The greatest advantage of majoring in English is the wide range of career opportunities you get. If you have a stronghold over English communication, you can become a teacher in a school at the primary, secondary or higher secondary level, or a professor or lecturer in college or university. You can even become an editor or a publisher. Journalism too is the most commonly sought after career nowadays that English graduates pursue.
You even have the option of pursuing TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other languages)/ TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) Certificate Course and go abroad to teach English to those who do not know it! You can do it right after your graduation for 6-7 months and get a chance to go to a foreign language with very good pay in hand per month.
However, before you can think about the job opportunities, you have to make sure that your English is up to the mark. In this article, we are going to give you 7 tips on how you can improve or enhance your English when in college.
Be Active
When in college, it’s important that you be active by participating in different college activities like debates, plays, elocution competitions, fests, etc. This will enhance your public speaking skills and develop leadership qualities, thus, making you a confident individual. Even if you feel shy or are scared to speak in public, give yourself a little push. If you stay in your comfort zone, your progress might slow down, or even stop. Even in classrooms, do not hesitate to raise questions and volunteer for classroom readings. Come forward when teachers ask you to take up certain responsibilities. Don’t feel scared of making mistakes. Your teachers will correct you only when they hear you speak.
Practice Four Core Skills
Reading, writing, listening, and speaking are the four skills you must have command on. Write as many thoughts and ideas on paper, listen to English songs, watch English movies and web series, read, magazines, books, poems, dramas, or anything that interests you. Speak as much as possible. If you do not feel comfortable speaking in English in front of your family or friends, record your voice on mobile phones. Join English conversation groups. Use forums and community websites because you won’t feel shy about talking in English with people who don’t know you.
Build Strong Vocabulary
Make it a habit to read a newspaper every day, and note down at least 15-20 difficult words you find. Make a diary or notebook, and write synonyms and antonyms of those words, make sentences using them and try to use those words in everyday conversation.
Ask for help
If you get stuck somewhere, ask for help from your family, friends, teachers, or relatives and Don’t waste your time thinking that your doubt is stupid and what they will think. Care about learning more.
Do Internships
This is probably the best thing you can do. As you are still in college, you will know what market demands from the English graduates. You will gain a valuable work experience here. Since you are an intern, you can make mistakes and learn from them. Getting paid will be a bonus but, even if you do not get paid, do it for sake of knowledge and your bright future. Such internships can develop and refine the skills that you already have and will give you an edge in the market. You will gain confidence in yourself.
Make best use of Internet
Internet currently has become an ocean of knowledge. There are websites and various apps on the internet which are dedicated solely to teach English to its users. You can even read blogs and articles online and try writing it for yourself. Making this as your habit can surely increase your knowledge on a range of topics. It will also improve your vocabulary.
Don’t Limit Yourself
There are a lot of people who think that specializing in English is no good. They think that it is useful only if you are planning to be a teacher or a professor. Don’t listen to them and get demotivated. Specializing in English promises more opportunities as we saw right in the beginning. Always remember that hard work is the key to success. If you keep practicing more and more, you will achieve what you want to. Don’t stop believing in yourself and keep following your interests. Believe that you have a purpose in life and devote yourself to it.
