So you’re planning your semester schedule and you see that you are required to take an English class. Why? You already know how to read and write, and you’ve been speaking English as long as you can remember. So why waste the credits?
Well, the simple answer is that it is required; you have to graduate so you have to take the course. But many students struggle with English; so we have interviewed English Professor Mark Bennion, of Brigham Young University Idaho, for some advice on making your English experience more enjoyable—or at least survivable.
What advice would you give high school students about college English? “For students in high school, I would suggest they take as many writing courses as they can to prepare themselves for the world of college English.”
What do you feel are some mistakes that most students in English courses make? “A big mistake is that most students think about the page requirement for an essay rather than about the quality of the essay. If students write to a page limit, they end up putting a lot of filler in their essays. When students concentrate on developing their ideas, then the page requirement takes care of itself.”
What are some tips you would have to avoid such mistakes? “Write in your journal every day. Consider focusing on a question that’s plaguing you in your life … answer the question via writing … your ideas matter. Of course, writing about what you love and admire will also imbue your writing with verve and honesty.”
Why do you feel it is important to the average student to study English? “In most careers, folks spend 30-40% of their time writing. It doesn’t matter if you’re in chemistry or business. By taking the time to develop your skills now, you’ll be a lot more comfortable when you enter the job market.”
Do you have any pointers or advice for non-math majors taking general ed. English courses? “For those who don’t like English or who struggle with it, I would simply encourage you to read and write a little bit every day.”
So English might never be your thing. But we all read, write, and speak every day. So taking a class that helps you take these skills you already know to the next level might not be such a bad idea. It will at least help you in the job market. With a little extra practice you might find that you’re actually way better at English than you thought.
Madison E. LaFond is a senior at Brigham Young University Idaho studying English, Theatre and Russian.
Surviving English Class in College
By Madison Lafond · July 7th, 2011 · School · Comments
7 July
So you’re planning your semester schedule and you see that you are required to take an English class. Why? You already know how to read and write, and you’ve been speaking English as long as you can remember. So why waste the credits?
Well, the simple answer is that it is required; you have to graduate so you have to take the course. But many students struggle with English; so we have interviewed English Professor Mark Bennion, of Brigham Young University Idaho, for some advice on making your English experience more enjoyable—or at least survivable.
What advice would you give high school students about college English?
“For students in high school, I would suggest they take as many writing courses as they can to prepare themselves for the world of college English.”
What do you feel are some mistakes that most students in English courses make?
“A big mistake is that most students think about the page requirement for an essay rather than about the quality of the essay. If students write to a page limit, they end up putting a lot of filler in their essays. When students concentrate on developing their ideas, then the page requirement takes care of itself.”
What are some tips you would have to avoid such mistakes?
“Write in your journal every day. Consider focusing on a question that’s plaguing you in your life … answer the question via writing … your ideas matter. Of course, writing about what you love and admire will also imbue your writing with verve and honesty.”
Why do you feel it is important to the average student to study English?
“In most careers, folks spend 30-40% of their time writing. It doesn’t matter if you’re in chemistry or business. By taking the time to develop your skills now, you’ll be a lot more comfortable when you enter the job market.”
Do you have any pointers or advice for non-math majors taking general ed. English courses?
“For those who don’t like English or who struggle with it, I would simply encourage you to read and write a little bit every day.”
So English might never be your thing. But we all read, write, and speak every day. So taking a class that helps you take these skills you already know to the next level might not be such a bad idea. It will at least help you in the job market. With a little extra practice you might find that you’re actually way better at English than you thought.
Madison E. LaFond is a senior at Brigham Young University Idaho studying English, Theatre and Russian.