To Mandate or Not to Mandate, That is the English Question
In order to be accepted into a university program, a student must meet a certain set of requirements. For the majority of all university programs, a university grade 12 English credit is needed. Outlined below is my opinion on why grade 12 English should be required for entry into university programs.
I strongly believe that a university level English credit should be obtained in grade 12 in order to apply to university programs. Whether the program is in business, medicine, math, or science, the fundamental skills gained from taking the grade 12 English course can be utilized in any profession.
The English course has a huge place within the curriculum. “To participate fully in the society and workplace of the twenty-first century, today’s students will need to be able to use language skillfully, confidently, and flexibly.” Ontario Ministry of Education.
Enrolling in a grade 12 English course transfers the skills learned from prior English courses and will build on and refine current skills. The skills I am talking about are critical thinking, document structure and essay writing, comprehension, and communication skills. I believe that with refining these skills, it will allow for the ability to reach greater heights while pursuing a higher education.
The most important skill which I believe requires refining the most is the ability to communicate strongly and effectively. Communication is a major factor in finding success in post secondary education and in the work place. When taking a grade 12 university English course, the basic skills of how to communicate effectively are built up and become more refined as opposed to if the course wasn’t taken at all. Having effective communication skills is a huge benefit to have when it comes to dealing with people in your future profession or in social settings. Being able to communicate effectively is an essential skill required in order to understand, inform and make decisions in a timely and accurate manner.
Another skill that I give credence to is the ability to think critically. The ability to think critically is one of the most important skills that is needed in life as it teaches us how to analyze facts and help us to form judgment. Critical thinking is also a skill that is universal just like communication. No matter what path is chosen after secondary school, the ability to think critically is always a strong asset to have in the bag. Critical thinking also allows us to express ourselves in unique and creative ways. By being able to think critically, this allows for problem solving in creative ways by being able to fully analyze what is blocking the way while providing suitable outcomes.
In conclusion, I strongly believe that it should be mandatory for all students looking to pursue a university post secondary education to be enrolled and gain a credit for a university level grade 12 English course because it will refine the skills that are needed for obtaining a higher level of education. Without the the grade 12 university English course it will be very difficult to compete in a growing competitive market for university programs which can lead to future obtainable employment.
The Ontario Curriculum Grades 11 and 12. http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary/english1112curr.pdf.
Duncans Thoughts 
This is very informative! I like how you gave examples of professions that might require English in different ways. I also like the points you made about critical thinking and communication skills because those are very important skills to have for the future. Many different things learned in a university-level grade 12 English can definitely be used in any profession and in university. You made great points in this post, very well done!
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