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Britons highlight lack of language skills as life’s biggest regret
(25/03/08)

Research released today by the Department of Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) showed that learning a foreign language remains the biggest regret from British people’s school days. French topped the list of subjects that people wished they had learnt (66%), with Spanish (63%) and German (49%) also favourites. More than one in four adults (27%) regret dropping a language at school, putting languages far ahead of other subjects they wish they had mastered.

According to the survey, which sampled over 1,500 adults, the biggest reason for regretting a lack of languages is their usefulness whilst abroad. Over a third of the Britons who completed the survey (39%) believe that having a language would boost their career prospects, while one in 20 say they have missed out on a job because of their poor language skills.

Isabella Moore, Chief Executive of CILT, the National Centre for Languages, said:

‘Jonny Depp speaks it, Eva Longoria’s learning it and Girls Aloud have just released a single in it – this research shows that like many of today’s biggest names, many of us realise in later life the importance of having a language like French. Speaking another language can open so many doors, from relationships to careers, and we’d urge any parents hoping to advise their teenagers about their GCSE choices to look at the options to learn a language, rather than look back with regret.’

The research aims to raise awareness amongst young people of the opportunities offered by language learning. More information and advice on how languages can boost future careers prospects can be found on CILT’s Languages Work website.