Education in the USA

Мета:

Практична:     розвивати всі види мовленнєвої діяльності з теми.

Освітня:           поглибити знання учнів з теми.

Розвивальна: розвивати інтелектуальні здібності та вміння логічно висловлювати

                            свою думку.

Виховна:            виховувати почуття відповідальності та взаємодопомоги.

Методико – дидактичне

забезпечення уроку:  матеріали для читання, ксерокопії, програвач,      роздатковий матеріал.

Х І Д   У Р О К У :

1.                Introduction.

Teacher:Today we have a summing – up lesson devoted to the education in the USA.   During the lesson we’ll develop our speaking, listening and reading skills.

               We shall get to know some interesting and important facts related to our topic.

2.  Warming – up.

Teacher: To begin with, let’s talk about the role and place of education in the life of every person. The problems of learning and education have troubled humanity from immortal time.  They are now real too. Guess who is the author of such statements:

1. “A miseducated child is a lost child.»
2. “The fate of empires depends on the education of youth.”
3. “Education is progressive discovery of our ignorance.”
4. “It is essential that students acquire an understanding and a lively feeling for values of the morally good. Otherwise he, with his specialized knowledge, more closely resembles a well – trained dog than a harmoniously developed person.”

1. Aristotle;
2. Will Durant;
3. John Kennedy;
4. Albert Einstein.

                       (1c, 2a, 3b, 4d)

Teacher: Do you agree or disagree or with such statement? What educations mean to you?

Pupil₁:   I agree that education plays an important role in you life. We know nothing at birth. Everything comes through a progress of education. The aim of education is the teaching of values too.

Pupil₂:   But as for me, learning values isn’t enough. True education demands more than possessing information about basic questions of human life. It requires a continuing change of behaviour in as wholesome direction.

Pupil₃ :  Our world is full of knowledge. Knowledge is increasing at incredible pace. This knowledge does not eliminate war, creme and the number of unhappy families. But it is necessary for a better life.

3.         Giving the topic.

Teacher: I share your of view. Now we’ll listen to text about education in the USA. While listening be able to answer these questions:

1. What types of schools are there in the USA?
2.   Is education in all of these schools paid or free?
3.   When do they begin to go to school?
4.   What grades make up the elementary school ( middle and high school)?

4. Listening to the text and discussing the topic.

                    ( Додаток №1)

Teacher: In the USA there are two major divisions in the system of education – public and private schools, colleges and universities.

 A three level school system may be arranged according to the pattern:

Teacher: How do you understand this?

Teacher: Why do such differences exist?

Pupil₁:    Each state has its own board. Education is not subjected to federal control. That’s why the school – level system and curriculum differ.

5. Reading the texts (Group work).

“Elementary school”:

“Higher education”.

(Teacher makes three groups and gives them different texts dealing with education. Each group sends a “messenger” for questions to be answered)

(Додатки №2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

6. Discussing attitude.

The teacher asks the pupils to compare the system of education in the USA and Ukraine.

Pupil₁ : In Ukraine children go to school at 6 or 7. They go to the ordinary schools. In the cities parents send their children to specialized schools like a gymnasium or lyceum. From the very beginning they have a different schedule every day and go to school 5 days a week.

Pupil₂: If they study in a specialized school they attend it 6 days a week. They are involved in other activities too. Children are busier in high school where they study 15 subjects.

Pupil₃ : The school year is divided into 2 semesters. Control papers precede the holidays. The tests have essay or solving questions. Recently the 12 point system was introduced.

Pupil₄ : As for the USA, the classes are longer than in Ukraine. They are 55 minutes not 45. Breaks are only 5 minutes, except for lunch time.

Pupil₅ : Grades are different, “A” is the best. Then goes “B”, “C”,  “D”, “F” is the considered failing. They have many credits.

Pupil₆ : They can pick different courses. The courses may be academic or vocational to teach practical skills. The most popular are art, child care, woodshop, business, and electronics.

 Pupil₁ : Computers play an important part in pupils’ lives. They can do many types of operations on them. But they are afraid that computers may remove the human element from the teacher – student relationship.

7. Questionnaire.

In order to be considered for a school – arship to study in the USA it is important to answer the following questions.

                    (Додaток №7)

8. Summing up
9. Home task (Project work).

Compare the education system in the USA and Britain.

Додаток №1

My name is Joan Hensel, and I am a school secretary. I would like to tell you a little about school in the United States. There are three types of schools: public schools, private schools, and home schools. Most students attend public schools. The government of a city runs these schools. The citizens of the city pay taxes, to pay for the school buildings, teachers’ salaries and equipment and supplies for the school. All citizens of the community must pay taxes to support the schools. Public schools are usually large. Families who want their children to attend private schools must pay tuition. Tuition payments pay for the teachers’ salaries and for buildings and equipment. Private schools are usually smaller than public schools. Some families choose not to send their children to school at all. They educate their children learn best at home. In a home school, the mother and father and children work together to complete academic courses and to learn many life skills. Home schoolers believe that children learn best at home and that parents are the teachers for their own children.

 Students who attend public and private schools usually begin their formal education when they are six years old and continue for at least twelve years. Grades 1 – 5 make up the elementary school. Middle school consistents of grades 6 – 8. High school is grades 9 – 12. When students have completed the 12^th grade, they receive a high. School diploma. At this point, students may go to college. In college the student will eventually specialize in one area of study, such as mathematics, science, history, literature, theology, or foreign language. At the end of four years, he or she will earn a Bachelor degree. The student who wants to continue his or her education after college may enter graduate school and work to earn a Master’s degree or a doctoral degree. A student may also elect to enter a professional school to prepare to be a doctor, denist, or lawyer. I am a secretary of a High School, which is private school. My job is the office and to assist the Principal, teachers and students. Our school is quite small, but we have wonderful teachers and students. Our students must study hard to learn English literature, history, mathematics, science, and Spanish.

Додаток №2

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

The elementary school course is from six to nine years in length, the ordinary period being eight years. Pupils enter at about six years of age. In cities the elementary schools are usually in session for five hours daily, except Saturday and Sunday, beginning at 9 a.m. there is an intermission, usually of an hour at midday, and short recesses during the sessions. In small rural schools, pupils are usually ungraded and are taught singly or in varying groups. In cities and towns, in the majority of schools, there is a careful graduation of pupils, and promotions from grade to grade are made at intervals of a year or of a half year. Classes are frequently divided into A, B and C groups according to speed of learning. The best schools have the most elastic system of graduation and frequent promotions.

Within this general pattern of elementary school education there has been a certain change in resent years. Today children in the first three grades are being introduced to algebra and geometry, subjects that formerly were reserved for the secondary school years. A programmer that began experimentally in the early 1960’s gives children the basic facts of economics in the first grade, and continues this subject right through secondary school. Elementary school children are being taught concepts of science  which formerly were thought to be too profound for them. The traditional elementary school courses in history are also being widened.

Додаток №3

SECONDARY  EDUCATION

Texnological development and automation eleminate jobs of the unskilled category, and necessitate more training by young people. This creates unique demands on the public high school, which must educate all young people living in a particular area and provide a variety of curricula to meet their different needs.

Although there are some tehnical, vocational, and specialized high school in the United States the typical high school is comprehensive in nature.

The objectives of the co comprehensive high school are to provide:

1. general education for all students;
2. subjects useful to those who will leave high school for employment or marriage;
3. necessary proparatory education for those planning to enter colleges and universities.

There is a great variety of American high school and colleges have some form of student goverment and a wide array of students clubs. Аctivities may range from a debating and sport clubs to a chorus or perhaps a string quartet.

No one high school is exactly like another. Both peblic and private school posess a high degree of autonomy in organizing and developing their educational programmes.

The United States has the shortest school year in the world, an average of 200 days, compared with 220 to 240 days in most other lands. This short school year dates from the country’s agricultural era, when children were needed at home on the farm throughout the growing season.

Sinse 1900, when the number of public high schools began to grow rapidly the proportion of students enrolled in such Independent Schools has remained a very small part of the total. This of school, however, continues to play a significant role in American education, especially in the north – eastern part of the United States. These schools have considerable prestige today and attract many more applicants than they can accept as student.

Додаток №4

HIGHER EDUCATION

There is no national system of higher education in the United States. Instead, there are over 2,100 separate institutions ranging from two – year  “junior” colleges to complex universities, and from technical institutes to classical liberal arts colleges.

Classes usually begin in September and end  in June. Of course, there are many variations on this, with summer sessions offered in almost all major institutions.

In the typical American liberal arts college, even if part of a large university, the first two years are devoted to “general education”. This prescribed programme consists of English literature and composition, a foreign language, science, social science and mathematics. Often too, the programme includes broad survey courses for general knowledge from which the student can go on to a specialized interest in the junior year. This interest is usually termed a “major” or “field of concentration”. A second field of interest, in which one takes almost as many courses, is often called a “minor”.

During one term or semester, a student will study, concurrently, four or five different subjects. The students’ progress is often evaluated through quizzes (short oral or written tests), term papers, and a final examination in each course. Each part of a student’s work in a course is given a mark, which helps to determine his final grade. A student’s record consists of his grade in each course. This system is unlike that of most European countries.

College grades, determined by each instruction on the basis of class work and examinations, are usually on a five-point scale, with letters to indicate the levels of achievement. “A” is the highest mark, indicating superior accomplishment, and the letter go through B, C, and D, to E or F, which denotes failure. Many school assign points for each grade (A = 5, B = 4, etc.) so that grade – point averages may be computed. Normally, a minimum grade – point average is required to continue in school and graduate.

Додаток №5

Answer the questions.

1.   What is the main division in the education system of the USA?
2.   What schools do the majority of American children attend?
3.   Who controls public school?
4. It there any uniformity in the organization and curricula of American schools?
5.   What is the compulsory school age in the majority of the states?
6.   How many grades are there in American elementary and secondary schools?
7.   What subjects does the programme of elementary school include?
8.   What does the high school prepare young people for?
9.   What program’s of study may a high school student follow?
10. What activities are sponsored by the school outside its academic program?

Додаток №7

QUESTIONNAIRE

1. What is the national symbol of America?

1. The rose.
2. The bald eagle.
3. The shamrock.

2. Which is the United States’ capital?

1. New York City
2. Chicago.
3. Washington.

3. Who was the first president of the U.S.A.?

1. Abraham Lincoln.
2. George Washington
3. Franklin D. Roosevelt.

4. The American flag has

1. thirteen stripes;
2. thirty stripes;
3. sixty stripes;

5. Where is the Statatue of Liberty situated?

1. In New York.
2. In California.
3. In Washington.

6. When do Americans celebrate Independence Day?

1. June 14
2. July 4
3. January 15

7. Who was the first man on the moon?

1. Jury Gagarin
2. Neil Armstrong
3. Peter Kennedy.

8. What is the national sport in America?

1. Football
2.  Baseball
3. Soccer. 

9. Which is the largest city in the United States?

1. Los Angeles.
2. Boston
3.  New York.

10. When was the national flag of the U.S.A. adopted?

1. May 15, 1907.
2. June 14, 1777.
3. August 10, 1867.

(1b, 2c, 3b, 4a, 5a, 6b, 7b, 8b, 9c, 10a)