The English word "extracurricular"

 The English word "extracurricular" (sometimes spelled "extra-curricular") is an adjective that literally means "outside the curriculum." It's primarily used to describe activities that are not a required part of a formal educational program (like school or university), but are often offered or supervised by the institution.

Here's a breakdown of how to use it, with examples:

Definition:

• Formal context (education): Activities for students that are not part of their regular course of study or timetable. These activities are usually voluntary and do not typically carry academic credit.
• Informal context (general): Activities that someone does that are not part of their normal work or routine duties.

Common Usage:

"Extracurricular" is almost always used in combination with "activities" or another noun.

1. Extracurricular activities (most common): This is the most frequent way you'll see the word used. It refers to the wide range of clubs, sports, arts, and volunteer work students engage in outside of their regular classes.

   • Examples:
     • "Joining extracurricular activities like the debate club or the school newspaper can help students develop leadership skills."
     • "Many universities look at a student's extracurricular activities when evaluating their college application."
     • "My daughter is involved in a lot of extracurricular activities, including soccer and piano lessons."
     • "The school offers a wide variety of extracurricular activities to cater to different student interests."

2. Extracurricular activity (singular): When referring to one specific activity.

   • Examples:
     • "Basketball is her favorite extracurricular activity."
     • "Volunteering at the local animal shelter is a valuable extracurricular activity."

3. Extracurricular + (other noun): Less common, but still used.

   • Examples:
     • "She wanted to promote music and drama through extracurricular clubs."
     • "He spends his evenings on extracurricular pursuits like painting and photography."
     • "The company provides funding for employees to participate in extracurricular training related to their personal development." (Here, it means training outside their regular work duties).

What counts as an extracurricular activity?

This can be a broad category, but generally includes:

• Sports: Basketball, soccer, track and field, swimming, tennis, martial arts, etc.
• Clubs: Debate club, science club, drama club, chess club, art club, robotics club, student government, Model UN, etc.
• Arts: Music (band, choir, orchestra), theater, dance, visual arts, creative writing.
• Community Service/Volunteering: Volunteering at a hospital, food bank, animal shelter, environmental cleanup groups.
• Hobbies/Personal Projects: Developing an app, building a website, running a blog, learning a new language independently, a significant creative project.
• Work Experience: Part-time jobs, internships (especially if they are not for academic credit).

Why are extracurricular activities important?

• Skill Development: They help students develop important skills like teamwork, leadership, time management, problem-solving, communication, and discipline.
• Personal Growth: They allow students to explore interests, discover passions, build self-confidence, and learn more about themselves.
• Socialization: They provide opportunities to meet new people with similar interests and build friendships.
• College Applications/Resumes: They demonstrate a well-rounded personality, commitment, initiative, and can make an applicant stand out.

Informal or broader use:

While primarily associated with education, "extracurricular" can be used more broadly to refer to anything done outside one's main responsibilities or routine work, sometimes with a humorous or even slightly negative connotation (e.g., "extracurricular affairs" for an affair outside of marriage, though this is less common and can be seen as old-fashioned).

In most contexts, however, especially when discussing education or personal development, "extracurricular" is a positive and useful term.