Listening Comprehension "Education"

Which Courses Are English and American Students Choosing?

In English secondary schools, it’s compulsory for 11-14-year-old to study one foreign language. But at 14, many pupils drop foreign languages when they choose the subjects they want to study for their GCSE exams. In the USA, foreign languages are not compulsory in most states.

 Some English pupils go to mixed schools and some to single-sex schools but all pupils, boys and girls study Design and Technology (DT) which includes cookery, sewing and woodwork. Many American high school students also learn accounting, car mechanics and even how to drive!

Drama, media and film studies are becoming popular subjects in English and American schools. In England, many pupils choose these courses for their A-levels. Perhaps that’s because 22% of English 16 to 19-year-olds want to be actors, pop stars or models! Only 8% are planning to become doctors, engineers or lawyers. But … the most popular courses at English universities are:

1 Law

2 Design Studies

3 Psychology

4 Medicine

5 Management Studies

Longman Pearson Real life p28

1. Pre-listening task

Words to know:

Secondary school - (in the UK) a secondary school of a kind offering a general education to children

Compulsory -  that must be done because of a law or a rule

Foreign language - English as a foreign language (refers to the teaching of English to people for whom it is not the first language)

Drop -  to decide not to include someone or something

Subject -  an area of knowledge that you study at a school or university

GCSE – General Certificate of Secondary Education. Students take these exams at 16.

Mixed-schools –schools for boys and girls

Single-sex school - a school etc. for either males or females, but not for both together

High school  - a school in the US and Canada for children of 14 or 15 to 18 years old 

Course- a series of lessons in a particular subject

A-levels – pupils need to pass these exams to go to university

Discuss the questions

1)What subjects do you study?

2) Do you find these subjects interesting? Why?

3) Do you study any subjects that are not very useful in your opinion?

4) What would you like to study instead?

2. While-Listening Activity

Fill the gaps

In English secondary schools, it’s compulsory for 11-14-year-old to study one _______     language. But at 14, many pupils ________ foreign languages when they choose the subjects they want to study for their ________ exams. In the USA, foreign languages are not __________________ in most states.

 Some English pupils go to_______ schools and some to ______ schools but all pupils, boys and girls study _________________ (DT) which includes cookery, sewing and woodwork. Many American high school students also learn accounting, _____________ and even how to drive!

Drama, _____________ studies are becoming popular subjects in English and American schools. In England, many pupils choose these courses for their _________. Perhaps that’s because 22% of English 16 to 19-year-olds want to be actors, pop stars or models! Only 8% are planning to become doctors, engineers or lawyers. But … the most popular courses at English universities are:

1 Law

2 Design Studies

3  __________

4  Medicine

5 Management Studies

3. Post-listening task

Discuss the questions in groups.

• Are foreign languages compulsory in English and American schools? Is this the same in Ukraine?
• Which other subjects do English and American pupils study? Do you study them at school?
• What are the most popular subjects in English universities? Which university courses are most popular in Ukraine?

Source:

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

Longman Pearson Real life