Should English Class Help Prep Students for Life?

English classes help students improve their writing abilities, comprehension, grammar, and vocabulary. In general these are all essential skills all students should possess, as they will use them throughout their lives. However, perhaps also carrying these skills into more real world situations in class, could prove to be greatly beneficial to students, moreover upperclassmen getting ready to move forward in their education.

College applications are a huge part of getting into any school, yet not much is offered for students to prepare them for the many steps which they will take when applying for colleges. Of course there are extra curricular courses and counselors which can help students with this very issue, but they are more often than not time consuming and expensive. Not all students will have the time nor access to these particular opportunities. Thus, how can all students receive an extra hand? I see an opportunity in English classes. By having students write mock college essays, they will not only get comfortable with this format of writing and get advice from their teachers, but they will also be able to practice the same literary skills which they would otherwise when writing a normal essay. Perhaps even in a more productive way. Preparation for college applications can begin in junior year, which will help students become confident for the future and relieve them of anxiety or stress they may have when thinking about applying for colleges. In short, students will be receiving the same English practice as they would in their current classes, with the added benefits of preparation and stress relief.

I also believe that this practice could branch out and not only be confined to college application. Not all students will go to college and some will move straight into the workforce. Furthermore, having students create mock resumes or cover letters can have the same beneficial effect proposed with the statements above. It would make sense to teach the younger generation these greatly important skills and it is hard to consider that most are left to figure it out on their own when it comes time to write such documents.

From my point of view there’s no drawbacks from putting life skills into the English curriculum, as students will gain the same education and further prepare them for the real world. Stress about the future for students is real and it can have negative effects on their livelihood, so by showing them that they are capable of writing these important pieces early, could help ease any concerns they may have.