By: Kandice Thorn
Doctors have instruments; engineers have numbers and stuff (or so I'm told); lawyers have language. For a practicing lawyer, facility with language is not just a plus, it is a requirement. For non-native-English-speaking LL.M. students who will be searching for jobs in the U.S., this means that getting up to speed on the language is of the utmost importance.
Fortunately, the LL.M. program provides tremendous opportunities for you to improve both your oral and written communication skills in English. Here are five things you can do to improve your English quickly:
1. Join a student group. Collaboration requires communication - volunteer to spearhead an event for the student group and you'll find yourself with plenty of opportunities to practice your communication skills!
2. Study in the library. Just being in the environment can help you soak in the language - much more than sitting alone in your room. And it's a bonus if you can take a coffee break every once in a while with an English-speaking friend!
3. Write a paper. It's a challenge to write a paper in another language, but you'll really find your English writing skills improved for the effort.
4. Get out of your comfort zone. It is certainly easy and comforting to hang out with a few friends from your home country who are going through the exact same things you are, but it's not going to improve your English skills. Expand your group to include people from other countries - it will force the conversation to shift to English.
5. Attend classes regularly. This is mandatory anyway, but here's yet another reason why class attendance is important. You'll find your comprehension growing rapidly as the semester progresses. Each class you attend is an opportunity to expand your comprehension ability!
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