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Teach English in Haiqing Zhen - Qingdao Shi

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in Haiqing Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Qingdao Shi? Check out ITTT’s online and in-class courses, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English ONLINE or abroad! ITTT offers a wide variety of Online TEFL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language.

Today, English is the most widely spoken second language in the world. Nearly anywhere one goes in the world, especially in urban centers, it is almost certain that someone can speak at least a degree of English. Yet on the surface it is not entirely understood why this is so. In Europe, German is the most widely spoken first language; in Asia it’s Chinese; in Africa, it’s Arabic; and in South America, it’s Spanish. However, the Anglosphere has the unique privilege of being able to travel nearly anywhere in the world and be confident that at least somebody can understand them in their native tongue. Historical events have shaped the world we live in and have created the economic and cultural conditions that affect our personal and professional lives today. The rise of English as the global lingua franca can be traced back to the expansion and collapse of the British Empire, and the rise of the United States as the preeminent superpower across the globe. In the early 16th century, during the Age of Discovery, Britain began to colonize North America, as well as the Caribbean. Later, in the late 18th century, the British Empire spread to and colonized Africa, Asia, and Australia. Though most of these colonies would eventually become independent nations, or part of the Commonwealth of Nations, they still retained most of the institutions and systems which the British brought with them. At its height, the British Empire ruled over almost a quarter of the world’s land area and population. While the primary purpose of the empire was resource extraction and international prestige, the British also brought with them many advancements for their subjects. As well as infrastructure, the British proliferated their education, government, and legal systems. After the British left, many of these new nations opted to keep the British systems and language and continue to use them to this day in official and non-official context. Eventually the British Empire was superseded by the United States as the leading global superpower. What began with military occupation soon evolved into economic cooperation. Today, American businesses, as well as military bases, and their personnel are found on every continent. With the rise of the United States as the preeminent global superpower also came a technological revolution. Television, the internet, and wireless communications all proliferated first in the United States. As a result, the US has had a head start in spreading its modern popular culture; from TV shows and music, to books and ideas, it is undeniable that the United States has had a profound impact upon global popular culture. American music has been particularly successful because of its unique cultural heritage. As a young nation, with little in the way of “ancient” culture, the United States was in the unique position of being able to invent its own culture by drawing from and combining aspects of the many different cultures which settled there. Jazz and blues, as well as rap, are genres of music which are based in the cultures of African slaves and evolved to incorporate European instruments. In turn, these genres and artists influenced modern popular music, creating a unique blend of sound and culture which many people across borders can relate to. American movies are also some of the most popular worldwide, and learning English can allow foreign viewers to better understand the native speech, culture, as well as humor and references which may otherwise be untranslatable. English has a profound impact on our personal and professional lives as well. Even if one has no interest in English cinema, music, or literature, English proficiency opens a plethora of personal and professional opportunities for those who seek them. For example, as nations begin to standardize education, English is becoming more widely used in academia. In many countries, if a person wishes to attain a master’s degree, they must be proficient in English. As more and more companies become international, it has become increasingly common for companies to at least require some degree of English knowledge. Some companies even use English as their primary business language, despite residing in a non-English speaking country. Learning English as a second language also makes employees attractive candidates to travel abroad as a company representative. When travelling, it makes sense to know some English. There are thousands of languages and dialects throughout the world and it is impractical, if not impossible, to learn every single language one may need in their travels. Rather, it is a safe bet that someone somewhere will also have a level of English knowledge, making interactions with locals much more straightforward. English has become the lingua franca of the modern world for a plethora of reasons. From the rise of the British Empire, to the proliferation of American pop culture, the spread of English has been centuries in the making. Both professionally and personally, learning English provides a wealth of benefits for the driven employee and the aspiring world traveler. Perhaps in the future it will be superseded by another language, but until then it is a safe assumption that the benefits of learning English will persist well into the foreseeable future.


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