Well, here’s something that might sway you.

“Say you are leading a team project, and everyone is working hard and doing their part. Yet, somehow, deadlines are being missed, errors are cropping up, and people are getting frustrated. What’s the problem? The answer could be poor communication,” suggests President & Founder of Valens Project Consulting Claudio Gutierrez in his article Why Effective Communication is the Key to Successful Teamwork.

He has a point. Fortunately, business language training can help you tackle it head on.

What Makes Business Language Training an Impactful, Inclusive Team Pursuit

 One of the most gratifying things about learning a language for business in the 2020s is not doing it alone in a corner with a dusty textbook.

On the contrary, it’s most effective when you’re bantering, role-playing, and fumbling through a mock negotiation with your teammates.

For all these reasons, the best business language courses are designed around real human interaction, such as:

• Group training – Learning shoulder-to-shoulder with colleagues, comparing boo-boos, and getting instant practice with humans rather than an app

• Individual tuition – 1:1 in person or remote business language learning is ideal for advanced learners or any team members needing sharp, industry specific vocabulary, like business French, Italian, Chinese, Spanish, etc

• Living a language outside the classroom – Many business groups spice things up with cultural awareness sessions, eating out at authentic restaurants, or even international dance lessons 

More Than Ordering Croissants

“When team members communicate openly and honestly, it can create a more positive and collaborative work environment,” Gutierrez continued. “This can lead to improved team morale and a more engaged team, which translates to better project outcomes.”

Win: win!

At la Academia, business language training is a different vibe than teaching you how to order a gelato in Milan. This is why we customise the programme around your business and its specific needs, not the other way round.

Get in touch if you’re thinking about giving your team the words to win at work.

This is why multilingual multitaskers might already know the secret we’re about to reveal.

You’ve probably felt the flick that happens when you switch tongues, and suddenly you’re bolder, softer, funnier, or blunter.

Same brain. Same body. Different feeling.

So, what’s going on?

Do Different Languages Make You a Different Person? 

Kind of, yes. And here’s the scientific evidence…

A group of bilingual Spanish-English speakers were asked the exact same questions in each language. They described themselves differently, depending on which language they used to answer.

Moreover, people often come across as more outgoing, breezier, and more open in their second language.

The academic term for this is cultural frame switching. It means a new language plugs you into both a different vocabulary and a different emotional operating system.

“Cultural frame switching (CFS) can be used to describe the switching of different language use depending on the context,” explained researchers at the University of Granada in their study The Effect of Sociolinguism on Advertising Slogans: Language as a Conveyor of Cultural Characteristics

“Thus, CFS can be connected to cultural accommodation, which occurs when bilinguals respond to situations with the language that applies best to the situation they find themselves in.”

Fascinating stuff.

Why Your Native and Secondary Languages Impact Differently

 Interestingly, your first and second languages subconsciously influence you in different ways. For example:

• Your first language is soaked in memory, emotion, and years of both positive and negative baggage.

• A second language creates a bit of breathing room and acts as a buffer between you and your feelings.

• The distance of a second language is often why it’s easier to say hard stuff in another language, like “I’m sorry,” “I love you,” or “I’m furious with you.”

New Language, New Soul

 There’s an old saying about learning a new language and gaining a new soul. But ultimately, the influence is less poetic and more neuroscientific.

At la Academia, we look forward to seeing which version of you shows up in your second language. And there’s only one way to find out.

Get in touch about the new beginners’ courses in different languages starting in September. And prepare to unleash the hidden depths you never knew you possessed.

But things can get lost in translation once the final whistle blows. This is when teams and staff are faced with things like press conferences, contract negotiations, even going out for a meal in a new city.

English has become the dressing room lingua franca at top clubs. But it’s not unusual for a single squad to speak a dozen different mother tongues.

Additionally, not every star signing, coach, or agent arrives fluent.

For all these reasons, languages for football have become a reliable set piece off the pitch for many clubs.

Languages for Football Kick Off Multiple Benefits

Language links the whole team in many and varied ways you might never have even thought about. For example, it:

• Cultivates team spirit – One Premiership manager wanted his whole squad speaking the same language, figuratively and He achieved this by arranging lessons club-wide, ensuring a multilingual dressing room was a united one.

• Aids international signings – A Spanish manager threw himself into six weeks of intensive English coaching as he settled into UK life and became a press conference pro.

• Clears the Home Office hurdle – Football icons aren’t exempt from the official exams need to work on UK soil. As you can imagine, a red card isn’t an option.

• Supports the next generation – Young players, apprentices, and players’ children often need extra help with GCSE and A Level tuition in English, Maths and Sciences as they acclimatise to their new home.

A Final Score You Can Reliably Predict

At la Academia, we’re here to make sure nobody, from managers to midfielders and mothers, is left on the touchline by language barriers.

Get in touch with your questions about learning languages for football and score yourself a guaranteed home win.

9^th July is Argentine Independence Day, when delegates gathered in Tucumán in 1816 to make it official Argentina was breaking free from Spanish rule.

These days the streets fill with blue and white flags. The smell of empanadas and locro permeate the warm air. And everyone greets each other with a celebratory “Feliz Día de la Independencia!” 

It’s bold, joyful, and yet another good reason to learn Spanish. 

Argentina Just Made the Case for You to Learn Spanish

 Argentina is vast. It’s understandable you might be nervous about communicating and finding your way around confidently and safely.

This is why you’re doing yourself a real favour by learning Spanish before you fly:

• Spanish opens entire continents – Spanish is spoken across 21+ countries, in cities from Buenos Aires to Barcelona. One language = endless adventures.

• Locals love it – Argentines are famously warm and welcoming. Even a handful of Spanish words earns you instant goodwill and local recommendations.

• English won’t always save you – Spanish is essential outside the big cities for ordering at a neighbourhood parrilla, hopping on public transport, or bartering at a bustling market.

• Speaking the same language deepens the experience – There’s a world of difference between visiting a place and connecting with it. Language is the bridge.

• It’s fun to learn – Especially when your teachers are this good. (Waving from Manchester’s award-winning language school la Academia.)

 Argentina Declared Independence. What About Yours?

 Are you dreaming of Argentina, it’s Malbec wine and grass-fed beef, its dramatic tango, its awe-inspiring natural wonders, or it’s footballing icons? It’s useful to learn Spanish for all these reasons and more.

At la Academia, you’re invited to come and learn with us, on one of our forthcoming courses: 

• SPANISH – Complete Beginners 1

The Upper Room, Cheadle
Starts Wednesday 23rd September
7.00pm – 9.00pm for six consecutive weeks
Only £120.00 for the FULL course

• SPANISH – Complete Beginners 2

la Academia with Andrea
Starts Monday 28th September
9:30am – 11:00am for six consecutive weeks
Only £120.00 for the FULL course

 Get in touch with any questions and to reserve your place. But don’t leave it too long, because they always sell out fast.

For this reason, Social Media Day on 30th June 30th is an ideal time to probe the glorious, chaotic, endlessly entertaining, frustrating and polarising world of social media – and what it means for language learning.

Even the science says so.

“Interlocutors play an important role in the process of language learning. The interlocutor can be peers, instructors, and even native speakers of the target language,” observed Mohammad Shams Ud Duha and his team in their recent study for ScienceDirect The effect of social media use on language learning: A meta-analysis.

“The interlocutor type may affect students’ communication strategies. Then, the interactions of students using social media can be textual, audio-based, video-based, and a combination of text, audio, or video.”

The more the merrier… and the speedier.

The Potential Impact of Social Media on Learning a Language in 2026

The digital world is colossal, with an estimated nearly 5 billion active users on social media platforms globally, spending almost 2.5 hours each scrolling every single day.

Meta’s platforms alone – Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp – pull in around 4 billion daily users, closely followed by YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn.

Now, usage is a hotter topic than ever, with the UK government’s under-16s ban making headlines.

The point is this. Social media isn’t going anywhere. So, you may as well make it work for your language goals, rather than not tapping into it as an expedited learning resource.

Turn Your Feed into a Classroom

You might not realise it, but your phone is already a language lab. You too can use it to your advantage to speed up a gradual language learning process. And here’s how:

• Flip your settings – Switch your device and apps into your target language.

• Create a dedicated alt account – Follow local news, meme pages, and native creators for full immersion.

• Stop lurking and start commenting – Drop a reply in your target language. Scary, but practice makes progress.

• Follow related communities – Dedicated Reddit threads and Facebook groups are goldmines of tips, corrections, and solidarity.

• Shadow short form video – Repeat after TikTok and Reels creators to nail the accent and natural rhythm of the language you’re learning.

Your Excuse Just Left the Chat

Get in touch with us, at la Academia, to learn a new language at our Cheadle school, or remotely on Zoom.

And when class is dismissed? Remember social media gave the world a shared voice. Now, let it give you an extra one.

Their language learning frenzy started in February with Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance. And it’s continued to soar ahead of his DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS World Tour dates, with Tottenham Hotspur Stadium the only UK venue on 27^th and 28^th June.

Correspondingly, fans are going feral to speaks the same language as their idol.

Tap Into the Zeitgeist of the Super Bowl and Spurs

Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio did something revolutionary when he took to the Super Bowl stage earlier this year.  He performed entirely in Spanish. And it transformed one of the biggest TV moments into a celebration of Latin culture.

Language Magazine article Spanish & Sign Language Take Center Stage reported Bad Bunny telling a press conference, “This moment, the culture – that’s what makes these shows special.”

Colonies of fans worldwide are feeling this, social media is exploding, and you don’t have to scroll far to discover lapine activity such as:

• Non-Spanish speakers selling out Spanish courses – The desire to deeply understand his lyrics is feral

• Puerto Ricans breaking down his slang – There’s layers to this man’s lyrics any self-respecting fan needs to know about

• Everyone else scrambling to catch up before the tour arrives 

Bad Bunny Has Spoken. Now It’s Your Turn to Learn Spanish

Want to sing along at Spurs? Hold your own on a Spanish holiday? Understand the music living rent-free in your head?

At la Academia, no previous experience is needed to learn Spanish in a relaxed, friendly, and high impact environment.

Available formats include:

• Beginner through to Advanced levels – face to face in the Cheadle school
• Intermediate levels available on Zoom
• Spanish Conversation Class to use it so you don’t lose it

Selling fast… our next legendary NEW Spanish Complete Beginners six week courses:

• Wednesday 23^rd September, 7.00 – 9.00pm weekly, £120 at the Upper Room Café, Cheadle

• Monday 28th September, 9.30 – 11.00am weekly, £120 at the school with Andrea

Get in touch to start your Spanish era here.

You can expect the Prime Minister’s speech, parades, concerts… and, more often than not, inclement weather.

“Icelanders like to joke that it is always raining on this national holiday. Unfortunately, this weather is all too often in the forecast, with some towns having moved festivities indoors to local sports halls,” Visit Iceland’s Icelandic Independence Day article explains.

“The tradition of soggy celebrations began with the very first ceremony in 1944, remembered for its pouring rain.”

But a spot of rain won’t deter you from falling head over hiking boots for the Icelandic language.

Why Iceland Is Cool in More Ways Than the Weather

Are you one of the increasing number of Brits choosing Iceland as your next holiday destination? Well, Iceland already had main character energy long before you booked your flight.

It’s blessed the world with:

• Erupting geysers and jaw-dropping Northern Lights
• Skyr (Nordic style thick, tangy yogurt)
• Adorable puffins waddling around like little tuxedoed reps
• Musical legends Björk and Sigur Rós
• The thriller series Trapped, followed by what feels like exponential amounts of home-grown Scandi noir

It’s little wonder learning Icelandic is also on an upward trajectory. 

Reasons to Learn Icelandic Right Now 

It might not be top of your language wish list to learn Icelandic. But it should be.

The Icelandic language is fascinating, rewarding, and you’ll wonder why you ever hesitated once you start. Here’s why people are obsessed: 

• Linguistic time travel – The Icelandic language has barely changed in a thousand years, meaning you can read original ancient Norse sagas. No translations needed.

• Locals will warm to you – A little effort goes a long way. Expect heartier welcomes, better tourist tips, and quite possibly even a homemade meal.

• Brain workout – Complex grammar and archaic roots make for a satisfying challenge your neurons will appreciate.

Don’t Just Visit Iceland, Speak Iceland

At la Academia, learning Icelandic opens up a world of fire, ice, and literary heritage.

Get in touch to learn Icelandic in person at the school, or remotely on Zoom or Teams. Gangi þér vel.

This summer’s tournament is once again proof the beautiful game is a universal language, spanning iconic powerhouses to exciting debut nations.

48 teams are heading to the United States, Canada, and Mexico. So, fans will hear a colourful mix of languages echoing through stadiums, fan zones, bars, and city streets.

Play with a World of Words

 The teams competing represent more than 40 different languages, reflecting a phenomenal linguistic melting pot.

Intrepid first-time qualifiers include:

• Jordan – Primary language = Arabic
• Uzbekistan – Primary language = Uzbek
• Curaçao – Primary languages = Papiamentu and Dutch
• Cape Verde – Primary languages = Portuguese and Cape Verdean Creole

Elsewhere, familiar faces are making a long-awaited return:

• Scotland – Primary languages = English and Scots
• Norway – Primary language = Norwegian
• Haiti – Primary languages = French and Haitian Creole

And then, there’s the many teams whose mother countries are home to multiple languages.

Take One Team with Four Languages

 Most countries rally around a single national language. But Switzerland likes to keep things interesting.

Depending on where you are, you’ll hear:

• German
• French
• Italian
• Romansh

“Thus, there are different versions of the salutation you’ll hear the most when following the Nati: Hop Suisse/Hopp Schwiiz/Forza Svizzera/Ancora Svizra,” explains the New York Times Athletic’s The Language of Soccer series. “They all mean the same thing – ‘Go Switzerland!’”

Kick Off with Host Languages

 The tournament’s 16 host cities mainly speak the following languages:

• USA host cities – English
• Canadian host cities (Toronto and Vancouver) – English, plus French also an official language nationally
• Mexican host cities (Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey) – Spanish

At la Academia, you don’t need any excuse to experience new cultures, hear new languages, and realise passion for the game sounds similar everywhere.

Get in touch whether you’re cheering in Spanish, Arabic, Norwegian, French English… or just the language of football.

Think military parades in Rome and Frecce Tricolori jets painting the sky red, white and green. Oh, and did we mention Italians in their hordes raising a glass of something divine.

It’s a feast for the senses that really makes you want to go all in and learn Italian. 

Italian is More Than a Numbers Game 

“It is the second most widely spoken native language in the European Union with 67 million native speakers. About 13.4 million EU citizens speak Italian as their second language,” according to the World Population Review’s article Italian Speaking Countries 2026. “Including all Italian speakers around the world, the total number of Italian speakers is about 85 million people.” 

But truthfully, going with the flow isn’t why anybody falls in love with it.

You learn Italian because of:

• The food and wine – Yes, it’s world class to savour and quaff. And then there’s knowing what you’re actually ordering.
• The culture – Italy invented the Renaissance, after all.
• The people – Italians are known for being warm, passionate, and genuinely delighted when you try speaking to them in the mother tongue.

And then there’s your career prospects going up a notch or several.

Learn Italian for Work? Assolutamente! 

Italian business language training for corporate clients is also on the rise.

A case in point is the UK arm of a major Italian pharmaceuticals company in Cheshire. They work with a leading local language school, (that would be us, at la Academia). And we bring more to the festa than learning a language.

Moreover, real business savvy and cultural know-how are vital for business Italian. This is what equips staff at every level to get more confident, communicative, and productive when working with their Italian colleagues.

But today’s busy professionals don’t take too receptively to the dry teaching methods that used to send you to sleep in the school classroom. Instead, it’s kept engaging and fun with elements like:

• Role play
• Listening exercises
• Real life scenarios
• Popular culture 

Who Else Wants to Be La Bella Lingua Ready?

 Republic Day might just be the sign you need to learn Italian for business, pleasure, or both.

At la Academia, we’d love to hear from both total beginners and rusty returnees.

Get in touch about our beginners courses, private tuition, or a FREE try before you buy business Italian taster session at your office.

Unsurprising then, World Marketing Day every 27th May continues gathering momentum.

But here’s the thing. Even the most dazzling campaign falls flat if it doesn’t speak your audience’s language and literally gets lost in translation.

Enter marketing translation services.

What Makes Marketing Translation Services the Secret Weapon Leading Marketers Swear By?

 Behind every successful global brand is a brilliant translator making sure your marketing messages don’t mean something laughably unfortunate in another language. Yes, this happens, more than you’d think.

For this reason, professional language services are the engine room of global marketing for the following good reasons:

• Clarity out of confusion – The wrong word choice can kill a campaign. But expert marketing translation services ensure your message attracts rather than repels.

• Cultural nuance is everything – Humour, tone, and idioms vary wildly across languages. That killer joke your UK team adores might raise eyebrows in Beijing or Berlin.

• It’s not just what you say – It’s how, when, where, and to whom you say it. Context is key. Language professionals understand this better than anyone.

So, what sort of business uses professional language services for surety everybody’s speaking the same language?

What Products or Services Can You Translate? (Spoiler: Pretty Much Everything)

If your audience sees or hears it, it deserves to be said perfectly in their language. So don’t think about language services in terms of sector specificity, but more for things like:

• Ad campaigns
• Social media content
• Website copy
• Email marketing
• Packaging
• Exhibition stands and associated comms

Speak Their Language, Win Their Business

 At la Academia, we get how marketing is about understanding people, their psychology, their culture, their world.

Accordingly, our marketing translation services make this possible across borders.

As Medichecks Marketing Manager Cerys Gardiner told the CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing) in her recent article International Day of Marketing: Why it’s time to #CelebrateMarketing: “…if you’ve ever built a great campaign, introduced a content idea that people loved, or even helped a customer find the right solution for them, you’ve made a difference. And that’s something worth celebrating”.

Get in touch if you’re dreaming of success of non-English speaking countries.