EX. 1 FIND SYNONYMS TO THE FOLLOWING TERMS

 

academic (scholastic; educational; scholarly; theoretical)

comprehensive  (full; extensive; inclusive; all-embracing; catholic; sweeping; general)

mandatory (required; compulsory; binding; obligatory; necessary)

research  (investigation; study; exploration)

to instruct (teach; educate; tutor; train; coach)

tuition  (fees; cost; charge; bill)

vocation (profession; work; trade; calling; occupation)

 

EX. 2 STUDY EDUCATIONAL VOCABULARY AND FILL IN THE GAPS

 

1. At the … stage children are taught by one teacher nearly all the time, whereas at

 the … stage they have a different teacher for each subject. 2. Independent schools, unlike … schools are fee-paying. 3. Many further education institutions take not only full-time students but also … students. 4. Students are … to British universities mainly on the basis of their results in the examinations. 5. All … for admission to courses must be made through the central Council on Admissions. 6. There were five … for every place this year. 7. He applied to Leeds University and was …. 8. It is important to establish a good relationship between … and students. 9. Mrs. Smith teaches only the first and second …. 10. In many secondary schools the pupils are …, that is, they are divided into the parallel classes according to their achievement. 11. Some comprehensive schools find it difficult to maintain … standards. 12. The wearing of school uniform is … in most English schools. 13. The university … is more academic than that of colleges of education. 14. They need an enthusiastic teacher who is willing to help with … activities. 15. He … them how to use the film projector. 16. You needn’t teach the subjunctive; it’s not on the …. 17. Training for a particular occupation is called … training.

 

(Key: 1. elementary; secondary; 2. public; 3. part-time; 4. admitted; 5. applications;  

6. applicants; 7. accepted; 8. staff; 9. grades/forms/years; 10. streamed; 11. academic; 12. compulsory/obligatory; 13. curriculum; 14. extra-curricular/after-school;

15. instructs; 16. syllabus; 17. vocational.)

EX. 3 EXPLAIN THE TERMS AND GIVE THEIR RUSSIAN EQUIVALENTS

Comprehensive school; eleven-plus examination; boarding school; further education; graduate student; faculty; applicant; sandwich courses; tutor; streaming; grant; humanities; tuition; educator.

 

EX. 4 a) LISTEN AND REPEAT SHORT PHRASES AFTER THE TEACHER

  b) LISTEN AND TRANSLATE THE PHRASES

1. American Coastline University offers a wide range of academic degree programs.

2. Most of the work can be completed on your computer and transmitted via Internet.

3. The program is designed to improve the student’s professional and personal growth

4.  Students must take an average of at least two courses per year.

5. The program instils an appreciation for individual research and lifelong learning.

6. Some of the students do full-time courses, but many have jobs.

7. The president has proposed a national service program to help young people pay for college.

8. Most formal education after school is done in the various community colleges.

9. A school with a good reputation may attract the more academically inclined.

10. In many inner-city schools, the teacher’s main task is to keep disruption to a minimum.

11. The old practice of ‘streaming’ means teaching children in classes separated according to ability.

 

 

Translate the following text in writing. Pay attention to the use of educational terms.

CONTROL OF EDUCATION

 

There are two significant influences on American education which give it its present character, its size, and its great variety at all levels. The first influence is legal, or governmental. The second is cultural.

 

The United States does not have a national system of education. Education is considered to be a matter for the people of each state. Although there is a federal Department of Education, its function is merely to gather information, to advise, and to help finance certain educational programs. Education, Americans say, is “a national concern, a state responsibility, and a local function.” Each of the 50 states legislatures is free to determine its own system for its own public schools.

 

State constitutions give the actual administrative control of the public school districts within the 50 states. School boards made up of individual citizens elected from each community oversee the schools in each district. They set school policy and actually decide what is to be taught.

There is, then, a very large amount of local control. The public schools are very much community schools. They must have local public support, because citizens vote directly in how much they want to pay for school taxes. They must represent local wishes and educational interests, as those who administer the schools are elected by the community.

 

There are a great many city or county-owned colleges and universities, and many are supported by the states. In general, colleges and universities, whether state or private, are quite free to determine their own individual standards, admissions, and graduation requirements.

The major result of this unusual situation is that there is an enormous amount of variety and flexibility in elementary, secondary, and higher (university) education throughout the nation. For example, in about 60 percent of the states, local schools are free to choose any teaching materials or textbooks which they think are appropriate. In the remaining states, only such teaching materials may be used in public schools which have been approved by the state boards of education. Some universities are virtually free to residents of the state, with only token fees. Others are expensive, especially for out-of-state students, with tuition fees in the thousands of dollars each year. Some school systems are, like their communities, extremely conservative, some very progressive and liberal. These and other substantial differences must always be considered when describing American schools.

 

Because local and state taxes support the public schools, there are also significant differences in the quality of education. Communities and states that are able or willing to pay more for schools, buildings, materials, and teachers almost always have better educational systems than those that cannot or do not.

Local control of the schools has also meant that there is a great deal of flexibility. There is much opportunity to experiment and to fit programs to local wishes and needs. State-supported universities and colleges also to some degree tailor their courses of study to the needs of the states and the students.

Dictation-translation

GOALS OF EDUCATION

 

The cultural influences on American education are just as important, but more difficult to define. Basically, Americans have always aimed for equal opportunity in education, regardless of social class, national origin, or racial or ethnic group. A high general level of education has always been seen as a necessity in this democratic society. Education in America has also traditionally served the goal of bringing people together, that is, of “Americanization”. Schools in the U.S. serve to bring together the hundreds of various cultural and linguistic groups, religions, and social and political backgrounds represented by millions and millions of immigrants.

 

But largely, education has been seen as a way of “bettering oneself, ” of “rising in the world, ” as a fundamental part of the American Dream. Thus the millions of immigrants coming to America often tied their hopes for a better life to a good education for themselves and, most importantly, for their children. The social and economic mobility of Americans comes largely from the easy access to education that most Americans have enjoyed. The first step up - whether the ultimate goal was money, status, power, or simply knowledge - usually started at the school door.

 

 

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