There are many reasons as to why English is a compulsory subject till level 2. We utilize many different skills that English provides not only during class but in the wider scheme of things. This subject will have you working across the board from dissecting and researching various different texts, to then crafting and honing your very own writing styles. Formal writing, creative writing- you name it you will be well versed in when you study this subject this year. English is broad and specific at the same time, diving deep into little avenues of thought, but still covering a wide scope of entry-level English discussion and literature. What are the skills that you learn during NCEA Level 2 English that really set you up for a successful career? Let’s jump into these now!
If you want an overview of the whole year, including externals, check out this here. Maybe you're wanting some advice on how to craft those tricky essay questions? Or get some assistance on working in tandem with those annotated exemplars. Struggling to make your way through English level 2, well we look at navigating those tricky internal assessments here.
English is everywhere, no matter what field
Speaking, writing and listening are all common skills that will be utilized in your career long after your NCEA Level 2 English class. Everything from verbal to non-verbal communication, plus written and visual communication. In short, we all talk and communicate, therefore having a good set of basic English skills will put you in good stead when finding a job in your field. Talking is a staple of life. It’s how we engage with the world around us. In fact, it would be very difficult to get away with not engaging with some form of English in your career journey. So what is English good for? What skills can you learn?
Cover-letters
To secure that all-important first job you will need to have a well thought out, clear and concise letter that helps give context to your CV. Why is this important? Well, it gives your potential employer a good idea if you are right for the job, passionate and competent. English prepares you for this, don’t worry. English focuses on grammar and punctuation for some assessments as well as the flow and control of your writing. This also gets you ready for NCEA Level 3 English if you choose to take it then. If you’re looking for inspiration outside of school once you’ve been endorsed with levels 2 and 3, then having a good understanding of English and its spelling, and punctuation secrets are going to be beneficial for you. You could utilize this knowledge for writing a top-notch cover letter or simply by signing your email off correctly and with impact.
Speaking up!
During your year you will participate in planning, researching, writing and delivering a speech to your class. Sounds scary, doesn’t it? But don’t worry, you will learn all the language features to fill to the brim with and be home and hosed. Why on earth does the subject demand for speeches and the use of your voice? Well, that’s because the voice is a powerful tool that can be showcased in a wide variety of future work settings. Regardless of what industry you end up in, chances are you will need to converse with your colleagues or even clients to communicate important ideas. Be it a quick PowerPoint presentation or a pitch for an idea, there will be chances to present yourself with your best voice forward. Even if you go into construction, communicating effectively with your colleagues and boss is not to be sneezed at. Words are powerful, and together with NCEA Level 2 English, you will learn how to have a good command of the English language. Leaning into language features like Voice and Body. How fast are you speaking and is this drawing attention to the right points, or perhaps are you not utilising the build-up of pace when your speaking?
Researching skills
Why you ask are you to slave away at writing all those essays and uncover themes from films and books? How will this be beneficial to you later down the track you ask? Well, for one NCEA Level 2 English helps develop your research skills. You are encouraged to be well-read in the ideas that you take in and the information that you concisely dissect. Research skills can be helpful in a range of fields, communications for one would be a big one. But if you work in an industry that is client-based, then the ability to research those client pools is very valuable. The art of gathering information and then deciding what is credible and what is valuable to then move forward. Even if you don’t use these tools in your career, they can still be helpful in everyday life. But why essays you ask? Well, writing essays for English helps you at crafting persuasive arguments in a well-structured way, as well as having a good grasp on new topics and responding to ideas critically. Essay writing trains your brain to bring a sense of fluency and coherency to your thoughts. Even if you end up in a job that doesn’t require the written word, you will always need to structure your thoughts and ideas in a coherent and effective manner.
Get creative
For your future career, you might need to showcase your visual skills. NCEA Level 2 English gives room for you to hone your creative side. Visual skills are going to be important for a whole range of future careers and likely put you in good competition with your other colleagues. For the static image achievement standard, you will be utilising colour, symbols and lettering, all there to create a certain mood or show a theme. Maybe you need to draft up a flyer for your hairdressing business, or you are designing a poster for your event coming up, whatever you do, having a good grasp of design principles might help you out later. You might even need to do a presentation at work one day or design a logo for a company? The options are endless, and with static images under your belt, you will be halfway there to designing something really great. The ability to think visually is in equal parts just as important to writing about a film or delivering a speech. It teaches you to tug on human emotions and communicate a message in a more emotive way that can deepen the meaning of the receiver. Later in level 3, you will also be grateful for the knowledge learned as there will be other visual assessments to craft.
Language features are always going to be important!
In your unfamiliar text journey, somewhere between the groans and fists waving in the air, you might ask yourself why are we doing this? Unfamiliar texts are important because it helps to enhance your ability on making judgements of pieces of media and texts. This is less of a necessity and more about this assessment helping you enrich your life with your relationships with texts. Being a more well-rounded individual and having a sense of community and connection to the themes that you study makes you an attractive candidate. Employers want someone who is focused on the job but also is empathetic, so that they can deal will colleagues better or make more tricky decisions.
Unfamiliar texts is designed to test your knowledge of English techniques. Why should this be done? Why do I need to know the difference between a simile and a metaphor? And you would be right if you say that this is more an embellishing aspect of language. If you are able to identify techniques of language then you have the ability to see and make connections, which can form judgements. Texts are encoded with meaning and it’s your job to unravel each aspect of what the author is trying to suggest and weigh that up from your perspective. Proverbs, Jargon and Irony are techniques used in Unfamiliar text that all shape our shared reality through words. You could opt for using these in your day to day life. Jargon for instance will come up a lot In your career, across all industries: construction, communication, law, medicine etc.
Still, stuck? Needing some more support..
Superprof is an online tutoring website that is designed to help get you to the next level. If you are still wanting extra guidance, log on to Superprof and check out the array of tutors available, each ready to help you with your studies. They can help with providing some resources, give you feedback on your essays or achievement standards or simply be there to support you with your next assessment. Your first session is free so there really is an incentive to try and get started. Log on to Superprof today!
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