Running Head: THE IMPORTANCE OF ENGLISH LEARNING

The Importance of English Learning in Education

Kaiyun Chen
School of Education & Health, Manhattan College

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Abstract
Students, at an inquisitive age, would ask questions in regard to the environment they
are in. One frequently asked question in school is: Why do I have to learn this? As an
English educator, the ability to accurately react to such question should involve an
immediate response. This paper serves to provide teachers with information that can
construct answers encouraging students to develop stronger interests in the learning
experience of English language and literature. The research suggest that the Common
Core State Standards allow the teacher to deliver knowledge and skills to the students.
These learned materials will contribute to help the students develop readiness for their
future college and career paths. Furthermore, the learned information will also help
students to build a stronger ability in understanding the materials from other subject
areas in education, as well as to have a stronger development as a person.
Keywords: inquisitive, English literature, Common Core State Standards, college, career

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The Importance of English Learning in Education

From learning the ABC's to reading classic literature, the English language
comes into play throughout the whole life of a New York State student. The language of
English is more than just a piece of art, it is also an essential piece of the puzzle that
connects students to many other aspects of their lives. Socially, the ability to
communicate in the language helps students to develop stronger relationships with
other people, such as their peers or teachers. Skill in English communication opens up
many more roads for people to meet and build a connection with each other. In addition
to that, academically, the language allows students to better understand other subject
areas, as well as to reach higher college and career readiness. In education, learning
English is important. Both the students and the teachers must get to that understanding
in order to answer the question: Why do they have to learn this?
Some students who may have newly immigrated to the country might argue that
learning the English language is not essential to their lives. The reason given could be
because English is not an official language in the United States. However, the students
should be reminded that it is a language heavily used not only in the United States, but
the whole world. In fact, some parts of the world- including several cities in China,
require students to be taught English at a basic level. With that in mind, learning English
is not only a national norm, but a global development.
In results of recognizing the importance of English learning in education, systems
are formed to provide a stable structure for the process of teaching. The New York State
Common Core Standards (CCSS), for example, is a system that allows the teachers to

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follow the development of their lesson planning while following the development of their
students' abilities and skills.
Not understanding the importance of English learning is a serious problem in
education. In the article, "Teacher Development to Support English Language Learners
in the Context of Common Core State Standards," the authors focus on the way
teachers learn and grow to become more effective in teaching. The article points out the
impacts from valuable learning of English through the Common Core structure. Santos,
Darling- Hammond, and Cheuk (2012) suggest that learning other subjects is based "on
language and literacy and builds on the CCSS in ELA" (Pg.2). More thoroughly, it is
significant to learn English in order to form better understanding on other subject areas
such as math and science. In addition to that, the introduction to CCSS document
further suggest the importance of English learning as the title for the piece be
"Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/ Social Studies, Science,
and Technical Subjects." Through this, the reader may indicate that the English
language is not only important to the subject itself, but rather, all subjects. Any other
subject that requires reading and comprehending skills to help develop deeper
understanding of the materials needs the English language as a base skill for the
students.
How can students "translate between and among words, numbers, tables,
diagrams, and symbols" (Santos, Darling- Hammond, and Cheuk. 2012. Pg.2) in
mathematics, if they do not know the skills in reading and comprehending the read
information? Educators are responsible for helping students reach their fullest potential
in learning. It is well supported that one of the most effective ways is encouraged by the

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article and the document on the Standards to help students to learn the English
language.
The article continues to support the learning of English through explaining how
the Common Core State Standards for ELA (2016) "reflect the demands of college and
career readiness:

An emphasis on text complexity and language (academic vocabulary and

function).
Increased emphasis on building knowledge from informational text.
Expectation that students will produce and use evidence in text to justify their
views." (Pg. 1)

As indicated from this list, the skills that the students will acquire may help them not only
in their high school academic career, but also their occupation and college career in the
future.
In support for that idea, the introduction document to the CCSS states that the
standards aim to use tactics in English language to help students obtain skills so that
"many more students than at present can meet the requirements of college and career
readiness." These are the ultimate goals, the transfer goals, which educators aim for the
students to achieve as learners. Learning English will be the worthy step to take in order
to help them reach these goals.
In the Bunch, Kiblr, and Pimentel's (2012) "Realizing Opportunities for English
Learners in the Common Core English Language Arts and Disciplinary Literacy
Standards," there is more evidence to support English learning. The authors of the text
state two of the insights about language as: "[English Learners] in communities of
practice with teachers and peers in order to develop students' independence [and]

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Literacy involves social practices as well as cognitive processes... participants have

different purposes and take on different roles and identities" (Bunch, Kibler, and
Pimentel. 2012. Pg. 2). As one may determine from this, while the students should
obtain growth and development academically, the learning of English also encourages
personal development. Learning English can help the learner to acquire communication
skills that will assist the student to become more involved with the community. Hence,
by developing this character, a student becomes more capable of understanding
identities being played in the society through analysis and meaning-making skills
obtained through learning English.
Similar to Santos, Darling- Hammond, and Cheuk's written text, Bunch, Kiblr, and
Pimentel's article also points out the importance of English learning toward preparing for
the student's future. As stated, the skills studied through learning English are "essential
for success in the argument-based culture of universities as well as todays diverse,
information-rich professional environments" (Bunch, Kibler, and Pimentel. 2012. Pg. 5).
One of the main purposes for education is student success. While the English language
prepares students for achieving goals in school presently, it continues to help prepare
students for achieving hopes and dreams toward a brighter future. It is unarguable that
being able to communicate, write, or understand information through learning the
English language is important for greater success.
Many ideas in both written texts accurately point out the answer toward the
question: Why do I have to learn English? However, do not let one question be the
essential challenge of learning! While understanding why learning English is worthwhile,
other questions may be asked to keep both the teacher and the students on track to

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conduct more meaningful investigations toward the subject area. Questions such as:
What do I have to learn? or How can I learn this? serve as guides to help inquisitive
students fulfill their learning goals in education.
With the duty and responsibility as an educator, it is important for the teacher to
also set goals for him or herself. When learning the English language, students should
be able to recognize the answer to the question: Why do I have to learn this? The
answer will reveal to the students if the educator successfully reaches the goals to
assist students to use what they learned to connect it to different aspects in their lives.
The two articles, along with the Standards, suggest strong and agreeable claims to
explain how important English learning is in education. What is expected through these
readings is the development of understanding for a deeper appreciation toward the
content area of English. However, this is an expectation not only for the teachers, but
also for the students. Therefore, in order for students to get to that expectation, the
future educators must go into teaching with full confidence and respect toward teaching
the English language as more than a piece of art, but an essential piece connecting the
learner to the present and future world around him or her.

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References
Bunch, C. G., Kibler, A., & Pimentel, S. (2012) Realizing Opportunities for English
Learners in the Common Core English Language Arts and Disciplinary Literacy
Standards. Understanding Language. Retrieved October 05, 2016, from
http://ell.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/pdf/academicpapers/01_Bunch_Kibler_Pimentel_RealizingOpp%20in%20ELA_FINAL_0.pdf

Santos, M., Darling-Hammond, L., & Cheuk, T. (2012) Teacher Development to Support
English Language Learners in the Context of Common Core State Standards.
Understanding Language. Retrieved October 02, 2016, from
http://ell.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/pdf/academic-papers/10-Santos LDH
Teacher Development FINAL.pdf

Standards for English Language Arts and for Literacy in History/Social Studies and
Science | Introduction. New York State P-12 Common Core Learning Standards
for English Language Arts & Literacy. Retrieved September, 2016, from
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/common_core_standards/pdfdocs/nysp12cclsela.p
df