment will make us happier and less stressed, because we can always explore new things. But, first thing first, we have to master the international language, which is English, to make us qualified to go out of the country.

              In conclusion, students are very recommended to learn English as a second language besides the mother language. The three reasons are students will get cross-cultural understanding, also they will get to talk with people from all over the world, and they would get a bigger chance of working overseas. After all, a student's task is to study, but let us not forget not to do it excessively. It is even better to start it from a very young age, as learning a language is a matter of habit.

Source:

http://www.lehman.edu/academics/continuing-education/english-as-a-second-language.php

Pict source:

https://idc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/15-Techniques-for-Learning-English-Vocabulary.jpg