Главная страница » History of Britain (история Британии) » The England of the Anglo-Saxons

Anglo-Saxon England settled into a pattern of seven kingdoms. The three largest, Northumbria, Mercia and Wessex eventually came to dominate the country, each at different times. First it was Northumbria (the only time in English history when the centre of power has been in the north). Northumbria stretched as far as Edinburgh and for a time included part of the kingdom of Strathclyde, in south-west Scotland.

Offa’s Dyke

On his coins, Offa called himself ‘king of the English’, and his power stretched far enough for him to have a rebellious king of East Anglia beheaded, and to give estates to his subjects in Sussex. He even had some influence in Northumbria.

However, neither Northumbria nor Mercia succeeded in making their kings the rulers of all England. That honour was to fall to the House of Wessex, made great by King Alfred.

But what was this office of kingship, and how did it work in Anglo-Saxon England?

The idea of kingship was not invented in England. The Anglo-Saxons knew it in Germany. Kings grew from simple tribal chiefs who were leaders successful in war, and therefore conquest of land. As time went by, the king became a grander, more exalted figure, and when England became Christian again in the 7th century reverence for kingship was encouraged by the Church.

The later Anglo-Saxon kings received a constant stream of visitors, from overseas and from other parts of Britain. In 973 King Edgar was visited by no less than eight sub-kings at the same time. They manned the oars of his boat as a gesture of loyalty.

Anglo-Saxon kings were less worried by money problems than their successors in medieval and modern times, but from Alfred’s time maintaining the fleet became a costly business.

In return for the support of his subjects, the king gave them protection and rewarded them with grants of land.

Besides their loyalty to the king, men were also bound by obligations to their own relations: the bond of kinship. If someone were murdered, it was the duty of his relations to avenge him: to die unavenged was a terrible thing. Fear of family vengeance helped to prevent crime at a time when there was no better way of enforcing the law. Everyone had a wergild (‘man-price’), the sum payable in compensation to his family by those responsible for his death. Sometimes wergild was refused by the injured family, who preferred violent revenge. Then tremendous feuds began, with one act of vengeance following another. We know of one feud in Northumbria which began in 1016 and was still going strong nearly seventy years later. But kinship also meant cooperation in everything within the clan, looking after orphans, and even protecting the interests of a young woman who married outside the family.

The amount of a man’s wergild was a sign of his position in society. A nobleman’s wergild was larger than a peasant’s.

Running the household was the woman’s job. But an Anglo-Saxon household was nothing like a suburban semidetached. It was almost self-sufficient, doing its own baking, brewing and so on. The woman’s job was not mere housework, more like managing a business. Anglo-Saxon women were not oppressed. Divorce was easy (Christianity made it harder), arid a divorced woman was entitled to half the household goods. She could hold property in her own right-impossible in later times.

Although Anglo-Saxon settlements were nearly self-sufficient, trade in goods like salt, fish and metals went on inside the country and overseas. The contents of the Sutton Hoo burial ship proved that an early East Anglian king owned luxuries imported from Europe. England’s chief exports were wool and slaves (although the slave trade declined in Christian times because of Church opposition.) Trade led to towns growing up at harbours and crossing places. London and Winchester were the largest; few others had more than 5,000 people.

Although several kings issued written laws, a lot of Anglo-Saxon law was simply custom, passed on by word of mouth from one generation to the next. There were no professional lawyers, and the nearest thing to a law court was the folk moot, a public assembly where quarrels were settled, local problems discussed and crime punished. (Later, some noblemen had private courts on their own estates.)

The Anglo-Saxon Conquest of Britain (449-1066). Part 5

It was a beautiful and desperate spring of the year 449 when long narrow boats of newcomers came swiftly to the shores of Kent or nearby and landed there. The resistance was useless as the tall strong men with flowing hair and bronzed faces, glittering swords and shields leaped ashore one after another. They came from the meadows by the marshes, from the dark woods and the flat and sandy shores of the North Sea, which were overcrowded and couldn’t give enough food for the people, living there. So, the newcomers became masters of the land which we know now as England but at those time it hadn’t had any name yet.

The Anglo-Saxon Period in the History of Britain

1. Jutes, Angles and Saxon in Great Britain

The most powerful Germanic tribes to settle down were Angles, Saxons and Jutes.

Jutes were the first to settle in Britain. It is believed that they came from the territory of later France. This tribe settled in southern part of Britain: in Kent and the Isle of Wight.

Angles and Saxon came from the territory of Germany and Denmark. Saxon made their homes in Sussex (South Saxons), Essex (East Saxons), Midlesex (Middle Saxons), Wessex (West Saxons). Angles settled in East Anglia: Norfolk (North folk), Suffolk (South folk) and Lincolnshire.

The British Celts fought the Germanic tribes, but Anglo-Saxon army was well organized, they were very strong and warlike and it was hard to resist them. As a result, the Britons had to leave their homes and go to the Western part of country to settle down there. This territory was called “Weallas» which meant «the land of the foreigners». This part of Britain is called Wales now. Other Celts went to the Northern part of the country to the land that is known as Scotland. Therefore, the oldest tribe of Celts inhabited Wales and Scotland.

That was a long fighting for the land, but gradually new settlers began to feel at home. The country was divided into seven kingdoms: East Anglia, Mercia, Northumbria, where Angles settled; Essex, Sussex, Wessex with Saxon settlements and Jutes forming kingdom of Kent. Each group of settlers had a leader: a strong and successful leader became the king of the kingdom. The king ruled his kingdom and had an army.

Angles were the strongest of all three tribes. Later two tribes: Angles and Saxons united and were called Anglo-Saxons. They called their country — England or «the Land of Angles».

2. Celtic Resistance

In the early 6th century Ambrosius Aurelianus headed the resistance against the Anglo-Saxon invaders. It is believed that under the Ambrosius leadership Wansdyke was constructed, that is a series of defensive earthwork in the West Country dating from the Dark Ages. Ambrosius with his army fought against the Saxons and won the battle at Mons Badonicus (Mount Badon). This established a period of peace for the Britons.

A photo of Wansdyke

Another brave Celtic tribal leader was King Arthur. We all know the legend of King Arthur, his knights of the Round Table, Camelot kingdom and the queen Guinevere. What was true and what was a legend we will not know now. But there is historical evidence that there was a great leader, whose name was Arthur, who resisted and struggled against Germanic invaders in the 6th century. A lot was written about King Arthur, a man who fought for the Celtic people’s independence and became a national hero.

Due to this resistance of the brave Celts, the borders of the kingdom were shifting constantly. The territory of Britain underwent many political changes: the early settlers created tribal groups, which later were formed into kingdoms and sub-kingdoms. In the 5th and 6th centuries, the country was divided into seven kingdoms, in the beginning of the 9th century the country there were four kingdoms — Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia and Wessex. And during the reign of King Egbert these kingdoms were reorganized once again.

Egbert was the king of Wessex kingdom, but soon he became so powerful that by 827 he had conquered Mercia, Northumbria, Kent, Sussex, Surrey and North Wales territories that together formed England. He was acknowledged to be the overlord of England. He is known as the first monarch who established a stable rule over all of Anglo-Saxon England.

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The history of English

English came about in England’s Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and what is now the south-eastern part of Scotland. Following extensive ( INFLUENCE ) of the United Kingdom and Great Britain throughout the British Empire from the seventeenth to the mid-twentieth centuries, the language ( PROPAGATE ) widely around the world.

Old English is the collective term for the fusion of closely related dialects resulted in English. Germanic settlers who ( SETTLE ) on Great Britain’s eastern coast spoke this language, which at the time was called Anglo-Saxon.

Ultimately, this was from the Schleswig-Holstein or what used to be the Angeln ancestral region. Influence also came from the Viking invasions in the ninth and tenth ( CENTURY ).

English is important for career development

In an article, The Economist noted that more and more global com panies ( ADOPT ) English as their main language. It is also worth noting that English is being adopted by international companies from countries that don’t speak English to become the official language, ( REPLACE ) their own native language.

Hiroshi Mikitani of the Rakuten Group in Japan is one example. As the operator of the chain Uniqlo, he made his entire staff learn English and once made a warning to fire or at the very least, demote those who were not very fluent. Mikitani ( HOLD ) the belief that the language of English helps in promoting attributes such as creativity and free thinking among employees.

The history of English

English came about in England’s Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and what is now the south-eastern part of Scotland. Following extensive INFLUENCES of the United Kingdom and Great Britain throughout the British Empire from the seventeenth to the mid-twentieth centuries, the language HAS BEEN PROPAGATED widely around the world.

Old English is the collective term for the fusion of closely related dialects resulted in English. Germanic settlers who SETTLED on Great Britain’s eastern coast spoke this language, which at the time was called Anglo-Saxon.

Ultimately, this was from the Schleswig-Holstein or what used to be the Angeln ancestral region. Influence also came from the Viking invasions in the ninth and tenth CENTURIES.

English is important for career development

In an article, The Economist noted that more and more global com panies HAVE ADOPTED English as their main language. It is also worth noting that English is being adopted by international companies from countries that don’t speak English to become the official language, REPLACING their own native language.

Hiroshi Mikitani of the Rakuten Group in Japan is one example. As the operator of the chain Uniqlo, he made his entire staff learn English and once made a warning to fire or at the very least, demote those who were not very fluent. Mikitani HOLDS the belief that the language of English helps in promoting attributes such as creativity and free thinking among employees.

Who Were the Anglo-Saxons? This Is Their Incredible History

The Anglo-Saxons were a Germanic people who came to England after the Romans left. This article looks at their history.

The Anglo-Saxons, known in Old English as the “Angul-Seaxan”, shaped much of the English language, culture, and identity. Descended from a hotchpotch of Germanic peoples who migrated to parts of Britain, they inhabited and ruled territories in England and Wales for six centuries.

Who Were the Anglo-Saxons?

Spanning from 410 until 1066 CE, Britain’s Anglo-Saxon period was a time of war, continuous battles, and religious conversion. It witnessed the breaking up of Roman Britannia into several kingdoms before the Anglo-Saxons were finally joined under the kingdom of England. The development of an English identity arose as a result of the development of an Anglo-Saxon one.

The Anglo-Saxons were primarily migrants from northern Europe who interacted with one another, as well as with the indigenous British groups and, later, Viking and Danish invaders. They were the dominant political force until the defeat of the last Anglo-Saxon king in 1066. During this time, they crafted a unique identity and material culture that perfectly reflected the numerous and diverse influences that forged them.

Where Did the Anglo-Saxons Come From?

In the centuries after 400 CE, low-lying areas in Europe experienced significant and regular flooding, particularly in what is now modern Denmark, Holland, and Belgium. Groups established within these areas began looking for somewhere to settle that was less likely to flood. With the withdrawal of the Roman legions from Britain, the defenseless island quickly became an appealing prospect.

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Germanic mercenaries were already well-acquainted with Britain, having fought for many years in the Roman army as soldiers for hire. In fact, some were even employed to help protect the island against invasion. Even before the Roman legions departed in 410 CE, however, Britain experienced a slow and steady series of invasions from Germanic-speaking groups known as the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes.

Germanic Invasions of Britain

The early Anglo-Saxon period began around the time that Roman rule in Britain came to an end, spanning from 410 until 660 CE. At this time, a period of intensified human migrations was taking place across Europe. Germanic tribes such as the Goths, Vandals, Lombards, Suebi, and Franks joined the Angles, Saxons, and Frisians in their search for new places to settle. In addition to substantial flooding catalyzing the migrations, these groups were also pushed westwards by the Huns, Slavs, Bulgars, Avars, and Alans.

Initially, the small invading parties were met with little resistance from the Romano-British. As larger invasions came in increasing numbers, however, the inhabitants of Britannia began to fight back. The Celtic groups regarded the invaders as their enemies, and a British Christian leader known as Ambrosius is mentioned by the monk Gildas (500 – 570 CE) as having rallied the Romano-British against them. Ultimately, however, the invaders were able to settle across most of England.

The Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms

Following the migration period, various Germanic groups settled in different areas of the British Isles from around 650 until 800 CE. Evidence points towards the probability that the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes originally settled in eastern England. Later, they likely moved westwards and northwards into territory inhabited by the Britons. Cumbria and Cornwall remained the exceptions and held out against the invaders for much longer than other parts of England. Similarly, Wales retained its independence and remained a British stronghold.

These groups formed several kingdoms that were frequently at war with one another and constantly changing. By approximately 660 CE, smaller territories had coalesced, and seven main, separate kingdoms were established. The kingdom of Kent had been settled predominantly by the Jutes, while the kingdoms of Mercia, Northumbria, and East Anglia were mainly occupied by the Angles. The Saxons mostly settled in areas that became known as the kingdoms of the East Saxons, the South Saxons, and the West Saxons. Today, these areas have retained the roots of their names, known now as Essex, Sussex, and Wessex respectively.

Some evidence, while somewhat patchy, suggests that the Mercian kings were formidable rulers during this period. They were probably able to exercise wide-ranging supremacy over much of the country from their seats in the Midlands.

Anglo-Saxon Society

Much of what we know about Anglo-Saxon society comes from key sources such as the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, and the Domesday Book. Various charters and manuscripts, as well as the earliest law code, written for King Æthelberht of Kent (550 – 616 CE), also offer us a peek into Anglo-Saxon life and social organization.

The Anglo-Saxons maintained a hierarchical societal structure. The king and members of his family remained at the top of society, closely followed by the nobility, including the warrior elite, and the church. The coalescing of smaller tribal areas into larger kingdoms also provided the opportunity for members of the elite to progress from warriors to kings. Unfree members of society were at the other extreme, with the vast majority of society comprising the peasantry.

What Was the Language of the Anglo-Saxons?

The Anglo-Saxons spoke Old English, the earliest form of the current English language. Old English evolved mainly from other Germanic languages, including Old Friesian, and Old High German. Old Norse, which also originated from Proto-Germanic, also influenced the language considerably. This was particularly the case following the frequent Viking invasions that occurred primarily in the 9th century. It is believed that Common Brittonic and British Latin was spoken in southern England prior to the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons had little influence on Old English.

Surviving manuscripts such as the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and the epic poem Beowulf demonstrate that distinctive dialects were spoken within the various kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxons. The four major dialects included Mercian, spoken in the Midlands, and Northumbrian, spoken North of the Humber. Kentish was spoken in Kent, while West Saxon was spoken across the south and southwest of England.

Certain learned members of Anglo-Saxon society also spoke a number of other languages. Latin and Greek, the languages of learning, were spoken by some, while Cornish and Irish continued to be spoken in Cornwall and Ireland respectively. Irish was spoken by many of the missionaries who came from Ireland to help bring Christianity to the Anglo-Saxons.

The Arrival of Christianity

The Anglo-Saxons who first settled in England during the fifth and sixth centuries brought with them the pagan religious beliefs of their Scandinavian-Germanic heritage. Although we know relatively little about these beliefs, we can glean some insight from later Christian writings, as well as the nature of their burial practices. Excavations of early Anglo-Saxon cemeteries have revealed that they probably believed in an afterlife, as their dead were sometimes buried with grave goods.

Pagan Anglo-Saxons worshipped at a number of natural geographic features across the English landscape, as well as at some specially built temples. Great significance was attributed to animals and the natural world, but especially to the horse, which was believed to be associated with the gods. They played a central role in rituals and funerary practices were a prominent symbol of fertility and were central to much spiritual symbolism. Pagan symbolism is also abundant in Anglo-Saxon poetry and literature, demonstrating the merging of former pagan beliefs with later Christian ones.

Late in the sixth century, two particular events catalyzed the conversion of the Anglo-Saxons to Christianity. In 565 CE, an Irish monk named Columba (521 – 597 CE) reached the Island Monastery of Iona in Scotland. Having studied at the monastic school of Moville, he established an abbey at Iona and he is credited with spreading Christianity in Scotland. In 635 CE, a missionary from Iona, Aidan (590 – 651 CE), was invited by the Anglo-Saxon King Oswald (604 – 642 CE) to convert the people of his kingdom of Northumbria to Christianity. He chose to establish his new bishopric at the island of Lindisfarne, which became known as “the Holy Island”.

Around the time of Columba’s death in 597 CE, an Italian monk named Augustine (early 6th century – 604 CE) was sent by Pope Gregory the Great to convert King Æthelberht of Kent to Christianity. Æthelberht’s wife, Bertha of Kent (565 – 601 CE), was already a Christian, so Æthelberht was probably chosen because of the influence that she was expected to have over him. Following Æthelberht’s own conversion, the Anglo-Saxons adopted the Christian faith over the course of the next century. With only some small pockets of resistance, the work of Irish monks and Roman missionaries was crucial in influencing the conversion of the Anglo-Saxons.

The Anglo-Saxons and the Vikings

The growing wealth and success of the Anglo-Saxons and their Christian monasteries soon attracted unwanted attention from mainland Europe, particularly from Danish and Norwegian Vikings. Numerous raids had already taken place by the time the Vikings raided Lindisfarne Monastery in 793 CE, but the attack on the Holy Island marked a significant turning point. It was the most prominent up until that point and triggered a series of violent attacks on numerous Anglo-Saxon monasteries and nunneries. The monasteries in Jarrow and Iona were raided in 794 and 795 CE respectively, while a nunnery at Lyminge Kent was granted refuge inside the walls of Canterbury in 804 CE.

Vikings continued to raid Anglo-Saxon England until 850 CE, after which they began to remain for longer. They were able to exploit the feuds between and within the various Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and appoint puppet kings. This led to a phase of Viking partial-settlement in Anglo-Saxon England and catalyzed a period of great social and political change among the Anglo-Saxons. The Vikings became a common enemy for all Anglo-Saxons, making them more conscious of a national and common Christian identity that outweighed their differences.

Alfred the Great

Alfred the Great (848 – 899 CE) was King of the West Saxons from 871 until 886 CE. During this time, Viking settlement continued in the kingdoms of Mercia and East Anglia, while they continued to plunder both sides of the English channel. Once he had ascended the throne, Alfred spent years fighting off numerous Viking invasions. One of his greatest victories involved defeating the Vikings at the Battle of Edington in 878 CE, after which he converted their leader Guthrum (835 – 890 CE) to Christianity. He recaptured London and established a boundary between the Anglo-Saxons and the Vikings, creating what was known as the Danelaw.

Alfred further strengthened his kingdom against the Vikings by establishing a highly competent army and by creating a series of fortresses known as burghs. He is also credited with starting the English navy, by building ships against attacks from the Vikings at sea. By defending his kingdom against Viking attempts at conquest, he eventually became the dominant ruler in England.

In addition to his success on the battlefield, Alfred the Great was also known as a gracious and merciful man, who improved the quality of life for his people. He was highly learned, encouraged education in Old English, and improved the legal system and military structure for the benefit of his people.

The Battle of Hastings

The end of the Anglo-Saxon period came when a conquest by William of Normandy (1028 – 1087) took place in 1066. Although the Danish king Cnut (997 – 1035 CE) had also conquered the Anglo-Saxons in 1016, he and his sons reigned only until 1042 CE. The conquest that took place in 1066, however, put a permanent end to Anglo-Saxon rule in England.

At the Battle of Hastings in 1066, the last Anglo-Saxon king, Harold Godwinson (1022 – 1066), was apparently slain by an arrow to the eye. Leaderless, Harold’s army was soon defeated by the Duke of Normandy and his forces, ushering in a new Norman dynasty in England. Anglo-Saxons remained the largest portion of the population after 1066, however, many landholders and churches lost substantial parts of their estates. In fact, most of the nobility were exiled or forced to join the ranks of the peasantry. French became the official language of the law and royal court, although books continued to be written in English. Many from the subsequent generations were also able to learn English at home, thanks to the survival of the matriarchs of Anglo-Saxon nobility.

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The Importance of English Around the World

English is now a global lingua franca, but was first a West Germanic language spoken in medieval England. Currently, this is the first language for the majority of the population in several countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, Canada, a few Caribbean nations and New Zealand.

There are about 375 million English as a first language speakers and 750 million English as a second language speakers. English as official or special status in at least 70 countries. Just hearing the numbers gives you an inkling of just how important English is.

The market for English as a Second Language (ESL) is booming and more individuals are studying courses such as this one that will help them improve your own accent and understand native English. English learners opt to take English to cultivate ground for communication socially with others and to become part of a global economy.

The History of English

English came about in England’s Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and what is now the south-eastern part of Scotland. Following extensive influences of the United Kingdom and Great Britain throughout the British Empire from the seventeenth to the mid-twentieth centuries, the language has been propagated widely around the world.

Old English is the collective term for the fusion of closely related dialects resulted in English. Germanic settlers who settled on Great Britain’s eastern coast spoke this language, which at the time was called Angles. Ultimately, this was from the Schleswig-Holstein or what used to be the Angeln ancestral region. Influence also came from the Viking invasions in the ninth and tenth centuries.

Getting Around

The influence of Great Britain and the United States on international relations and political affairs for the past century has ensured acceptance and proliferation of English as the main language spoken in many countries. The widespread American pop culture acceptance has also made contributions to the primacy of the language of English.

For high ranking officials and diplomats in major countries such as Russia, Italy, Brazil, South Korea, France, Japan and Germany, a working knowledge of English is important. This way, they can better comprehend the craft and nuance of international diplomacy and global affairs.

In an increasingly globalized and interconnected world, the importance of English cannot be overstated. For immigrants by the millions that come to the USA from countries that don’t speak English, learning how to communicate in English is important to come into and ultimately become successful in America’s mainstream.

When you travel to countries where English is the main language, it is important to speak and understand it. Throughout Canada, the US and the UK, shopping and traveling is often made easier by speaking English since many people may not speak other languages. When you speak English, you will be able to communicate more easily with the locals and explore the regions that may otherwise remain unknown. In Europe, many people learn English in school so knowing the language is a benefit you can enjoy when traveling to places where it is not the native language.

Many opportunities in international regions and markets are created when you have working knowledge of English grammar, the way this elements of English course teaches you. Designed to help high school and college students as well as English language learners, this course will focus on the technical aspects of the language for the purposes of studying and business.

In many countries and markets, knowing English opens opportunities of job employment, especially when you take a course like this one. For example, English is the communication medium in fields such as science and aviation. In these fields, many of the available jobs will be closed to you if you don’t speak English.

Multilateral agencies and institutions in the four United Nation cities of Geneva, The Hague, Vienna and New York recruit multilingual-skilled professionals. However, they also expect each candidate to have good skills of speaking English. The 50-plus countries that were former British

dependencies or colonies making up the Commonwealth of Nations also offer numerous opportunities of employment to those who communicate in and understand English. You can brush up on English by taking courses such as this one that show you 8 secrets to English success.

Major destinations for tourists such as Australia, Great Britain and the United States all use English as a first language. Plus, even countries that don’t speak English offer services for tourists in English. The moment you learn to speak and read the English language, you can speak to everyone you meet in the course of your travels.

When traveling to locations where people speak English, you won’t have to worry about being able to find someone to help you with direction you can understand if you lose your way. When dining out, you can order dishes you actually like since you will understand all the ingredients written in English.

English is Important for Children

Standard English as a subject is crucial for kids to learn. For younger children, learning this language as soon as they can will help them with developing communication skills, basic math and basic reading. For older kids, having proper skills in English enables them to write more effectively and understand more complex literary pieces. Empowering kids to learn correct English will help them do well in school, particularly in the English subject. It will also help them understand every subject taught in this language.

Effective communication involves the use of proper pronunciation and grammar. The sooner children learn this, the better. These days, children are exposed to standard English whether they live in a native English speaking country or not. Those that live in foreign countries where the native language is not English are still exposed to the language due to parents that speak English or through their teachers and caretakers, which can only be to their benefit.

In children, language development coincides with thought development in younger children. Alongside language skills, cognitive skills occur. Thus, children struggling with language development will also struggle with other areas of development and academic subjects. Language is both receptive and expressive communication. Receptive language is communication and speech which is understood and received. Expressive language is gestured or spoken communication.

Skills of English literacy and language develop together. Early English literacy and language skills require an engaging environment and social interaction. This develops years before kids have formal schooling. In the past, experts believed that kids developed language skills separately and were capable of acquiring skills of literacy. These days, it is found that these are intertwined skills and that a child does not develop these skills isolated from each other.

Developing language skills is an early predictor of success in school. It is also one of the best predictors of the academic achievement of a child. When children excel at language skills, all other academic skills are affected. Essentially, reading takes meaning form print and children are able to take these printed symbols and infuse them with meaning due to early language development.

While not expressed in newly born children, capabilities of language are hardwired clearly into human beings. On the other hand, without an environment providing interaction and language modelling, children will not develop capabilities for language with which he was born.

To build a child’s literacy and skills in English, provide your child with an environment rich in the language. Converse to him constantly and read to him daily. Answer and ask questions, engaging him in conversations frequently. Have pictures, papers, magazines and books around for your child to see and let him observe you reading as well. Playing background English alphabet music or nursery rhymes in English will also help your child get used to the way English sounds.

In an English-speaking country, English language development is important for the ability of a child to express and convey emotion. This begins with the beginning coos and babbles of an infant and the connections begin built between the child and the care givers. Early languages consist more of verbalizing needs by crying, and gradually give way to verbalization. As the language development of a child improves, fewer emotional outbursts and tantrums occur. Children can convey emotions through words are able to be more socially successful in school settings and deal more effectively with academic and school tasks.

English is Important for Career Development

In an article, The Economist noted that more and more global companies have adopted English as their main language It is also worth noting that English is being adopted by international companies from countries that don’t speak English to become the official language, replacing their own native language.

Another example is Yang Yuanqing, the CEO of the Lenovo Company in China. At the age of forty Yuanqing made it a point to become highly fluent in English. By doing this, he set a personal example for the entire company. Yuanqing made it a point to watch American TV and learn with a private tutor everyday despite his grueling schedule. Currently, he is able to conduct each board meeting in English fluently.

Trends such as these mean that English is becoming more and more important in career development.

English is the Primary Instruction in Higher Learning

In colleges and universities in Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the United States and Great Britain which attract the most number of students from other countries, English is the primary language of instruction.

Many advanced-study institutes, medical centers and top business schools are located in Great Britain and North America and the language used in these higher- learning institutions’ every activity happens to be English. Most technical periodicals and peer-reviewed journals that give international acclaim to technocrats, technologists, engineers and scientists are printed in English.

So, if you plan on attending a school in the USA, English is something you will have to learn. Many universities require that students from other countries where the first language is not English take a proficiency test. Often, native-speaking tutors are hired by students to help them pass the test, or they take English review classes. For test preparation, people also take online classes which this article explains in detail.

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