Lesson 2
Introduction
W
e
discussed the education system in Russia at the previous lesson. In
general the second and high education in Russia is free, but there
are also non-government universities and private schools and a
fee-paying form of education at government universities. Today we are
talking about the education system in Great Britain.
Look at the photo:
This is the building of one of the oldest Universities in Great Britain. It has got the name of the city it is situated in. The history of the University and the city started at the same time in the 12th century as the result of the migration of students. What University is this? What do you know about it?
Find out more: http://www.ox.ac.uk
LEXICAL EXERCISES
Active vocabulary
Find suitable definitions to the following words and word combinations, which you learned at the previous lesson:
a person who wants to be a student; sciences that deal with the physical world, considered as a group or as individual subjects such as physics, chemistry, or biology; a school providing education that the children’s parents pay for directly; a school for pupils aged from 6-7 to 17-18; the education, which you get after secondary; general quantity; teaching cost; something, which doesn’t belong to the government; someone who has finished their studies at university or college, usually by getting a degree; a connection between two people, places or facts; obligatory; a company or a person that employs people; elective.
Secondary school, private school, higher education, natural sciences, total number, entrance exam, to pay for tuition, non-governmental, applicant, graduate, employer, link, optional, compulsory; an applicant.
New words
Give synonyms or close meanings of the following words and word combinations and try to pronounce them correctly:
Primary school, comprehensive school, craft, domestic science, woodwork, campus, nursery, tutor, Bachelor degree, preparatory, public schools.
SPEAKING PRACTICE
Read the following text to get the information about the education system in Great Britain:
THE EDUCATION SYSTEM IN GREAT BRITAIN
Education in Britain is provided by the Local Education Authority (LEA). Educational planning and organization are not controlled as much by central government as in many other countries.
Nursery education (under 5 years)
Children do not have to go to school until they reach the age of five, but there is some free nursery-school education before that age.
Private education (5 to 18 years)
Some parents choose to pay for private education in spite of the existence of free state education. Private schools are called by different names to state schools: the preparatory (often called ‘prep’) schools are for pupils aged up to 13, and the public schools are for 13 to 18 year-olds. These schools are very expensive and they are attended by about 5 per cent of the school population.
Secondary education (11 to 16/18 years)
Free secondary education is available to all children in Britain. Children must go to school until the age of 16, and pupils may stay on for one or two years more if they wish. These schools are not selective – you don’t have to pass an exam to go there.
Comprehensive schools
Comprehensive schools want to develop the talents of each individual child. So they offer a wide choice of subjects, from art and craft, woodwork and domestic science to the sciences, modern languages, computer arts, etc. All these subjects are enjoyed by both girls and boys.
Universities
There are more than universities in Britain. Good ‘A’ level results in at least two subjects are necessary to get a place at one. However, good exam passes alone are not enough. Universities choose their students after interviews, and competition for places at university is fierce.
Most 18 and 19 year-olds in Britain are fairly independent people. It is very unusual for university students to live at home.
When they first arrive to the college; first year students are called ‘freshers’. Freshers live near the campus; they can rent a house in their second or third year. During the first week, all the clubs and societies hold a ‘freshers fair’. Students learn how to live alone, also they learn the new way of studying. As well as lectures, there are regular seminars, at which one of a small group of students reads a paper he or she has written. The paper is then discussed by the tutor and the rest of the group.
After three or four years these students will take their finals. Most of them (over 90%) will get a first, second or third class degree and be able to put BA (Bachelor of Arts) or BC (Bachelor of Science) after their name.
Spotlight on Great Britain.
Read and discuss the following questions.
How do British schools differ from schools in your country?
Is it a good thing to leave home at the age of 18?
Many British people believe that if you do nothing more than study hard at university, you will have wasted a great opportunity. What do they mean and do you agree?
Discuss this point in groups of 3-5 students. Giving your opinion you may find the following expressions helpful:
To express your opinion
I think |
I believe that |
In my opinion |
Speaking for myself |
I suppose |
From my point of view |
As for me |
I’m sure |
It seems to me that |
To agree or disagree with somebody
|
Homework
Find additional information from the Internet resources about education in Britain, divide into two teams. The first team finds the differences and the second one – similar features between education systems in Great Britain and Russia.
Resources recommended:
http://www.eng.umu.se/education/Default.htm
http://www.eng.umu.se/education/hist27.htm
Do grammar and revision tests.
Write a short composition about yourselves “My routine day” using the Present Simple Tense sentences.