"My words fly up, my thoughts remain below: Words without thoughts never to heaven go." From Hamlet, Act III (Shakespeare)

Few scholars have mastered the creative use of language arts better than William Shakespeare (1564-1616). He brilliantly wrote at least 38 plays and 154 sonnets. Over 1700 common English words and phrases are reported to have their origin in his works, including the following words: addiction, advertising, fixture, lonely, assassination, cold-blooded and gossip. In English-speaking countries, he has been quoted more than any other author in history; and Shakespeare’s plays are the most widely performed in the western world.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the language arts are defined as “the subjects (reading, spelling, literature, and composition) that aim at developing the student's comprehension and capacity for use of written and oral language”.

The basic foundation of communication skills is generally constructed through progressive language arts instruction in elementary, junior high and high school. Thereafter, depending upon the student, these skills may be expanded through college studies, career training, extensive reading, world travel, focused self-study or by utilizing the vast resources available on the internet.

The language arts are considered to be the building blocks of nearly all formal education. Those who become skilled in the subjects covered by this category usually experience a definite advantage in the classroom, on the job, and throughout life. Proficiency in the language arts is required in most white-collar and other careers – including the fields of business, education, journalism, broadcasting, public relations, theater arts, sales, politics, writing & editing, and the tourist industry.

Additional training in the language arts may become necessary when moving into management positions, or when seeking promotion into paperwork-laden jobs. In order to obtain these supplementary skills while employed, it may be advisable to enroll in online classes offered through local traditional colleges, or to take advantage of online degree programs offered through accredited schools. DirectoryofSchools.com offers a wide selection of accredited online degrees in the liberal arts as well as individual online classes in the language arts.

For those students entering college from high school, choosing a college major in the liberal arts will generally provide all of the necessary language arts skills required in one’s chosen future career.