The Language Magazine – Staff Writer
“China is currently the leading study abroad destination in Asia and the fifth-most-popular destination in the world for U.S. students. Along with offering affordable study costs and high-quality education, study abroad experiences focused on immersion are the best way to improve Chinese language skills. Chinese is notoriously regarded by the U.S. State Department as the most difficult language to learn for native English speakers. However, the two tongues actually map onto each other remarkably well. English speakers can become very fluent-sounding speakers of Mandarin and vice versa because the vowel sounds and grammar structures are relatively similar. However, despite enormous investments in English education, changes are currently taking place in parts of China to strip English language education of some of its importance within the country’s schools, which may result in even more value being placed on Mandarin skills. From Mark Zuckerberg’s recent debut of Chinese language skills to Sasha Obama’s decision to learn the language, more and more people agree that learning Mandarin is important for future leaders of the West. Study abroad opportunities for students in general resulted in less anxiety when interacting with people of different cultures, increased diversity in friendships, and a broader intercultural network. As Chinese students are the largest and fastest-growing population of international students in the U.S., the ability to communicate and understand the Chinese language and culture respectively is of growing importance.”(more)