Schools of the Future – General or Specialized?

The general opinion varies on what a good general education is. Some people believe that an educated person must have general knowledge of a lot of things – Maths, Biology, Chemistry, History, Arts and so on. Others argue that it’s better to know a lot about a few things than to know a little about a lot.

Education has become a matter of general interest and people write to newspapers and magazines expressing their views on the problem. Parents want education to prepare their children for life in the future. They are afraid that bad education may spoil a child’s chances in the world of tomorrow. The general impression is that most people speak in favour of specialized education, because nowadays you must know so much in your chosen profession that the earlier in life you start learning it the better chances for success there are.

1. Can you explain what a good general education is? Have you got a general idea about it?

2. Why has education become a matter of general interest?

3. Is there any general opinion on education nowadays?

4. Has the need for more specializes education become a generally accepted view?

5. Has a general knowledge of Physics, Chemistry, Maths helped you in life so far?

6. Can you say you’ve got a good education?

7. Do you consider that general knowledge of the arts (music, literature, painting) is necessary for an engineer, a chemist or an economist? Can they get along without the arts?

8. Are you for or against general (specialized) education? Give your arguments.

XIV. Speak on the topics (See Appendix 1):

1. The system of education in Russia.

2. Advanced teachers and their methods of work.

3. The Day of Knowledge.

4. Why I have decided to be a teacher.

5. School of future. How I see it in 50 years?

 

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION IN RUSSIA

Phonetic exercise: transcribe the following words and practice the pronunciation of the following words:

further

introduction

aesthetic

vocational

physical

fundamentals

emphasis

measurement

formulae

hygiene

observation

preservation

encourage

appreciation

gym

psychological

 

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION

The elementary school provides the basis for all further education. The Russian elementary school has recently changed over from a three-year period of study to a four -year period. The tasksof the elementary school are to teach the child to read, write and do sums, to provide an instruction to nature study and the social sciences, as well as to aesthetic, vocational and physical training (P.T.), to develop the child’s powers of reasoning. The subjects studied in elementary school are: a native language, mathematics, nature study, shop lessons, music and physical training. The entire complex of tasks is resolved in the full range of the curriculum according to the age-determined abilities of the pupils.

The course of language study includes grammar, reading, spelling, speech development, penmanship and the fundamentals of composition. Reading classes teach the child to read aloud, both expressively and quickly, and instill a love for books. The grammar lessons provide the fundamentals of grammatical structure. Much emphasis is placed on the ability to express one’s thoughts logically and well.

Mathematics provides an introduction to numbers and the four rules of arithmetic (from ten to numbers expressed by several figures), measures of time, length, weights, square measurements and simple fractions. Much emphasis is placed on doing problems and sums orally. There are elements of plane geometry and an introduction to algebra (symbols, composing formulae and using formulae in doing problems).

Elementary nature study provides an introduction to plant and animal life, as well as a study of the earth, seas and air. The children learn the geography of their native land, the fundamentals of anatomy and hygiene. Excursions and their own personal observations of nature make up a regular part of the course. Simple experiments are conducted. The preservation of wildlife is taught, and the children take part in planting trees and flowers and caring for them.

Shop lessons teach children arts and crafts. There are outdoor classes on the school garden plot where they lay out the vegetable beds, prepare them for sowing and conduct simple experiments in botany.

Art classes include drawing from life and applied art. The aim is to teach the children to draw and to develop their taste and interest in art. There are also talks on great artists and art treasures. The art classes are tied with the classes in reading and shop.

Music and singing classes aim to develop the child’s ear for music and encourage a sense of music appreciation. The children at schools have their own choirs, orchestras and music clubs.

Physical training is one of the most important elements in a child’s all-round development. In elementary school children exercise with large and small balls, do exercises to improve posture and sense of balance and participate in field and track activities (walking, running, jumping, etc.) Gym classes are held outdoors on the school’s playing grounds, at stadiums or in children’s park.

Elementary education is the stepping-stone to secondary education. In elementary school one teacher conducts all the classes, while several teachers take over beginning with the 5^th grade. Special care is taken to help the children over this psychological barrier.

 

Vocabulary exercises:

I. Read and translate the text.

II. Translate into Russian the following words and phrases:

to provide, further education, a four-year period, an introduction to nature study, social sciences, basis, aesthetic education, vocational training, shop lessons, age-determined abilities, composition, penmanship, to instill a love for books, fundamentals, the emphasis is placed on, an introduction to numbers, the four rules of arithmetic, square measurements, elements of geometry, to do problems, plant and animal life, personal observation, to make up, the preservation of wildlife, to care for, vegetable beds, applied arts, art treasures, to develop a child’s ear for music, all-round development, a stepping-stone, a psychological barrier.

III. Choose the right word:

The principal document determining the content of Russian school education is …. A … is a stale document establishing the … to be … at a school of a particular type. Curricula include Humanities, … and Mathematics, … and …, shop …, … and … classes, … training. Such a structure of curricula ensures the … … of pupils.

Over the past decade the content of … has been updated. The most significant changes have taken place in … school. … have shown that following the … of the new syllabuses the … of the 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th … acquired a more thorough knowledge and their intellectual level has considerably risen.

Curriculum, curricular, studied, subjects, natural sciences, lessons, arts, crafts, music, singing, physical, grade, all-round, development, elementary, observations, education, pupils, introduction.

IV. Translate into English the following words and word combinations:

Основа, дальнейшее образование, трёхлетний период (срок), введение, природоведение, общественные науки, эстетическое воспитание, физическое воспитание, обучение, профессиональная подготовка, привить любовь к, упор делается на, четыре действия арифметики, решение задач, личные наблюдения, составлять часть курса, уроки труда, прикладное искусство, всестороннее развитие, развивать музыкальный слух, психологический барьер.

V. What is the opposite of:

Nature sciences, introduction, arts, regular, quickly, walking, outdoor classes, to care for, to encourage, simple, entire.

VI. Arrange a) and b) in pairs as synonyms:

a) to care for, basis, professional, education, stage, to do problems, participate, artist, further, skill, emphasis;

b) fundamentals, to look after, training, vocational, to take part in, stepping-stone, to solve problems, painter, craft, higher, stress.

VII. Answer the questions (work in pairs):

1. Do you agree with the statement that the elementary school provides the basis for all further education? Prove it.

2. What are the tasks of elementary school?

3. What are the subjects studied?

4. What is the entire complex of tasks?

5. What does the course of language study include?

6. What does Mathematics provide?

7. What are the children taught in the course of nature study?

8. What do shop lessons prepare children for?

9. Why do you think the art classes are tied with the classes in reading and shop?

10. What are music and singing classes aimed at?

11. Physical training is one of the most important elements in a child’s all-round development, isn’t it? Why?

VIII. Fill in the blanks with necessary prepositions:

“The teachers … our experimental classes try to make children love their school, lessons, and try to instill … them a thirst and enthusiasm … knowledge. Methods may be most varied, even strange … those, who are used … an academic quietness … lessons, … strictness … the teachers and unquestioned obedience … children. Our teachers do not forget even … a moment that they are working … pupils who are only 6, 7 or 8 years old. A child cannot sit still even … 35 minutes … the lesson and why not toss a ball around … a Maths lesson? The one who catches the ball goes … the blackboard to answer.

“And you should see how the class livens … when the teacher ‘makes a mistake’, ‘forgets’, … instance, how a word is spelled correctly or misses a line … a poem children have learnt … heart and know well. We give unusual home assignments. We do not say: ‘Learn the poem … page 25’. We ask the children which … the two poems we read they prefer. The same … Maths problems. ‘You can solve five … these or three … those because they are more difficult. Will you be able to manage them?’ There is doubt and hope … the teacher’s voice. You may be sure that … the next lesson all the pupils will happily show you they’ve managed to solve all the eight problems.”

IX.Translate into English the given text:

Слово «школа» иностранного происхождения. В Древней Греции этим словом называли беседы мыслителей с их учениками. Со временем это слово стало употребляться для обозначения учебного заведения.

Вы, конечно, навсегда запомнили первый день в школе. Было солнечное сентябрьское утро. Все классы построены около школы. Вокруг много цветов, улыбок, радостных лиц. Здесь вы впервые встретили своих товарищей по классу и познакомились с учительницей. Вас, первоклассников, приветствовали учителя, директор школы, родители. Одиннадцать лет вашей жизни было связано со школой. Вас обучали по программам, которые едины для всех школ страны.

X. Prove that elementary school provides the basis for all further education (See Appendix 1).

XI. Give a brief talk on the following aspects (See Appendix 1):

1. Early development of children.

2. Pre-school education.

3. Elementary school.

4. The modern tendencies in primary education.

5. The system of secondary education.

6. The advantages of the Russian system of education

7. Extra-curricular activities of the Russian children.

8. The difference between the systems of education in Russia and the United States of America.

XII. Make up dialogues on the following topics:

1. A talk with an American student about the difference between the systems of elementary education in Russia and the USA.

2. The delightful experience of the first day at school (a child and a mother).

3. The difference between the secondary schools in Russia and high schools in the USA.

4. Your hobby. “Every man has his hobby horse,” says an English proverb.

5. School of tomorrow.

6. Your own experience of extra-curricular activities.

XIII. Have you ever attended any pre-school establishment? Share with your groupmates your impressions about the kindergarten you have visited. You can illustrate your talk with some pictures (See Appendix 1).

XIV. Write a personal letter about your first day in the first grade and your first teacher or an ideal school for your child(ren) (See Appendix 2).

MY SUMMER VACATION

I. Read the following dialogue in parts and dramatize it:

– It’s nice to see you, Mary. How are you?

– Good evening, Alex. Hope you are well. Haven’t seen you for ages. Where have you been all this time?

– I have just arrived from Brighton. I was spending my summer holidays at the sea-side. Have you ever been there?

– Yes, I have been there several times. It’s a nice place, isn’t it? I hope you have enjoyed yourself greatly.

– Oh, yes. I have had a very nice time.

– Did you go there alone?

– No, together with John, an old friend of mine. You remember him, don’t you?

– Sure. Has he graduated from college?

– No, not yet. He is in his last year. What about you? I haven’t heard from you lately. How are you getting on?

– Thank you, quite all right. Come and see me some day, will you?

– I’ll be delighted. So long.

– See you soon. Bye!

II. Translate into English:

Здравствуйте, Саша, как поживаете?, надеюсь, что вы здоровы, рад вас видеть, как вы себя чувствуете?, спасибо, прекрасно, не видел вас целую вечность, где вы были все это время, на море, я только что приехал из Брайтона, несколько раз, я очень хорошо провел время, вместе с Джоном, мой старый друг, вы помните его, не правда ли?, он учится на последнем курсе, а как вы?, он уже окончил вуз, за последнее время я не получал от тебя никаких известий, заходите ко мне, пока (до встречи), до свидания.

III. Paraphrase the words and word combinations in bold type. Use the phrases from a dialogue:

I am glad to see you.

2. I haven’t seen you for a long time.

3. I have just come from London.

4. I was taking a rest on the sea-shore.