The "Practice Kit" codes that come with your Oxford sets are not only the internet version of your book, but also contain extra exercises. As the exercises are done, our teachers can see the student's mistakes and weak points. In order to get healthy results, we kindly ask that you do not share these codes with anyone and do the exercises at the times your teacher deems appropriate. 1. Log in to www.oxfordlearn.com with the email address and password you used when registering. 2. From the My Books page, you click on the link that contains the name of your student's book. 3. We click on the image that appears and the text Go to content. 4. The content of your book looks like this. The section inside the red box contains the subject headings. Your internet assignment will include one of these subject headings and a number. For example; "Grammar 1" "Reading 5" "Listening 3" Your teacher will tell you in class which topic you need to do. If the student does the topics beforehand, he/she will appear unsuccessful in the system because he/she will solve the topics he/she has not seen. 5. For example, let's say your teacher gives an assignment called "Grammar 1". For this; 1. We select the topic from the list we saw in the previous step. In this example, we selected the "Grammar" topic. 2. We select the numbered heading in our assignment from the list that opens under the "Grammar" heading. According to the example we gave, we selected the heading called "Grammar 1". 3. Under the heading "Grammar 1", as seen in the example, there are topic headings. Your student is responsible for all of these topics.

The book sets we use in our classes come with special passwords for students. These passwords allow students to do extra work over the internet. These studies are explained by the teacher in parallel with the lesson. The results of the exercises the student has done can be seen by the teacher. The steps you need to follow to activate the code are very simple: 1. Go to www.oxfordlearn.com 2. Click on Create your Oxford ID 3. We fill out the form using the STUDENT'S information. 4. This page contains the latest information you will use to log in to the application. Don't forget to note the answer to the security question you will use in case you forget your password. We move on to the next step by pressing the 'Continue' button. 5. We click on 'Access Content'. 6. Where it says 'Enter your access code', enter the password from the back of your Workbook. 7. Enter the code your teacher gave your student for their class as the participation code. 8. Enter the code your teacher gave your student for their class as the participation code. 9. If you follow the steps correctly, you will have joined the 'Park Lingua Organization' at this stage. Continue by pressing the 'OK' button. 10. You can find the book you use in class on your My Books page and click on it to access the content. 11. Click 'Go to Content' to see the content of the book. 12. You can follow the homework given by your teachers from the place that says 'Course Schedule'. You can do your homework by first selecting the title from the menu on the left and then selecting the category with the correct number for that title.

We use Microsoft Teams , which is also preferred by universities, in our online training. We have prepared a small login guide for our students who will log in for the first time. Teams Login Guide First, we download the Teams application to our computer from the "Download for Desktop" option from the Microsoft Teams address. When you open the application, you log in using the e-mail address your teacher gave you in the Login Address. When your email address is created, you are given a temporary password that you can change later. We log in using this password given by your teacher. We create a new password for you on the Update your password page. Our institution cannot see this new password you create. Therefore, we recommend that you create a password that you can easily remember so that you do not forget your password and do not have problems logging in. We continue by pressing the Next button. (Even if you choose 'Skip for now', you will still have to return to the same point after 14 days and complete this step.) We download the free application called Microsoft Authenticator from the AppStore or Google Play. We need this application to 'approve' our logins to Teams. You can see your class in Teams. We recommend that you take a look at the application and your team before starting classes. There will be systems and other side applications that we will use throughout the year in Teams. You can review our article to learn more about the application content.

Microsoft Teams is both easy to use and fun for both children and adults thanks to its many features such as grading, visuals, files, calendars, and chat. Here are some situations that our students will encounter throughout the year. • TEAMS You can see all the developments from your class in the Teams tab. This is an interactive classroom environment used by both teachers and students in the class. All the activities carried out for your class are seen here collectively. You can find the announcements made, the class hours entered into the calendar, the homework given and the videos recorded in the lesson here, and you can easily follow the developments about the class. • CALENDAR You can easily follow your lesson days and times from the calendar. • HOMEWORK You can view assigned assignments from both the Assignments tab and your Team page. • FILE SHARING Both our teachers and students share Microsoft Office and PDF files. • WORKSHEET EXAMPLES An example of a game we play with a class of young students. Our students experience the classroom environment and even have more fun by playing the game with their classmates on their own screens, with the guidance of their teachers! A section from the worksheet we use in our Spanish class. Our students can use many other study methods such as filling in the blanks, watching videos, listening exercises, paragraph work, filling in the picture on the pages we prepared. Thanks to the multitude and variety of our resource sharing opportunities, the only boundary between us and our students is the screen. Although it is called 'online' or 'distance' education, distances have disappeared for us. We are in a classroom again! You can download the 'Getting Started Guide' that Microsoft Teams has prepared for students and examine the application in more detail.

Especially adults who have learned or are learning a foreign language complain about how difficult this process is due to the intensity of work life and responsibilities. Maybe that's why the first question that comes to mind for many people who hear that we teach Spanish as well as English in the course program we have prepared for our children is "Can children learn two languages ​​at the same time?" or "Don't they get confused?" The biggest reason we make this mistake is comparing children to ourselves, or maybe even underestimating them by thinking how they will succeed when we have difficulty as adults. Before going into detail, let's answer our question: Yes, children can learn two languages ​​at the same time. Here are the reasons: LANGUAGE LEARNING STARTS IN THE WOMB Language is made up of sounds. Therefore, the act of 'learning a language' is actually the act of processing sounds. All languages ​​in the world consist of an average of 800 sounds. This means that each language has an average of 40 distinctive sounds that distinguish it from other languages. Here is the interesting part: Babies come into the world with the ability to distinguish all these sounds. Scientific studies show that babies start learning a language while they are still in the womb. They start learning their 'mother tongue' before they are born thanks to their mother's voice. When they are born, they not only can distinguish their mother tongue and other languages, but they also have the ability to perceive the differences between other languages. In other words, when they are born, they can hear the difference between these 800 sounds and learn any language. An example of this is children growing up in a multilingual family. These children learn the languages ​​they hear in the family at the same time in a natural process as they grow up. DO CHILDREN GET CONFUSED WHILE LEARNING TWO LANGUAGES? One of the most common myths is that children are likely to confuse the languages ​​they learn. We usually fall into this mistake because bilingual children sometimes add words from the other language to the language they speak. In fact, if we know at least one foreign language, we do the same thing. For example, when speaking Turkish, we put an English word in between. Does this mean that we are confused? No. The reason for this preference is essentially the same for us and for children: Children who learn more than one language naturally have more than one vocabulary. Sometimes, if they cannot find the word they need in one language, they compensate by using the word in the other language. Apart from not being confused, it can even be said that they are quite lucky in this respect. A child who only knows his/her mother tongue does not have the same advantage. If he/she does not know a word in his/her mother tongue, he/she may have more difficulty expressing it himself/herself since he/she cannot find its equivalent. In reality, children easily adapt to the person they interact with and know how to distinguish between the two languages. For example, a child whose parents speak different languages ​​knows which language to speak to which parent and interacts in that language without question. Our brains are often expected to learn similar topics at the same time. Throughout our school lives, our curriculum is prepared with this logic, relying on our ability to process and filter information from many categories. WHAT IS THE BEST AGE FOR CHILDREN TO LEARN A LANGUAGE? We just mentioned that newborns can hear around 800 sounds. However, as babies grow older, they lose this ability because they gradually become aware of and record the sounds they hear the most in their environment. Therefore, by the time they reach their first birthday, they have lost the ability to hear and distinguish so many sounds. This actually shows us that the younger we are, the easier it will be to learn a language. According to most experts, the most ideal age is the period from birth to age 3. However, children who learn the easiest can generally be grouped as those under the age of 10. Again, foreign languages ​​can be learned more easily during adolescence than during adulthood. After adolescence, new languages ​​begin to be stored in a different part of the brain. The brain uses the native language or the translation process to learn the new language. Despite everything, although there are ideal ages for learning a language, there is no such thing as being too late. All these scientific studies show that children can learn more than one language, and that they even learn more easily than us adults. Adults can also learn many foreign languages ​​using a method similar to the natural learning processes that children follow unconsciously. WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF LEARNING TWO LANGUAGES AT THE SAME TIME? Children who learn two languages ​​at the same time constantly switch their attention between these languages. This provides them with cognitive advantages and improved executive functions*. In other words, they have the ability to manage and switch their attention, switch between tasks, and solve problems more easily. In addition, they have increased metalinguistic skills. Metalinguistics is the branch of science that studies language and its relationship with other cultural behaviors. Thanks to these skills they develop in childhood, they have a career field they can choose in their professional lives. Another cumulative effect of learning two languages ​​is that it protects against cognitive decline and Alzheimer's (dementia) disease that comes with aging, as it is an action that constantly exercises the brain. *Executive functions are supervisory and regulatory functions that occur in the frontal region of the brain called the prefrontal lobe. Don't forget to read our article to see how you can help your children with their language education.

For our students who have passed the threshold in the university exam, the choices they will make have a very important place in their lives. There are many important points that you need to consider when making these choices. However, before choosing how to make a choice, it is useful to clarify whether a choice should be made. Especially due to the impact of the pandemic, most of our students who could not prepare for the exam as they wanted this year or who could not find the universities and departments they desired are thinking, 'I wonder if I should not make a choice this year?' We cover three main topics in our article: • Should I make a university choice? • What should we pay attention to when making a university choice? • Should we look at the ranking or the score when making a choice? SHOULD I MAKE A UNİVERSITY PREFERENCE? Education experts who look at this year's data say that the number of students who passed the 180 threshold is very low, those who can choose a four-year university has halved compared to last year, and there will be an average of 15-20% vacant quotas. So what does this mean? There will be 3 types of candidates in the exam to be held in 2022; • those who will not make a choice this year and will take the exam again • those who will not apply this year due to the pandemic and will take the exam next year, and • those who will take the exam for the first time In other words, it is predicted that there will be approximately more than 3 million candidates in the 2022 exam due to this accumulation. This shows that even if students get a better score next year, the probability of them staying in the same places in the rankings due to the majority of candidates or, worse, falling behind in the rankings increases. When the quotas are full, students face the danger of being left out and not being able to make a choice. Education expert Turgay Polat says that students who passed the threshold this year are very lucky and should definitely make a choice. As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, there is a higher probability that students will get good places this year due to the eliminated candidates and the resulting gaps in quotas. So, what should we pay attention to when choosing a university? WHAT SHOULD I CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A UNIVERSITY? First of all, students should not ask themselves the question "Which department?" but "What do I want to do in the future?" One of the biggest mistakes made in our country is to perceive university departments as career choices. Although the university we will enter is important in determining our career, it should not be forgotten that we have now moved from university education to the concept of university life. What will largely shape your life is not just vocational education, but what university life adds to you. 1. Overseas Programs It is very important that the university you choose has overseas programs such as ERASMUS, especially with the impact of globalization. Such programs should not be seen only as an opportunity to go abroad. If you meet the required conditions, the university you choose will send you to another university with which it has an agreement or to an academic seminar. Such projects allow you to establish connections that you can use in your career in the future. In other words, these programs are a career opportunity that provides income in the long term rather than a short-term trip. It should not be forgotten that one of the main requirements for participating in programs abroad is a foreign language. It will be very beneficial in the long run for students to master English and learn at least 2 more foreign languages ​​at the university they enter. 2. Minor and Double Major Opportunities Another important element is minor and double major opportunities. These programs may not be available at every university. So what are minor and double major? In the simplest terms, these programs allow you to receive a certificate or diploma from another department within your faculty. If you choose to do a minor, if you meet your GPA in the first year, you will be entitled to receive the certificate of this department in addition to the diploma of the department you have chosen in your second year by taking the compulsory courses of your chosen department. In a double major program, as the name suggests, you study the department you have chosen as a major. In other words, unlike a minor, you have to take all the courses of the department. Therefore, you can complete your undergraduate education with a double diploma by receiving the diploma of the department instead of a certificate at graduation. However, as we said before, you should think about what you want to do in the future. You can access minor and double major opportunities from the university's faculty websites. 3. University Collaborations Again, as we mentioned in the international opportunities, you should also look at the business world collaborations of the university you will choose. Questions such as which other universities or companies does your university work with? How many international collaborations are there? show you potential connections that you can use in the business world. Again, looking at the university's own website as well as the faculty website you will choose will allow you to see the opportunities you can experience in the department. 4. Academic Stuff and Courses Where you study is as important as who you study with. Don't forget to look at the professors of the department you are planning to write. What is the ratio of professors, associate professors or PhDs who will be teaching your course? It should not be forgotten that the more experts they are in their fields, the more knowledge they have and the better education they will provide you. One of the mistakes students make is to write a department just because their preference is right. Every year, there are many students who unknowingly leave the departments and prepare for the exam again due to their lack of interest in the courses in these departments. Looking at the courses will give you an idea about the department so that you don't waste both your effort and time. 5. Social Activities Perhaps the most enjoyable part is the social opportunities that the university offers you. For example, how many social groups and activities are there at the university you will choose? How are the central and department libraries? Is there a swimming pool or gym? All these social opportunities expand the circle of both your private and business life. What you add to yourself during university life determines your profession and the direction your career will go. For example, you can provide yourself with a new career opportunity by learning a skill outside of your department through dance or photography communities. You can introduce yourself with activities such as competitions in such communities and expand your social network once again. SHOULD WE LOOK AT THE RANKING OR THE SCORE WHEN CHOOSING A UNIVERSITY? As many experts say, looking at rankings when making choices allows you to get more accurate results. So why should we look at rankings if scores are taken into account when entering a university? The logic behind this is actually very simple: For example, let's compare Boğaziçi University Electrical and Electronics Engineering's 2019 and 2020 scores. SCORE RANKING SCORE RANKING 2019 555,94 3 537,25 533 2020 557,67 8 542,23 714 If we look at the base scores in the table, we see that it only changed by 10 points between the two years. In such a comparison, it can be thought that there is no big difference in the score success between the two years. However, when we look at the ranking, we see that 181 people played between the two years. Based on this, the healthiest method is to first write the departments that are ahead of you in the ranking, which we call 'empty preferences' in the first three preferences. For example, if you are in the 10,000th place, you can write a department of 5,000. Your chance of getting into this department depends on the preference rate of those before you. If these departments are not preferred, it may be your turn and you can get into the department. It is best to start from the departments where you have a chance of getting into the remaining sections and gradually write the departments that are below your ranking in case these departments are filled. However, remember! We do not recommend that you write a department that you do not like or do not want to study just to study at a university.

We all agree that learning a second language is great and healthy for our brains. A new study has discovered that learning a new language changes the structural and functional networks in our brains, regardless of age. Researchers at Penn State University have shown that learning a new language can significantly change our brain structure, whether we’re 4 or 84, and the networks that enable communication between regions become stronger. We strengthen our brains with every new thing we learn. Just as physical exercise strengthens our muscles, tissues, and organs, the more we exercise certain areas of the brain, the more successful these areas communicate with each other. The Penn State University team observed the brain activity of a group of native English-speaking volunteers as they learned Mandarin Chinese words. They recruited 38 volunteers of different ages. Half of the group took language lessons, while the other half served as a control group, and brain scans were conducted on the volunteers over a period of 6 weeks. The participants underwent fMRI scans twice, once before the experiment began and once at the end of the 6-week period. When the two scans were compared, the team noticed significant changes in the physical structure of the brain. Compared to the control group, the brain structures of the group members who attended the lessons showed various structural and functional changes. First, it was seen that the brain networks were better integrated, meaning that they learned more flexibly, faster and more effectively. In addition, the first fMRI scan showed that those who were high achievers in the lessons had much more developed neural networks than those who had difficulty. This difference showed that they had a habit of learning new things and that they did more brain exercise. To determine the level of connectivity and efficiency of the participants' neural networks, the researchers analyzed the strength and direction of the connections between specific areas of the brain that were activated during learning. The stronger the connections between two areas, the faster and more efficiently that part could work together as a whole network. Foreign Language Learners Have Stronger Brains! Differences in communication between the brain's neural networks parallel to the success levels of language learning participants. The research team also found that the language learners had increased density in their gray and white matter, with white matter tissue becoming stronger. Gray matter is a neural tissue that includes specific regions involved in muscle control, memory organization, emotions, and sensory perceptions such as vision and hearing. The white matter's function is to connect gray matter regions together in the brain tissue, creating a kind of communication pipeline within the brain. The team told the Journal of Neurolinguistics that when the evidence examined to date is taken together, this result, along with observations made in other areas, paints a very consistent picture of structural neuroplasticity. “The brain changes in terms of increased gray matter (GM) and increased density of white matter (WM) when experiencing a second language. This change can be seen in children, young adults, or the elderly. Moreover, this change can occur rapidly with short-term language learning or training. Moreover, this change is specific to the individual according to age, acquisitions, proficiency, performance level, specific characteristics of the language, and individual differences.” “What is really interesting is that, contrary to previous studies, the brain is much more plastic than we thought. We can still see anatomical changes—which is very encouraging in terms of aging,” said Ping Li, Professor of Psychology, Linguistics, and Information Technology Science, who led the research team, in a press release. SOURCE: SCIENCE ALERT

¿Hablas español? Parlez-vous français? 你会说中文吗？ If you answered "sí", "oui", or "是的" and are watching this video in English, you are probably one of the bilinguals in the world. In addition to making traveling easier and watching movies without subtitles, knowing two or more languages ​​means that your brain looks and works differently than the brains of your monolingual friends. So what does it really mean to know a language? Language proficiency is typically measured in two active areas, speaking and writing, and two passive areas, listening and reading. While a balanced bilingual person has roughly equal proficiency in both languages, most bilinguals in the world know and use their languages ​​to varying degrees. They can be classified into three general types, depending on their situation and how they acquired each language. For example, Gabriella's family immigrated to the United States from Peru when she was two years old. As a mixed bilingual, Gabriella is developing two linguistic codes simultaneously, learning both English and Spanish as she experiences the world around her with one set of concepts. Her younger brother, on the other hand, may be a synchronous bilingual, working with two sets of concepts, learning English at school while continuing to speak Spanish at home and with his friends. Finally, Gabriella’s parents are likely to be second-degree bilinguals, learning their second language through the filter of their first language. Since all types of bilinguals can be completely fluent in one language, regardless of accent or pronunciation, the difference may not be obvious to the casual observer. But recent advances in brain imaging technology have given neurolinguists insight into how certain aspects of language learning affect the bilingual brain. It is a well-known fact that the right hemisphere of the brain is more active in emotional and social areas, while the left hemisphere is more dominant and analytical in logical processes; but this is a matter of degree, not a strict division. The principle that functions are in different hemispheres of the brain develops with age, and the critical period hypothesis has been given rise to the concept of language involving both types of functions. According to this theory, children learn languages ​​more easily because their developing brain plasticity allows them to use both hemispheres when learning languages; but in most adults, language is localized to one hemisphere, usually the left. If this is true, learning languages ​​as a child may give you a more holistic understanding of the social and emotional context of language. On the other hand, recent research shows that when adults learn a second language, they show less emotional bias and a more rational approach when faced with problems in their second language than they do when speaking their own language. Regardless of when you learn additional languages, being a bilingual confers significant benefits to your brain. Some are obvious, such as a higher density of gray matter, which houses most of your brain’s neurons and synapses, and greater activity in certain regions when speaking a second language. The increased exercise a bilingual brain gets throughout life also delays the onset of diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia by up to five years. Many of the conceptual benefits of being bilingual may seem intuitive now, but they would have surprised older experts. Before the 1960s, being bilingual was seen as a hindrance because it caused children to spend too much energy between languages, slowing their development, and this view was based on flawed research. A more recent study showed that response times and errors increased for some bilingual students on cross-lingual exams; the study also showed that the effort and attention required to switch from one language to another increased activity in, and potentially strengthened, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. This part of the brain plays a major role in executive functions, problem-solving, switching between tasks, and focusing on irrelevant information. So while being bilingual may not make you smarter, it does make your brain healthier, more complex, and more actively engaged. Even if you weren’t lucky enough to learn a second language when you were young, it’s never too late to make the linguistic leap from “Hello” to “Hola,” “Bonjour,” or “您好.” Because when it comes to your brain, a little exercise can go a long way.

Research shows that practicing English at home with parents can boost a child’s confidence and motivation, leading to better grades and test scores. Try these nine tips to help your child get ahead. All of the tips below can be followed in English or your native language. 1) Help your child have fun learning English Learning English is fun. Try not to push your child too hard and allow them to play games and do fun activities in English. The more your child enjoys learning English, the more they will work, which is guaranteed to lead to better results. 2) Encourage your child to play computer games Encourage your child to play vocabulary and grammar games. These reinforce what your child has learned in class and allow them to study grammar, vocabulary and phonics in a fun way. 3) Use the Internet Help your child access interactive websites on the Internet. There are many free websites, especially for younger students, that will help your child review the language they are learning in class, play language games, and research interesting topics. For example, you can encourage your child to read about topics that interest them in English on an age-appropriate site or watch age-appropriate videos about these topics. 4) Create a positive learning environment Create a quiet study area with your child that is well-lit with natural light, where they will not be disturbed, and where they have easy access to all the supplies they will need, such as pencils, paper, and erasers. 5) Teach your child how to be organized Talk to your child about the importance of being organized and having a routine. This will help them be more successful in class and in other areas of their lives. 6) Help your child get ready Encourage your child to start their homework or test preparation as early as possible. This way, they will not be stressed or anxious and will do better. 7) Help your child with homework/revision Set a regular time for homework or revision. During this time, try to be available if your child needs help, but avoid giving direct answers. Instead, ask questions that will help your child solve the problem in smaller, more manageable steps. 8) Read with your child Read to your child every day and encourage your child to read to you. Ask questions about the story as you read, such as, “Why did Cinderella have to leave the ball?” Reading to your child increases their interest in English and builds their vocabulary. If your child is old enough to read on their own, you can read the same book and set a time when you can ask each other questions and discuss the book. 9) Ask your child questions about their day Ask your child questions about what they see, hear, and touch during the day. Talking about their day will encourage and motivate your child to do well in the classroom. Source: Oxford University Press

One of the most important elements when learning a language is to improve your vocabulary. The most common source used for this is the dictionary. Although many people prefer to use translation programs such as Google today, these programs often fail to provide the correct meaning or sufficient information. At the same time, since translation applications have more disadvantages than advantages, teachers also recommend using a dictionary. You can access our article comparing translation applications and dictionary usage here. Although using a dictionary makes a great contribution to your language learning process, most of us do not know how to use a dictionary correctly. Here are the things you can find in a quality classic or online dictionary; 1. WORD TYPES Words undertake different functions in sentences. The functions that words undertake determine their types. We give them names such as predicate, adverb, adjective. In dictionaries, you can see the type of the word next to, under, or above it, as seen in the picture. Types are written in full or with their first letter. These are; Noun - İsim Adjective - Sıfat Adverb - Zarf Preposition - Edat/İlgeç Verb - Yüklem Conjunction - Bağlaç Pronoun - Zamir Interjection - Ünlem 2. EXPLANATION You may see that some words have more than one meaning in dictionaries. You will see that these meanings are listed as 1, 2... This order is made according to the priority of meaning. There is an order from the first meaning of the word to its most common use to its other uses. 3. EXAMPLES Especially in online dictionaries, you can find the example usage of the word in a sentence after the explanation, written in italics, sometimes in a different color. This is an important point in terms of seeing how the word or the type of word you are looking at is used. In addition, since more than one example is often given in these dictionaries, you can learn different usage patterns and different sentence structures. 5. LISTENING The biggest advantage of online dictionaries is that you can listen to the words. You can access more than one accent from these dictionaries. The most common ones are of course US (American English) and UK (British English). Although we recommend that you listen to both accents, since British English is preferred in countries outside the Americas, it will be more useful to learn the words this way. ( You can use the Oxford dictionary for correct pronunciation ) 4. PRONUNCIATION What are these strange lettered writings that you see in both online and traditional dictionaries? These are called IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet). Their purpose is to ensure that a word can be pronounced in other languages. Since you cannot listen to traditional dictionaries, knowing this alphabet allows you to pronounce the word correctly. In online dictionaries, you can use a to check whether you heard the pronunciation correctly. BONUS: LEVEL When you use the Online Oxford Dictionary, you may see a symbol like the one in the image below the word. This shows which level of English the word you are looking at is suitable for. The levels are; A1 - A2 - B1 - B2 - C1 - C2 A1: Beginner | Elementary A2: Pre-Intermediate B1: Intermediate B2: Upper Intermediate C1: Advanced C2: Proficiency to Near Native

Nowadays, knowing a language is of great importance in many areas and English is the first foreign language preferred due to its global nature. However, with the increasing language awareness in most of the world, learning a third or even fourth language besides English has become a necessity. The biggest motivation for learning a language is usually our job and we turn to languages ​​that will allow us to develop in our jobs. For example, if the company you work for works with China, of course it will be to your advantage to learn Chinese as a third language. However, if there is no condition that restricts you such as your job, it will be beneficial for you to first evaluate the following questions when choosing the language you will learn. 1. How close is the language I will learn to my native language? The fact that the language you will learn is close to your native language is a factor that will significantly speed up your learning process. 2. How interested am I in the culture of this language? A language is learned together with the culture it belongs to. Since you will use texts, music or videos belonging to that culture in your language learning process, being interested in the culture will make this process more enjoyable. 3. How much will it benefit my goals in life? Even if you have not started working life yet, you may have plans about which sector you want to work in in the future. Focusing on the dominant language in that sector will give you an advantage in many areas such as business, education and immigration. In addition, you will have access to more resources in a foreign language in the subjects you want to improve yourself. 4. What are the job opportunities? It is possible to see how widespread your job opportunities are by looking at the prevalence of the language you prefer to learn in the world. In the light of these questions, we can list the languages ​​that are most advantageous for you to learn under three headings as follows; SPANISH 1. The Spread of Language Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world. Today, more than 430 million people speak it, and Spanish is used as the official or national language in at least 20 countries. The fact that the language is so widespread makes it very easy for you to practice the language because of the number of people you can reach. In addition, Spanish is the language you are most likely to hear after English in many environments you travel. 2. Difficulty of Learning Spanish is a phonetic language; that is, words are pronounced as they are written in Turkish. For the same reason, the Spanish alphabet is almost identical to Turkish. This similarity allows you to learn pronunciation rules quickly and without any problems while learning the language. Since both Turkish and Spanish are influenced by Latin, there are common words in both languages; banyo = baño kamyon = camión balina = ballena Thanks to these common words, both your vocabulary studies will be easier and your reading comprehension skills will improve more quickly. Its grammar is different from English. However, since the person and tense suffixes are agglutinative, they are similar to Turkish rules. This is why many students find Spanish easier than English. 3. Business, Education and Culture Of course, since it is the most spoken language after English, you are much more likely to use Spanish in many sectors than other languages. For example, Spanish is one of the 6 official languages ​​used in the United Nations. It is also the 3rd most used language in the media sector. In terms of economy, the Economists magazine published an issue in America that people can earn $51,000 in additional income just by learning Spanish, while Forbes announced that Latinos have a market purchasing power of $1.5 trillion. In Britain, Spanish has become the most recommended language for citizens to learn, leaving behind French, Arabic and Mandarin. The top 5 sectors most focused on in Spain are Tourism, Manufacturing, Agriculture, Energy and Electricity, Import and Export. FRENCH 1. Prevalence of Language Speech French is the 5th most spoken language in the world with 300 million (3rd Mandarin, 4th Hindi)* and is the only language spoken on all 5 continents after English. 2. Difficulty in Learning French is also a Latin-based language like Spanish. However, since French is not a phonetic language, one of the most difficult issues for students is pronunciation. Despite this, due to the interaction between French and Turkish, many words you know will appear in French. Also, if you know a Latin-based language like Spanish, studying vocabulary will be much easier. Its grammar is not very similar to Turkish or English. However, this does not make French a difficult or impossible language to learn. It has its own language rules, and when these rules are learned without comparing them to other languages, students can improve very quickly. 3. Business, Education and Culture French is a cultural language. French is the language of fashion, theater, cuisine, visual arts, dance and architecture. If you want to work in these sectors in the future or are currently working, I strongly recommend that you learn French. Knowing the language will not only help you develop in your field, but will also provide you with the opportunity to advance where you work and even opportunities abroad. Like Spanish, French is one of the official languages ​​used in the United Nations. Organizations such as the European Union, UNESCO, NATO, the International Olympic Committee, or major brands such as Citroen, Dior, Lacoste, L'Oréal, Hermés, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Lancôme, Cartier and Carrefour are French. ITALIAN 1. Prevalence of Language Spoken With an average of 63 million, Italian is the 20th most spoken language in the world. But why is Italian 3rd on this list, you may ask. Italian is the 4th most learned language in American high schools and universities, and enrollment in Italian classes is increasing 20% ​​faster than others. 2. Difficulty of Learning Italian, like Spanish, is a phonetic language. In other words, it is a language that is read as it is written, with minor differences. In terms of vocabulary, it has many words in common with English and other Latin-based languages. For example; English - Italian Turkish - Italian Concerto - Concert (Konser) Fiasco - Fiyasko Poeta - Poet (Şair) Macchina - Makina Problema - Problem Flanella - Fanila Melodia - Melody Vaso - Vazo Another example is the commonality of the word meaning "singing" in four languages; Spanish: cantar Portuguese: cantar French: chanter Italian: cantare 3. Business, Education and Culture According to UNESCO data, 60% of the world's art treasures are in Italy. Therefore, Italian serves as a key in studies and research on art history, literature, archeology and philosophy. Also, according to KPMG research, the most recognized brand after Coca Cola and Visa is the "Made in Italy" stamp. Benetton, Barilla, Ferrari, Fiat, Lavazza, Armani and many other Italian brands are known for the quality of their products. More than 7,000 American companies do business with Italy and thousands of American companies such as Chrysler, General Electric, ExonMobil, IBM and Citibank have offices in Italy. We can also say that Italy is the center of the world in fashion and design. Knowing Italian gives you the opportunity to work in big brands such as Versace, Gucci, Dolce and Gabanna, Armani, Benetton and Prada. BONUS: GERMAN Although I do not personally recommend it, I think we should also examine this language on our list, especially since German is the most preferred second foreign language in our schools. 1. Prevalence of Language Speech German is ranked 11th on the list of most spoken languages ​​in the world and is spoken by approximately 130 million people. The countries that use German as a native language are Germany, Austria, Belgium, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg. 2. Difficulty of Learning The reason why German is considered a difficult language is that it is not similar to Turkish, as it is a Germanic language. It is most similar to English in terms of grammar, but still, German's grammar is 90% different from English. Again, although there may be similar words to English, this rate is as low as 20%; German - English Maus - Mouse Haus - House Foto - Photo Studieren - (to) Study Lampe - Lamp Although you will need to spend more time on grammar and vocabulary studies than the other languages ​​I recommend, if you know English, this process will be easier for you. 3. Business, Education, Culture German is the second most used language in science. Therefore, we can say that German has an important place in academia. Of course, knowing German allows you to access many resources in the field of science, especially resources that have not yet been translated into another language. If you have plans for a master's degree or doctorate, you have the opportunity to enroll in a university in Germany with very low or zero tuition fees. The reason for this is that the rate of studying at the university is as low as 27%, and these fees are covered by taxes.