Over the past 4 years of high school our teachers have been preparing us for post secondary school. One of the most common university prerequisites is Grade 12 English. The question is …..Should grade 12 University level English be a requirement for entry into all university programs? Yes, I strongly believe that a high understanding of english is required in any university course. As part of the Ontario Ministry of Education Grade 12 University English course outline it states “it is the study of literacy, communication with critical and creative thinking skills. These skills will prepare students for university with essay writing, analysis, themes and report writing.”
These critical skills are not only necessary just for success academically but also in daily life. When taking the course, you are expected to understand and perform the basic skills that english entails. Even though most of us are not following the path in being journalists or novelists we are all required to know the applications of english whether we want to become a biologist or travel agent. Personally I am leaning towards the geography field, like an urban planner, which requires a lot of academic knowledge of the the world and human relations. I will need to bring forward the techniques I learnt in high school English; writing essays, communicating with different types of people and my critical thinking skills. Whether you are going to school to be a journalist that is required to have concise writing and research skills or even if you are becoming an urban planner, both occupations require an immense amount of communication and creative thinking skills. That is why I believe that Grade 12 English should be a compulsory credit for attending any University course.
First question, how does english affect us all in future occupations? All careers depend upon proper communication skills, whether you are a hairdresser communicating face-to-face with a customer or written communication like a lawyer preparing a legal document. Now, how does literacy apply to finding employment? In preparation of finding employment you first need to communicate your skills in the form of a resume. The resume is compiled of your education and job experience, if written successfully this will most likely grant you an interview. This is the first impression to employers and they are closely looking at your grammar, spelling, punctuation and formatting. These skills are taught in high school for the benefit in post-secondary school and future employment.
We should all think of Grade 12 english as a life skill and not just a course. In high school we are faced with many choices that will impact us in the present and significantly in the future. Even though we will not be writing poems and reading Shakespeare constantly after we are done our schooling, we will still remember the deeper meaning of these different themes. They have taught us life-long lessons through morals and ethics.
Why might grade 12 University english help a student studying to be an engineer? The answer is simple, in most courses students will have to perform many different tasks. Even though an engineer’s primary skills are math and design, they may have to create a presentation and speak in front of their peers, write a formal report to their professor or take notes during a lecture. Even after you graduate you still need to maintain these very valuable skills, which is important for advancement.
To conclude, I strongly believe that grade 12 University level English should be a requirement for entry into all university programs. This course will not only help in developing the essential communication and writing skills needed for university courses but also for everyday life.
-Holly MacAlpine
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