How do you understand the curriculum of English major

高雨果

When it comes to curriculum，it can be hard to pinpoint what curriculum really is.From my perspective，curriculum is a term that describes everything that students learn in school.

The curriculum for majors attracts the attention of quite a few people for the reason that it is the main content of the training mode.Nowadays，many students choose to place their faith in technology，science，and economics.Equally crucial is the English major.

As is known to all，the English major's skill set is not tied to technology or markets.Department of English is a place where students intensely discuss what they love，such as novels，poems，plays，paintings，films，comics，video games and other art forms------along with theoretical and philosophical questions to the study of literature and culture.When being asked by the people around me，why am I majoring in English，I don't know how to answer this question exactly.

After a semester of study in the college，I hold the view that I have the answer to the question and understand the curriculum of English major somehow.Let me take this semester's course as an example.

From English Reading，we know how to interpret complex texts and read with understanding and insight.At the same time，we develop perspectives on humankind nature and cultural values through American，British，and other English literature，which lifts our tastes in English as well.Linguistics offers us an understanding of how languages function structurally and how they shape and respond to the cultures around them.Introduction to English gives us a general understanding of major and makes us gain the motivation to study.

Although some students do not know about the future，we do know that we can go on to postgraduate study not only in English but in such areas as laws，businesses，medicines，education，or other liberal disciplines.What's more，we can also improve our English skills through tests，such as the TEM 4，TEM 8，IELTS and TOEFL.All the teaching guidance simulates our interests and makes us look forward to the future.English Phonetics，Elementary English Listening and Oral English do us a favor to build the listening and speaking ability，which are essential components of English comprehensive abilities.

Though theses courses are the basics in the English major，they are of great significance for us newcomers and spark our immediate intellectual excitement.What's more，this categorization of curriculum of English major is an essential guarantee to improve our classroom teaching efficiency.It is difficult for me to imagine how inefficient our studies would be provided that we didn't have the carefully selected curriculum by our school.

Thanks to the rational curriculum design and stage teaching，it is feasible for us to get suitable courses in accordance with our levels and needs.Merely in this way，can we English majors study more efficiently and improve our abilities to comprehend gradually.

Except for the unified curriculum of school，taking part in some meaningful activities relevant to English also plays a significant part in our study.English Corner is a good place having a strong language learning environment，where we can not only find some partners practicing oral English and exchange English study experience，but also get a stage for self-presentation and self-improvement.All these interactions made positive contributions to broadening our sight，raising our interests in English，and enriching our colorful amateur lives.

Anyone who has concerned about the current situation of graduates' job hunting would not fail to notice that the low-level of English account for their unemployment to a great extent.Some of them have high degrees in good colleges but they still feel difficult to find an ideal job as a consequence of their inferior English ability.There are a number of students who had got their CET-6 license before their job hunting，but they still have not enough qualification to accept the offer.Why？ For the cause that some of them just got a license，but their real ability of English was not high.To name only a few，some of them pass the exam but their oral English is not qualified for the jobs.Therefore，a license is not enough to certificate our real level of English.

As English majors，our degrees in English will make us valuable to employers and useful to the world.With the real ability staying with us，no matter how low the employment rate，we still have confidence to get a good job.The present challenges lead quite a few people to place their faith in technology，science，and economics.Equally important is the ability to articulate values and alternatives，to persuade others to share a common vision.For example，major tech companies，including Google，actively pursue English majors and others from the humanities who can not only illustrate how technology works but also what it means.

Corporations and governments increasingly ask：how do we communicate better with the global spread of English？ As an English major，I hold the view that I'll be able to tell them.It is widely recognized that only our degrees are not enough to distinguish us from the crowded field of candidates.Though college degrees，professional certificates and experience help us meet the minimum criteria to apply，once we get the chance to interview，communication，self management and behavioral skills combined with our presence is what will distinguish us from the competition.

Our level of professionalism will relate directly to the degree to which we will rise above the crowd.Through the wide variety of literary-critical approaches we encounter in classes，English majors cultivate the analytical capacities that will continue to serve us in our personal and professional lives long after graduation.Its value never depreciates，and lies beyond price.

From the people-oriented point of view，the curriculum of English major will improve our integrative competence，including character，creative thinking，critical reasoning，language ability，sound personality，cultural knowledge and consciousness，and help shape us into all-round development of education.The skills we acquire in college are not just things we know about，they are skills which will put us in the dynamic world.

As a freshman in the university，my understanding of the curriculum of English major may be shallow and temporary.I do believe that after my four years of college experience and study，my understanding will be different and deeper.

（作者單位：河南省南阳市五中）