English will help make its speakers and those countries which invest in it richer. This is the economic rationale given by Dr David Graddol, Director of The English Company (UK) Ltd. But as the extraordinary growth in learning English continues around the world, and language skills become increasingly important for businesses and organisations in the […]

by Steven Blum I’ll never forget how distracted I felt when I tried to learn German at a Berlin-based language school. As I strained to listen to my teacher discuss accusatives and datives, I couldn’t help but marvel distractedly at the UN-esque diversity of our classroom, filled with newly minted Berliners from Spain, South Korea, […]

“Those most often left behind are language minorities. Keeping the promise of the MDGs requires a new understanding of the critical role of language in human development. Because there can be no true development without linguistic development, only by putting language at the centre of development can we close the gaps and meet key targets […]

As we get older, simple skills such as making a cup of tea or reading a book – our cognitive abilities – start to deteriorate. For some people this happens more rapidly and severely than others and can lead to dementia; a condition that affects around 36 million people worldwide. A common way to increase […]