DofE VICTA volunteer Armaan tells us about growing up with English as his second language
Hello, my name is Armaan, and I am bilingual meaning that I can speak two languages and those are ‘English and Bengali’ while I can also read Arabic and speak simple Spanish.
Bangla was my first language and I learnt it from my Grandma at the age of one/two. Performing tasks such as singing in the language and generally talking with her, helped when my family moved here from Bangladesh because I could talk to them, therefore allowing me to be more connected with them.
I learnt English as my second language when I went to preschool but also from my mother who is also bilingual, and I learnt to read Arabic from reading twice a week for an hour each time. I am also learning Spanish in school.
Learning a language is beneficial as it will help you in your future and even your present. If travelling, knowing the language of the country you are in can be very helpful, especially when ordering food or shopping. Universities also like languages so if you know some then you have a higher chance of getting in.
In conclusion, the only thing that can come out of learning a language is… good!
