Why learn languages?

"I speak English, so I don't have to learn a foreign language...."

Everyone speaks English, right? Well, certainly not everyone speaks English. According to the CIA World Fact Book, only 5.6 % of the world's total population speaks English as a primary language. That number doubles when people who speak English as a second or third language are counted. By conservative estimates, that means that well over four-fifths of the world's population does not speak English.

It's true that English has become a global lingua franca over the past several decades. This fact, however, really should have little effect on your decision to learn a foreign language. The attitude that English alone is enough in fact creates self-imposed limitations. To remain monolingual is to stunt your educational development, to restrict your communication and thinking abilities, and to deny yourself the ability to fully appreciate and understand the world in which you live. Learning another language opens up new opportunities and gives you perspectives that you might never have encountered otherwise. Personal, professional, social, and economic considerations all point to the advantages of learning foreign languages. Still not convinced? Here are 10 very good reasons why you should be learning a foreign language:
1. To increase global understanding
2.Emigration
3.Family and friends
4.Work
5.Study or research
6.Travel
7.Studying abroad
8.Secret communication

The launching of Foreign Language Training Centre(FLTC) Project in 2004 is a great endeavor of the Government of Bangladesh to produce skilled manpower able to communicative in a second language, enhance employment opportunities and complete in job markets both at home and abroad. The English program of FLTC project, the first of its series, offers a comprehensive package for students who have completed at least SSC level and are bound to enter the job market to earn for their livelihood.

FLTC Photograph Honorable Education Secretary told about FLTC



Foreign Language Training Center (FLTC) Project:



With a view to imparting training and developing communication abilities in different foreign language, Ministry of Education has launched ‘Established of Foreign Language Training Centers (FLTC)’ project. This project aims to address the human resource development efforts by providing training in different foreign language which are in demand across the global job market.

FLTC project is being implemented by the Directorate of secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) and funded by the Ministry of Education through its associate organizations. It is being implemented to transform and develop the socio-economic status especially of those being marginalized in the job market at home and abroad. It is to be mentioned that due to lack of skills and ability to communicate efficiently in foreign language, much of our workshop is being manipulated. Particularly, Bangladesh foreign wage earns are comparatively being paid less than those coming from our neighbouring countries. This is causing a significant havoc in our overall flow of remittance.




Objectives:



The training programme is designed to help acpuire the four basic language skills i.e. listening, speaking, reading and writing to those:
- Wishing to improve their foreign language skills
- Requiring the use of a foreign language in their profession.
- Preparing themselves to complete in the global job market.
The training program will enable the native speakers of Bangla to use the targeted language(S) for communication in real-life situations.





Training Centers:




FLTC project is operating 11 language learning Centers all over the country. Every training Center is set up with fully digitalized language learning laboratory.

The Labs operated by a special language learning software, can be used by 30 participants at a time. Each unit for a participant is equipped with a headphone, a microphone and a monitor.

Moreover, all language laboratories are supplemented by a Self Access center where in participants have the scopes of practicing the targeted language in their own pace and time. The self Access Centers are equipped with computers, Hi-speed internet, E-books and CDs. Each center has a rich collection of language learning materials both in printed and electronic forms.



Location and contract of FLTCs




Sl. No Location Contact
1 FLTC, Govt. Madrasa-e-Allia, Bakshibazar, Dhaka 088-02-9660590
2 FLTC, Govt. Bangla College, Mirpur, Dhaka 088-02-8055822
3 FLTC, Chittagong Govt. College, Chittagong 088-031-2855389
4 FLTC, Govt. B.L College, Khulna 088-041-2852858
5 FLTC, Rajshahi Govt. College, Rajshahi 088-0721-770367
6 FLTC, Govt. M.C College, Sylhet 088-0821-760726
7 FLTC, Govt. B.M College, Barisal 088-0431-2176257
8 FLTC, Govt. Gurudayal College, Kisorganj 088-0941-62922
9 FLTC, Govt. Victoria College, Comilla 088-081-69569
10 FLTC, Govt. Azizul Haque College, Bogra 088-051-51099
11 FLTC, Govt. M.M College, Jessore 088-0421-64648