Don’t Skip English: Why It’s the Backbone for University Success

 

Emiko Franzen from Reader's Digest

While many people born in Canada (me included) grew up speaking English, we tend to look down on English within school. What does it even teach us? We already speak English. And some may also say that STEM students don’t need advanced English. What does Shakespeare have to do with computers? 

The reality is, in today’s competitive academic and professional world, strong communication and media literacy skills are more important than ever. Writing, critical thinking, and communication skills are important across all programs. Here’s why I believe Grade 12 University English should be mandatory for every university program.

While English may not be everyone's cup of tea, the skills we learn in Grade 12 University English classes are universal skills that translate well into university and beyond. The world is changing; with the rise of AI and fake news, it is more important than ever to have critical thinking and media literacy skills. In my English classes, there was an emphasis on analyzing different texts, identifying themes, and reading between the lines. Along with classroom discussions, we learn to think critically and deeply about books, poems, videos, and the news. These skills translate to problem-solving in other fields. Such as a computer science student debugging code or a biology student evaluating research data.

Second, no matter what program you pursue, communication is key. In English class, you develop abilities to communicate with others in many different ways. Whether it be presentations, collaborative work, research papers, or lab reports. Strong writing skills and communication are big parts in successful work. Learning how to write reports, avoid grammatical errors and adapt writing to different audiences is crucial for all programs. All in all, Grade 12 University English helps write strong and impactful pieces. 

Students who enter university without strong English skills may find themselves overwhelmed. By making Grade 12 University English a requirement, universities ensure that all students arrive with a baseline understanding, reducing dropout rates and improving academic performance. This is because, regardless of what you learn, reading comprehension is vital in university, as there is always stuff to be read and learned. Taking English makes students better prepared to understand material, extract key ideas, and study for exams. Without strong reading skills, students may fall behind as they are not equipped with efficient techniques learned in English class. 

The argument can be made that requiring Grade 12 English could discourage students from pursuing technical fields where writing seems less relevant. However, even programmers need to document their work, and engineers must write project proposals. Others may claim that students can develop these skills in university, but why wait until higher education to build such crucial abilities?

Grade 12 University-level English isn’t just for aspiring writers or humanities students; it’s a foundational course that prepares all learners for the demands of university and the professional world. By making it a mandatory requirement for all programs, universities can ensure that graduates are better writers, thinkers, and communicators, no matter their field of study.