You love reading and talking about books. Perhaps you even enjoy writing essays, poetry, journaling and writing out your own stories for others to enjoy. Watching and analyzing movies and reading articles, editorials, and other types of texts are a real passion for you. And yet, though you know an English major would be perfect for you, you are wondering what exactly you want your degree to be in!
Students that love literature can often feel unsure if they are making the most practical and career-friendly choice in choosing an English major. Compared with degrees in Law, Medicine, Business and Engineering, the path toward a career after an English major is certainly not as clear cut as others. Those who are eager to continue their pursuit of literature will be pleased to know, however, that there are plenty of amazing and high-paying careers they can take upon graduating.
Let’s take a quick moment to explore why learning English in Canada is so valuable, and why students that take an English major in a Canadian university will be well suited for so many different jobs both here and around the world.
Where can you expect to work as an English major? Read everything you need to know about careers for English grads.
Is Canada English Valuable?
English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, and learning English in Canada both as a language and as an art can give one an advantage when it comes to careers. Canadians learn and speak a standard of English that is valued by business and education because it is easy to understand by other English speakers, including Americans, British, and of course, other Canadians.
Learning literature and other subjects through an English Canadian curriculum from most provinces enables one to apply to some of the top English-speaking universities around the world without having to take an English proficiency exam. This is why so many international students come to Canada for high school or enroll in schools that teach the Canadian curriculum!
Why is English Class Critical to both Native and Second Language Speakers?
For Canadian-born and newcomer students, English is one of the most important classes one can take. It’s important to note, however, the main difference between the type of learning a native-speaking and English language learner will undertake in school.
When native speakers of English take an English class, they are typically pursuing a study of literature, and in the K-12 grades, focusing on listening and speaking for academic and social contexts, and style and convention in writing. When native speakers of English are taught the Language Arts, it is assumed that they have a base of communication and reading skills learned at home from conversations, media, and books.
When English Language Learners (ELLs) learn English, they undertake the study of the language as multilinguals, essentially acquiring a whole new language. As such, they will approach learning with different support from their teachers, especially in the early stages of learning. They may need to learn the basics of the English language, starting with everyday language and then more academic or professional vocabulary.
Whether or not you are a native speaker of English or an English language learner, English class will be critical to your success as a student. Writing, reading, presenting, and listening to others are skills used in every subject in school, so having good language skills is essential to academic success. To apply for any university program, grade 12 academic English is required, and for ELLs, the successful completion of an equivalency exam like IELTS or TOEFL.
Is an English degree worth all the time and investment? We certainly think so! Find out why so many students study English in university.
Why English is Grammar so Important?
Another reason to take your English or language arts classes seriously is that grammar is so important. What is grammar? Grammar essentially deals with the mechanics of writing: how to use punctuation effectively, when to capitalize, how to to format different texts, and how to organize and add variation to your sentences and paragraphs.
As dry and as boring as that may sound, grammar is essential to being an effective communicator, especially in a digital age where nearly everything is shared through some sort of writing or media. When your emails are riddled with punctuation or spelling errors, it is hard for people to take your message seriously as they may be distracted by the writing mistakes. The same goes for writing a blog, an article, an essay, or website: errors will make you look less trustworthy or legitimate.
The big takeaway here? Make sure you know your grammar!
What Life and Career Skills Do You Learn in an English Course?
It’s not uncommon for students to wonder which life and career skills they will acquire while taking an English course in high school or university, especially when you feel like most of the work is reading and discussing great pieces of literature. Let’s discuss what skills you are actually learning in your English class.
Critical Analysis Skills
As you may have noticed, a significant amount of time in your English literature class is spent poring over novels and poems, discussing the actions of characters or figuring out the the meaning of a metaphor or any other figure of speech. When we take lots of time to critically analyze texts, we are developing our ability to read texts closely and make inferences and judgments.
The skills of critical textual analysis are life and career skills we will certainly use as we get older to read contracts, discern credible media, read instructions, or interpret law and policy. Sure, it may seem fun to argue over the actions of characters in a Shakesperean play or a novel - but in fact you are practicing skills that will serve you well should you continue on to a career in law, politics, journalism, communication or business.
Writing Skills
Becoming a good writer is one of the most useful qualities we develop in our formal education, and a lot of that will happen in your English courses. Good writing is the foundation of a strong resume, an excellent memo, a clear and direct email, a thorough research report, or a persuasive essay. When we become better writers, we become more sophisticated speakers and thinkers, as those skills are often interconnected.
It’s also important to note that the language and style we use in writing differs significantly from our speaking skills. Simply knowing how to communicate with others in English verbally, in other words, does not mean you will be able to write effectively. In fact, writing is a skill that we develop throughout our lives, so writing often is important.
So next time you are wondering about what the point is in writing a long essay comparing novels, crafting a story that will never get published, or journalling using a funny prompt provided by your teacher, rest assured in knowing that those activities will lead you to become a stronger, more concise and descriptive writer!
What is it like to pursue an English major? Find out why so many students are choosing to study literature and writing in university.
Verbal Communication and Listening
Finally, your oral communication skills - speaking and listening - are among the most important skills you will develop in your English classes. Becoming an effective speaker and presenter will serve you immensely in your career as you will be required to network with others to get ahead, make presentations to share with others, lead or participating in meetings, collaborate, or even deliver a sales pitch. When we do group or individual presentations in class or a seminar, we are increasing our ability to do all of those activities.
The critical listening skills you develop in English class are also transferable to numerous other subjects and your future life and career. Sometimes being able to listen to others with a critical ear, listening to the vocabulary they use and the inflection of voice, will support you in making good decisions, whether it is the determining to purchase a new house or learning new ideas or concepts in someone else’s presentation.
English classes will teach you some of the most critical skills that will support you in your life or career!
Check out some English lessons online here on Superprof.
How do I Become an English Teacher Online or in Person?
While there are so many careers that an English degree can lead you to - public relations, journalism, freelance writing, business, and law, to name a few - education remains one if the most popular careers for degree holders. For many Canadian students with English degrees, that means becoming an English teacher.
To become an English teacher, you must first acquire a bachelor of Educaiton from an accredited university. Typically, bachelor of education programs take 1-2 years to complete and include practicum sessions where you will be a student teacher in a classroom. When deciding to become a teacher, you will have to choose between starting in the elementary or secondary panel, as training will vary depending on the age of children you want to teach.
If you love teaching literature and writing, you may want to choose grades 4 and up, as students at that age are more than capable of reading longer books, especially students in the secondary grades. Should you happen to prefer working with young children and teaching them how to read, grades K-3 are definitely your best bet. If you change your mind during your career, you can always take an additional qualification course that enables you to switch to a new grade level.
English is one of the most challenging and rewarding areas of learning you can take in your postsecondary education. We have gathered the top reasons people choose an English major, and the careers you can pursue after you graduate.
How do I Start English Tutoring?
If you are still in the midst of completing an English degree or have already finished, why not consider becoming a private English tutor? Private English tutoring is an excellent way to generate or supplement income, and will also give you some great teaching skills you can use should you decide to become an elementary or high school teacher.
English tutors may work with students who are struggling in their English courses, are learning English as a second language, or with younger kids who need additional reading and writing support. Identify which niches of English teaching you are most comfortable with, and you can develop a tutor profile to start promoting your work.
How do you Promote Your English Tutoring Services?
Promoting your tutoring services is easy thanks to Superprof.ca. Superprof is a site that brings together English tutors and students on a single platform. The site is easy to use and will support you in creating an attractive, professional looking profile that students can browse through when choosing a prospective tutor.
You can use the site to communicate with your prospective or current students through its messaging platform, meaning you will never have to use your own email to communicate with clients. Tutors can also coordinate payment from clients through the site quickly and easily, as it enables clients to use their credit cards or Paypal accounts to compensate tutors.
The site is safe, easy to use, and makes it easy for tutors to share their skills and services! Check out Superprof today!
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