Chapter I. Education in the United Kingdom

Chapter I. EDUCATION IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

Unit 1. Schooling in Great Britain

Before You Read

I. Study the table to find out the stages of schooling in the United Kingdom.

Education in Britain

Class	School	Age
Reception class	Nursery school, playgroup or kindergarten (optional)		3–4
Year 1	Infant school	Primary school	5–6
Year 2	6–7
Year 3	Junior school	7–8
Year 4	8–9
Year 5	9–10
Year 6	10–11
Year 7		Secondary school	11–12
Year 8	12–13
Year 9	13–14
Year 10	14–15
Year 11	15–16
Year 12	Sixth form	Secondary school or Sixth form college	16–17
Year 13	17–18
First year (fresher) second year third/final year		University or polytechnic	18–19
19–20
20–21
Postgraduate		University	21–22
22–23

II. Study the cultural notes on British secondary education:

nursery school – дошкольное учреждение (детский сад для детей от 2 до 5 лет; государственный);

infant school – школа для малышей для детей от 5 до 7 лет (государственная, существует самостоятельно или в составе общей начальной школы);

junior school – начальная школа для детей от 7 до 11 лет (государственная, существует самостоятельно или в составе общей начальной школы);

secondary modern school – современная школа (государствен­ная средняя школа, дающая неакадемическое образование с практическим уклоном; не дает права на поступление в университет);

technical school – техническая школа (средняя общеобразовательная шко­ла, дающая образование с профессиональным (техническим уклоном) для учащихся с 11 до 16 или 18 лет; дает право на поступление в университет);

grammar school – классическая школа (государ­ственная или частная средняя школа для учащихся с 11 до 18 лет, предо­ставляющая сильное классическое образование; дает право на по­ступление в университет);

the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) – аттестат о среднем образовании нового об­разца (введен с 1988 года) или выпускные экзамены, сдаваемые учащимися в возрасте 16 лет по окончании средней школы;

the General Certificate of Education at Advanced level (GCE “A”level) –аттестат о среднем образовании продвинутого уровня или экзаме­ны по программе средней школы повышенного уровня (дают право на поступление в университет);

comprehensive school – единая средняя школа (государственная школа для детей с разными способностями, проживающих в одном райо­не, и сочетающая в себе классический, технический и неакадемический типы среднего образования);

public school – паблик скул, привилегированная частная средняя школа (платная школа для де­тей от 11 или 13 до 18 лет; закрытая; чаще школа-интернат; многие частные школы Великобрита­нии имеют многовековые традиции и готовят своих выпускников к поступлению в лучшие университеты страны; часто являются шко­лами раздельного для юношей и девушек образования; название «public school» («общественная школа») восходит к тому времени, когда школы этого типа впервые стали принимать детей не только из близлежащих местностей);

independent school – независимая школа (общее название для школ, самостоятельных в финансовом отношении, т.е. частных школ);

preparatory school (prep school) – приготовительная школа (частная школа для детей от 7-8 до 13 лет; может входить в состав привилегированной частной средней школы (public school) или существовать отдельно);

the old school tie –галстук старой школы (обычно выпускников привилегированных частных средних школ);

the old-boy network – круг бывших одноклассников, узы старой дружбы (широко используются выпускниками привилегированных частных средних школ для взаимной поддержки и осуществления общих интересов).

III. Scan the text and render it into Russian using the vocabulary given below and the cultural notes.

 

Education in Britain: Age five to sixteen

 

The overall approach to education in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is broadly similar, but education is administered separately in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. This passage refers mainly to state (non-private) education in England and Wales, although much will be true of education in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Before the age of 5 children may attend nursery schools, and in fact nearly one-half of three- and four-year-olds attend nursery school.

Education is compulsory for children from the age of five until the age of sixteen. This period of education aims to develop children for life and for work. Children develop language skills, numeracy, knowledge of science and a familiarity with technology. It also aims to develop children's minds and bodies through art classes, religious study and sport.

Ninety-three per cent of children receive free education at state schools, and the remainder attends non-state, private fee-paying schools (also known as “independent” and “public” schools). They usually charge high fees. Private education can cost from £ 300 a term for nursery education to £ 4,000 a term for senior boarding pupils.

Within the state system parents can try to get their children to what they consider to be the best school in their region, but there is no guarantee that the chosen school will have free places. The average size of a class in Britain is 17 although classes are often much larger. Today in most schools boys and girls are taught together.

From the age of 5, when compulsory education begins, children usually attend an infants’ school; at seven children transfer to a junior school until the age of 11. This stage of education is known as “primary” education. At the age of eleven children usually transfer to a secondary school.

Until the 1960s and 1970s secondary education in Britain was selective. This meant that children were separated at the age of 11 on the basis of ability, with the “best'” pupils going on to grammar schools and the less able attending secondary modern schools. The grammar schools provided a traditional academic education and the secondary moderns a broader less academic education. Today there are few grammar and secondary modern schools left. In the 1960s and 1970s comprehensive schools were introduced. The comprehensive system was seen as fairer since pupils were not separated according to ability. Nearly ninety per cent of secondary schools in Britain are comprehensive schools and take children of all abilities.

Comprehensive schools can be organized in a number of ways. They include schools which take the full secondary age-range of 11 to 18; middle schools, whose pupils move to senior-comprehensive schools at 12, 13 or 14; and schools with an age-range of 11 to 16 combined with a sixth-form or a college for pupils over 16.

Until the age of 14 children have little choice which subjects to study. The government demands that schools teach nine subjects to children aged 5 to 14 (English, mathematics, science, technology, history, geography, music, art and physical education), and in addition demands that children study a foreign language at the age of 11. Children are assessed at the age of 7, 11, 14 and 16.

At 14 children begin to specialize, and the number of compulsory subjects is reduced from ten to seven. This gives children limited opportunity to stop studying certain subjects. This specialism enables pupils to prepare for the main school examination, the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), which is taken at the age of 16. The average school candidate takes six or seven GCSEs, the most common subjects being English, history, geography, French, German, mathematics, chemistry, physics and biology. Pupils are awarded a grade in each subject on a seven-point scale, A to G. The GCSE result is based on a final examination, and on work done during the previous two years. The GCSE examinations are extremely important, and often determine whether children leave school to work or continue to study.

A further examination, normally taken two years after GCSE, is the A-level (“A” meaning “Advanced”). This is usually done in two or three subjects only. The GCSE examinations are national examinations but GCE “A” level exam­inations are still set and marked by various examining boards appointed by uni­versities or groups of universities. Schools can choose which board they like. Both GCSEs and “A” levels can be taken in almost any subject. Three A-levels are enough to get school leavers into most universities. Which university accepts them depends on how good their “A” level results are. For others, such as Oxford and Cambridge, you have to take special exams as well [1].

 

Vocabulary

 

abilities to assess boarding school compulsory curriculum non-state school primary school private school religious study school-leaver schooling state school to charge high fees to leave school to provide education term

способности оценивать (знания) школа-интернат обязательный программа, учебный план негосударственная школа начальная школа частная (платная) школа основы религии выпускник школы школьное образование государственная школа взимать высокую плату заканчивать школу предоставлять образование семестр, триместр

After You Read

 

I. Complete the table for the state system of education in England. You can find the information in the text above.

 

School level	Age of pupils	Aim of education	Type of exams	Number of exams
Nursery school				–
Primary school				–
Secondary school
A-Level

II. Read the following information to complete the table about different types of secondary schools in the UK. Use the cultural notes given above.

 

The school year in Britain usually runs from early September to mid July and is divided into three terms of about 10-12 weeks each. They are:

– autumn term (early September to mid-December);

– spring term (early January to the end of March/beginning of April);

– summer term (end of April to early/mid-July).

School hours are usually from 9.00 a.m. until 3.30 or 4.00 p.m.

Classes in British secondary schools are usually called “forms”; they are never called “grades”, which is an American term. Forms are numbered from one to six, beginning with the first form and ending with the sixth form. “A” levels are usually taken at the end of the second year in the sixth form.

Schools in Britain are of two types: state, which charge no fees, and independent (or private) schools, which are fee-paying. In secondary education most state schools (over eight out of ten) are comprehensive schools, offering a general education to all children. There are also a small number of secondary modern schools, offering a more practical education, grammar schools, providing a more academic education, and technical schools, offering a combination of academic and technical teaching. There are also special schools for children with a physical or mental disability. Almost all independent schools are boarding schools, and unlike state schools are usually for one sex only.

State schools mostly have larger classes than independent schools, but all schools share the same school leaving examinations. The main exam is the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), normally taken at the end of the year in the fifth form at the age of 16.

Type of school	School specialisation	Financial support	Type of exams
Comprehensive schools
Secondary modern schools
Grammar school
Technical schools
Independent (public) schools

III. Answer the questions.

1. Is education compulsory in Great Britain?

2. At what age-range must British children receive full-time education?

3. What are three stages of school education?

4. What schools does the UK primary education consist of? How long does it take to study there?

5. What are children taught at Infant and Junior schools?

6. At what school do children study to receive secondary education?

7. What subjects does the Curriculum of the comprehensive school consist of?

8. When do schools assess children’s progress?

9. What age is considered to be a crucial age and why?

10. Is there any standard national school-leaving examination in Britain?

11. What certificate do children get on completion of compulsory education?

12. What do the young people who choose to stay on at school do?

13. What certificates are received after completing of the Sixth form?

14. What is the difference between a comprehensive school and a grammar school?

15. What are advantages and disadvantages of each type of schools in the UK?

 

IV. Find the information in the text about public schools which supports the following statements:

a) A public school is not the same thing as a private school;

b) Public schools give important advantages to people who can afford them.

 

The public schools are the most famous of the private secondary schools. The oldest of the public schools (Eton College dates from 1440) were founded to give free education to clever boys whose parents could not afford to educate them privately. They were under "public" management or control. Today, these schools, and similar ones founded within the past 120 years, are the most expensive of the independent schools in Britain. They are mostly boarding schools, where the pupils live as well as study, though many of them also take some day-pupils. Most of them have a few places for pupils whose fees are paid by a local authority, but normally entrance is by examination and state schools do not prepare children for this. So parents who wish to send their children to a public school often send them first to a preparatory (prep) school. Preparatory schools are small private primary schools which preparechildren for the public school examination.

The schools, such as Eton, Harrow, Rugby and Winchester, are famous for their ability to lay the foundation of a successful future by giving their pupils self-confidence, the right accent, a good academic background and, perhaps most important of all, the right friends and contacts. People who went to one of the public schools never call themselves school-leavers. They talk about “the old school tie” and “the old boy network”. They are just old boys or old girls.

Less than 2 per cent of British children go to public schools, yet these schools have produced over the centuries many of Britain's most distinguished people. So parents who can afford it still pay thousands of pounds to have their children educated at a public school. It was claimed some time ago by Labour supporters that the public schools would die a natural death, but at the end of the 20^th century they were more firmly established than ever. There are more than sixty major public schools - the elite.

A public school education is not the only route to the best universities and the best jobs. But the senior posts in jobs like banking and the civil service are nearly always held by public school men or women [3].

V. Are the statements on schooling in the UK true or false?

 

1. About 93 per cent of pupils in Great Britain receive free educa­tion financed from public funds, while the others attend independent schools paid for by fees from parents.

2. The National Curriculum consists of core subjects, which are compulsory for 5- to 16-year-olds, and foundation subjects, which must be studied to the age of 14 at least.

3. The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is the major qualification taken by pupils at the end of compulsory schooling at the age of 16.

4. Comprehensive schools take pupils without reference to ability or aptitude and provide a wide-ranging secondary education for all or most of the children in a district.

5. All GCSE and other qualifications offered to pupils of compulsory school age in state schools in England and Wales must not be approved by the gov­ernment.

6. Public schools are not free from state control.

 

VI. Match the education terms on the left to their definitions on the right.

 

1) fifth form / year a) a pupil chosen to help the teacher in various

ways

2) curriculum b) a special tie that was worn by someone who has

been at a certain school, esp. public school

3) special school c) a class in a secondary school in the year in

which students will take a school-leaving exam

4) schoolmate d) the subjects that are taught by a school

5) monitor /monitress e) a child at the same school

6) the old school tie f) a school for children who have a disability of

mind or body, where they are given special help

 

VII. Think about differences between the educational systems in Britain and your country. Write an essay. Remember to use the opening and closing sentences.

Before You Read

I. Study the cultural notes on British post-school education:

sixth-form college – приготовительный колледж (среднее учебное заведение для молодежи старше 16 лет; государственное или частное; готовит к поступлению в университет по расширенной программе шестого класса; существует самостоятельно или при единой школе);

further education college – колледж дальнейшего образования (дневной или вечерний; платный; возраст учащихся не ограничен; основная цель – повышение квалификации);

Bachelor – бакалавр (обычно обладатель первой из присваиваемых высшим учебным заведением степеней; соответствует диплому об окончании вуза в России);

Bachelor of Arts (ВA) – бакалавр искусств (обладатель степени бакалавра по одной из гуманитарных или математических наук в университетах);

Bachelor of Science (BSc) – бакалавр наук (обладатель первой ученой степени в университетах, за исключением Оксфордского, где он является обладателем ученой степени выше степени бакалавра);

Master's Degree –ученая степень магистра (вторая ученая степень в новых университетах, присуждается университетом лицам, успешно завершившим по крайней мере год учебы и исследовательской работы после окончания университета);

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) – доктор философии (низшая ученая степень доктора; присуждается после защиты диссертации специалистам в области философских и некоторых других наук);

Doctor of Science (DSc) – доктор наук (высшая ученая степень доктора);

mature student – студент-переросток (поступивший в университет в возрасте старше 25 лет после окончания колледжа для взрослых или курсов заочного или вечернего обучения);

the Open University – Открытый университет, Универ­ситет для всех (функционирует с 1971 г., вступительных экзаменов нет, по окончании 5-летнего курса выдает соответствующий диплом);

student loans – займы студентам (метод оплаты за обучение путем получения банковской ссуды и последующего возврата по окончании университета и начала трудовой деятельности);

tutoring – наставничество (университетская система обучения путем прикрепления студентов к отдельным консультантам – тьюторам);

II. Scan the text and render it into Russian using the vocabulary given below and the cultural notes.

 

Education in Britain after the age of 16

 

Compulsory education in Britain ends at 16. At 16 young people may finish studying and look for work. However, all 16- and 17-year-olds are guaranteed a place in full-time education or training should they wish to continue studying. Education after 16 takes place in sixth forms attached to secondary schools, sixth form colleges, further education colleges, universities and other higher education institutions.

Those wishing to continue to study have two main options. First, they may study a further two years for "A" levels, which are the usual entry requirement for university.

“A” levels may be studied either at a sixth-form within a school, or a separate sixth-form college. Second, students wishing to gain a range of professional qualifications needed for a particular profession may go to a college of further education for vocational training where they can fol­low a course in typing, engineering, town planning, cook­ing, or hairdressing, full-time or part-time. Further educa­tion colleges have strong ties with commerce and industry.

The percentage of British people gaining a university degree is relatively low at about 20 per cent of the population. The majority of people who chose to study beyond the age of sixteen attend colleges of further education.

In addition to those students who go directly from school to university or college an increasing number of mature students enter university or college after some years of working. The principle that mature students should have the opportunity to further and higher education is felt strongly in Britain, and was the main reason for the appearance of the British Open University in 1971.

There are over 90 universities, including the Open University; they enjoy complete academic freedom. The universities of Oxford and Cambridge date from the 12^th and 13^th centuries, and the Scottish universities of St Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh from the 14^th and 15^th centuries. All the other universities were founded in the 19^th and 20^th centuries.

Full-time university degrees usually last three or four years in England and Wales (four years in Scotland). Medical and veterinary courses usually take 5 years.

Degree titles vary according to the practice of each university. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland the most common titles for a first degree are Bachelor of Arts (ВA) or Bachelor of Science (BSc) and for a second degree Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MCs), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). A Master’s degree usually takes one year if it is a taught course or two years if it is by research. A PhD can only be by research and typically takes three to four years full-time. One third of full-time postgraduates in British universities are overseas students.

The Open University is a non-residential university offering degrees and other courses for adult students of all ages. It is notable for the fact that it takes students without prior qualifications, and for its variety of teaching methods, including correspondence tuition, face-to-face tutoring, and the use of TV and radio. Not surprisingly the Open University is the largest university in Britain [1].

Vocabulary

correspondence course full-time course higher education institution part-time course tuition tutor   vocational training university degree

курс заочного обучения курс дневного обучения (по полной программе) высшее учебное заведение курс вечернего или заочного обучения обучение тьютор, руководитель группы студентов, наставник профессиональное обучение университетская степень

After You Read

I. Read the text again and answer the questions.

 

1. What is further education?

2. What types of courses are there in further education?

3. How are school-leavers admitted to the universities?

4. Are British universities controlled by the state?

5. How does the Open University work? What is its effectiveness?

6. How long does the University course last?

7. What types of degrees do British universities offer?

8. What are the requirements for each University?

 

II. Explain the meaning of the words:

 

– undergraduate,

– graduate,

– postgraduate.

III. Are the statements true or false?

 

1. A person studying for a degree at a British University is called a graduate.

2. The complete university course in Britain usually lasts five years.

3. A higher university degree is Master of Arts (MA) or Master of Science (MSc).

4. A degree is an academic qualification awarded at most universities and colleges upon completion of a higher educational course (a first degree) or a piece of research (higher degrees).

5. Much further education is work related and vocational.

 

IV. a) Read the information about student loans. Use the cultural notes for better understanding.

 

Students applying for a degree course at university in Britain must pay all of their own accommodations and living costs, and some of their tuition fees. Since 1990 the government has offered student loans to help the situation. The loans are between £3,000 and £5,000 per year depending on whether students live with their parents or away from home, and whether or not they live in London. Students have to pay back their loans when they live university, but not until their income reaches £10,000 per year. The interest rates are low and there is no deadline for repayment.

 

b) Choose the correct answers to the questions.

 

1. The British government gives loans to help students pay for …

a) their education.

b) their living expenses.

c) both.

 

2. Loans of £4,000 per year is received by …

a) every student.

b) some students.

c) no student.

 

3. Students have to pay back their loans as soon as …

a) they finish their degree.

b) they get a job.

c) they start earning a certain sum.

 

4. There is … time limit on the repayment of student loans.

a) always a

b) sometimes a

c) no

V. Find words and expressions in the texts above that mean the following:

a) a title given by a university to a student who has completed a course of study;

b) a person holding one of the highest degree given by a university;

c) a method of paying for education in which students at universities borrow money from banks and repay it when completing their studies;

d) the process by which a person’s mind and character are developed through teaching, or through formal instruction at a school or college;

e) education at a university or college.

 

VI. Work in small groups and discuss the following questions. Remember to use the expressions introducing your point of view (see the annex).

1. Do you think students in the UK are in a better or worse financial position than students in Russia?

2. How do the number of those who go on higher education in Britain compare with other countries and yours?

3. Do you think education should be free? Are there any advantages in a fee-paying system?

VII. a) Read the advertisements of various international education centres submitted in the newspapers. Give their Russian translation paying attention to the metaphors used in each text and taking into account peculiarities of Russian advertising discourse.

 

1. Embryriddle Aeronautical University

Set your sights higher, get your MBA in aviation online.

Are you ready to take a huge leap forward in your aviation career?

Or are you looking for a way to break into this competitive field?

Sign up for the Master of Business Administration in Aviation degree today.

This advanced aviation degree offers the convenience of a fully online program and the prestige of the world’s most trusted name in aviation and aerospace education.

 

2. University of Phoenix, Europe

Is your future Still or Sparkling?

Online education for today’s business world.

It’s a problem, isn’t? An MBA will energize your management skills.

But taking time out to study for it means that you’re just treading water.

Fortunately, the University of Phoenix MBA is all about problem-solving.

Equipping you for the management challenges and opportunities you’ll face in the real business world, this highly engaging MBA program is available online.

You can study where and when you want, without putting your career on hold.

 

3. Euromed Marseille School of Management

The 21^st Century Leaders are Responsible.

The 21^st Century Leaders are International.

Euromed Management (Marseille, France) trains them.

International Master Programmes:

– World Med MBA

– Maritime MBA

 

4. Lemania College, Lausanne – Switzerland

Aim for top quality education.

Study in Switzerland:

– Intensive language courses (French and / or English)

– Access to university (French & Swiss baccalaureate)

– Intensive French and / or English summer courses

– Multicultural environment

– 2 campuses: teenagers, adults

– International accreditations (BULATS, DELF, Cambridge, Toefl)

– 100 years of experience

– Boarding and day students.

 

5. European University – Centre for Management Studies

International Education:

– 5 semesters with European University + 2 semesters with Nichols College

– 2 degrees: BBA / MBA

– Small classes

– All courses taught in English

– Excellent mix of theory and practice

– International environment [5].

 

b) Which of the adverts have you got interested in? Why? Try to write an application form for the University or College you’d like to enter.

 

c) Make up an advert of your University for potential applicants.

Before You Read

 

I. Study the cultural note on British higher education.

Redbrick universities – «Краснокирпичные» университеты (разговорное название университетов, появившихся в XIX–начале XX вв.; частично субсидируются местными органами власти; имеют курсы подготовки специалистов для местной промышленности);

College of Education – педагогический колледж (трехгодичный педагогический институт; в 1965 г. такие колледжи получили статус университета; готовят учителей для общих начальных школ и средних школ);

grant – стипендия (обыкн. выплачивается студентам из средств государственного бюджета или местных органов власти);

sandwich course – курсы «сандвич» (для работающих; обычно при техническом колледже, где занятия чередуются с работой на предприятии; курсы платные);

general degree – степень бакалавра без отличия по двум или трем дисциплинам (присуждается после сдачи выпускных экзаменов по облегченной программе в университете);

honours degree – степень бакалавра с отличием (присуждается после сдачи выпускных экзаменов по усложненной программе в университете).

II. Scan the text and render it into Russian using the references given below and the cultural notes.

 

British Universities

 

There is no single, universally accepted definition of what a university should be like. British universities are different. In 1960 there were only 23 British universities. Today there are over 90. They can be roughly divided into the following groups.

Oxford and Cambridge (Oxbridge): The two intellectual eyes of Britain date from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Scholars were studying in these ancient universities in the early thirteenth century. Since that time Oxford and Cambridge have continued to grow, but until the nineteenth century they were the only universities in England, and they offered no place to girls.

Four universities were founded in Scotland before Scotland and England were united: St. Andrews (1411), Glasgow (1450), Aberdeen (1494) and Edinburgh (1583).

The Redbrick (civic) Universities: In this group are listed all universities founded between 1850 and 1930. These include London, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield and Birmingham. They were called “redbrick”, because that was the favourite building material of the time, but they are rarely referred to as "Redbrick" today.

The New Universities: During the late 1960s and early 1970s some 20 “new” universities were set up. Sometimes they are called “concrete and glass” universities. Among them are the universities of Sussex, York, East Anglia and some others. They quickly became popular because of their modern approach to university courses.

The academic year consists of 3 terms: October – December, January – March, April – June (total: thirty weeks). The typical academic programme for university students in Great Britain is composed of a varying number of courses or subjects within a field of specialisation. The academic activities for each subject fall into three types: lectures, at which attendance is not always compulsory, tutorials and examinations. These three categories provide the means by which students prepare themselves in specialised fields of knowledge.

The college system at Oxford and Cambridge is unlike that of any other university. The university is like a federation of colleges. In order to enter the university, a student must first apply to a college and become a member of the university through the college. The colleges are not connected with any particular study and are governed by twenty to thirty “Fellows”. Fellows of a college are tutors (teachers, often called “dons”). They teach their own subject to those students in the college who are studying it, and they are responsible for their progress. The university arranges the courses, the lectures, and the examinations, and awards the degrees. Most dons give one or two lectures a week which students from any college may attend. No lectures are compulsory and tutors usually advise their students which lectures they should go to. Each college has its own completely separate living quarters, its own dining hall and its own chapel. Cambridge and Oxford both have two women's colleges. Today most of the colleges are co-educational.

The University of London could also be called a kind of federation of colleges, but the system is entirely different. The largest of the London colleges are like universities in themselves, having many different faculties and departments. Others specialise in certain subjects, for example, the London School of Economics and Political Science or the Imperial College of Science and Technology. All arrange their own lectures and classes, but the university organises the examinations and awards degrees.

While Oxbridge Universities are divided into colleges, the Redbrick Universities are divided into various faculties, Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Social and Economic studies, etc., the number and type differing from university to university. The teaching is organised in departments and is based on a set of lecturers. The head of the department is usually a Professor. The Lecturer is the main teaching grade throughout the university world.

At most universities an honours degree is taken in one main subject and one subsidiary, or secondary, subject. A general degree is taken in a variety of subjects, but carries less weight than an honours degree. If students pass their final exam, they get a degree marked first, second or third class. Some universities divide their second class into 2(1) or 2(2). Oxford offers a fourth class. Few students get first class degrees, so these are a valuable qualification for a job. Students with any class of degree become Bachelors of Arts or Science, and can put B.A. or B.Sc. after their name. If they want to go a step further and become Master of Arts or Science, they have to write an original paper, or thesis, on some subject. Oxford and Cambridge graduates have a rather unfair privilege. They can buy their M.A.s and M.Sc.s for a small sum of money. All they have to do is wait for a few years before applying. If students wish to become academics and perhaps teach in a university, then they will work for a higher degree, a Doctor of Philosophy – a Ph.D. For this they will have to carry out some important research work.

However, universities have never had a monopoly on higher learning. In Britain, full-time higher education also takes place outside the universities. Colleges of Education provide two-year courses in teacher education or sometimes three years if the graduate specializes in some particular subject.

There are about thirty Polytechnics which, like the universities, offer first and higher degrees. Some of them offer full-time and sand­wich courses. In 1992 the majority of British polytechnics, that offered a wide range of subjects and many had close links with industry and commerce in their local area, were also incorporated into universities.

 

References

Oxford – Оксфорд (главный город графства Оксфордшир, Англия; известен своим университетом);

Cambridge – Кембридж (главный город графства Кембриджшир, Англия; известен своим университетом);

St. Andrews– Сент-Андрус (при­морский город-курорт в графстве Файф, Шотландия, где расположен старейший университет);

Glasgow – Глазго (крупный промышленный центр и порт Шотландии; третий по численности населения город в Великобритании);

Aberdeen – Абердин (порт на Север­ном море в Шотландии);

Edinburgh – Эдинбург (столица Шотландии; крупный промышленный центр);

Manchester – Манчестер (крупный промышленный центр в графстве Ланкашир, Англия);

Leeds – Лидс (крупный промышленный центр в графстве Йоркшир, Англия);

Liverpool – Ливерпуль (крупный промышленный центр и порт в графстве Ланкашир, Англия);

Sheffield–Шеффилд (крупный центр тяжелой промышленности в Англии);

Birmingham – Бирмингем (крупный промышленный центр в графстве Уорикшир, Англия; второй по численности населения город в Великобритании);

Sussex – Суссекс (графство на юго-востоке Англии);

York– Йорк (важный транспортный узел на севере Англии; сохранил планировку средневекового крепостного города);

East Anglia – Восточная Англия (район Англии к востоку от Лондона; включает графства Кембриджшир, Эссекс, Норфолк и Суффолк).

After You Read

I. Complete the table about the types of British university degrees.

First degree		On completion of a three-year course
Higher degrees
	Doctor of Philosophy

II. Answer the questions about the text.

 

1. What are four types of universities in the UK?

2. What do Oxford and Cambridge have in common?

3. What is a tutorial system? How does it work?

4. How many terms does the academic year include?

5. What facts prove elitism of Oxbridge graduates?

6. How do other universities differ from Oxbridge?

7. What traditions of Oxford and Cambridge can you speak about?

8. What education do British Polytechnics provide?

9. What does a sand­wich course mean?

 

III. Are the statements true or false?

 

1. The colleges of Oxford and Cambridge are essentially residential institutions and they mainly use a tutorial method which brings the tutor into close and personal contact with the student.

2. The two terms into which the British University year is divided are roughly twenty weeks.

3. British universities greatly differ from each other in date of foundation, size, history, tradition, general organization, methods of instruction, way of student life.

4. Degree-level courses are offered by universities, polytechnics and colleges of higher education.

5. Bachelor of Arts is the commonest degree awarded by a British university.

 

IV. Match the education terms on the left to their definitions on the right.

 

1) lecturer a) a teacher who directs the studies of a number of students;

2) PhD b) a person who gives lectures, esp. at a University or college;

3) college c) a university degree of a very high rank, above MA or MSc;

4) tutor d) a body of teachers and students forming a separate part of

certain universities;

5) department e) a college of higher education similar to a university,

providing training in many subjects;

6) polytechnic f) any of the important branches of a faculty.

V. Work in small groups and discuss the following questions. Remember to use the expressions introducing your point of view and asking questions (see the annex).

 

1. What are the main differences between university courses in Britain and Russia?

2. Is elitism in education a problem of only British system of education? What about your country?

3. Discuss the system of certificates and diplomas in both countries.

 

VI. a) Suggest Russian correspondences to the English proverbs. Explain their meaning.

 

1. A little learning is a dangerous thing.

2. Better untaught than ill taught.

3. To know everything is to know nothing.

4. The wish is the father to the thought.

5. Money spent on the brain is never spent in vain.

 

b) Learn the proverbs and illustrate one of them using a real situation.

 

VII. Find out additional information on interesting facts of British students’ life including their academic and extracurricular activities, prepare a report to deliver in class.

 

Before You Read

I. Answer the questions.

 

1. Is school education compulsory in Russia? How long is a child required to stay at school?

2. At what school do the children of Russia study to receive secondary education? Are there both public and private schools?

3. What subjects does the Curriculum of the secondary school consist of?

4. What certificate do young people get after finishing school?

5. What exams do they take to get the certificate?

6. What do young people of your country usually do after leaving school?

7. At what age must Russian young people decide whether to stay at school or to start a training programme?

 

II. Write a table for your country’s education system. You can refer to the table for the UK educational system in the previous chapter as an example.

 

III. Give Russian correspondences for the English terms for various subjects typical of Russian school.

 

Humanities, Russian Language, Literature, Physical Education, Social Sciences, Foreign Languages, Russian History, World History, Economic and Social Geography, Law, Political Science, Economics, Natural Sciences, Mathematics, Biology, Physics, Astronomy, Chemistry, Ecology, Technology, Drawing, Home Economics, Sewing, Cooking, Metal Work, Carpentry.

IV. Scan the text using the vocabulary given below.

 

Russian Schooling

 

Russians have always shown a great concern for education. Every citizen of this country has the right to education stated in the Constitution of the Russian Federation. It is provided by secondary schools, vocational schools and higher education institutions. It is also ensured by the development of extramural and evening courses and the system of state scholarships and grants.

The socio-political changes that have been taking place in Russia since 1980s and the transition to a market economy have led to a need to reform the education system. The Constitution of the Russian Federation of 1993 and the federal law On Education of 1992 and its 1996 revisions strengthened the right of citizens to education and stimulated the democratization of life in educational institutions. The Federal Programme for the Development of Education, aimed at the encouragement of innovations in all components of the education system, has been designed for the support of educational reforms.

Children start school at the age of 6 (before 1985 at the age of 7). Complete schooling in Russia including primary and secondary stages now comprises 11 years of study (before 1985, ten years). The extension of total duration occurred at the expense of an earlier school enrollment at the age of 6. So students normally finish secondary (complete) general education at the age of 17. There are also twelve-year schools for part-time education and education in the arts.

General education comprises three stages corresponding to the levels of educational programmes:

– primary general education (as a rule, the standard duration is four years);

– basic general education (the standard duration is five years);

– secondary (complete) general education (the standard duration is two to three years).

Primary general education and basic general education are compulsory.

The state requirements to the minimum content of education and the workload of students are submitted in the Basic Curriculum for General Education. It designates the compulsory fields of study: Humanities with a special emphasis on Russian Language, Literature, Social Sciences, and Physical Education; Natural Sciences with priority given to Mathematics and Technology. The Social Sciences can include such subjects as Foreign Languages, Russian History, World History, Economic and Social Geography, Law, Political Science, Economics, etc. The Natural Sciences can cover Biology, Physics, Astronomy, Chemistry, Ecology, etc. Technology normally includes Drawing and a number of disciplines for the imparting of certain professional skills: basic skills of general utility for pupils (Home Economics, Sewing, Cooking, Metal Work, Carpentry, etc.) and, in upper forms, basic skills for the exercise of certain professions.

There are several types of secondary schools: a secondary general school, a lyceum, a gymnasium. In practice, every type of secondary school designs its own curriculum, basing it upon the Basic Curriculum. Apart from compulsory subjects of a «core curriculum» each school provides some optional disciplines being specific to the particular region in which the school is located as well as in accordance with the interests of pupils. Lycei and gymnasia, as a rule, offer a variety of educational programmes at a more advanced level giving deep knowledge in a particular field of study.

In addition to regular secondary schools there exists a large number of specialist schools like schools of music, art or sport for children who are gifted in music (singing or playing some musical instrument), art (painting, drawing, performing arts) or doing different kinds of sport accordingly.

The academic year starts on 1 September and runs through the beginning of June. School examinations are scheduled in June.

On the completion of basic general education (a nine-year programme), students take final examinations and are awarded, if they pass, the Certificate of Basic General Education (Attestat ob Osnovnom Obshchem Obrazovanii). As a result of the State final attestation, students may or may not be encouraged to continue their education. The Certificate entitles its holder to be admitted either to secondary (complete) general education or to vocational education.

The Certificate of Secondary (Complete) General Education (Attestat o Srednem (Polnom) Obshchem Obrazovanii) or so-called matriculation certificate is awarded after the completion of an eleven-year school programme and the successful passing of final examinations often conducted in a form of so-called unified state examinations. The number of disciplines subject to final examinations should not be fewer than five: two federal compulsory written examinations and no less than three optional examinations at the choice of the student. The school leaving certificate entitles its holder to pursue professional education: either vocational education, or both non-university and university level higher education.

At present the system of secondary education in Russia is going through a transitional period. The main objectives of the reform are to develop a new financial mechanism, promote the humanization of education, and prepare students for life and work in new socio-political and economic conditions.

The education in this country is free at most schools. All secondary schools until recently have been funded by the state. Alongside the public sector, over the last two decades some 600 private schools have been established providing fee-paying education. These last few years some innovative schools have been set up, among them are charity-funded boarding schools.

However, a lot of problems have emerged in the process of reforming education and become the most disputable items for the discussion in the modern Russian society.

 

Vocabulary

charity encouragement to admit to award to comprise to correspond to ensure to entitle to occur to promote workload

благотворительность поощрение, ободрение принимать, допускать награждать, присуждать охватывать, включать в себя соответствовать обеспечивать, гарантировать давать право случаться, происходить способствовать, поддерживать учебная нагрузка

After You Read

 

I. Find the English equivalents for the following words and expressions in the text.

Лицей, гимназия, профессиональное образование, неполное среднее образование, основная программа средней школы, неполное среднее образование, музыкальная школа, школа искусств, спортивная школа, выпускные экзамены, аттестат о полном среднем образовании, аттестат зрелости, единые государственные экзамены (ЕГЭ), переходный период, государственная школа, негосударственное учреждение, платное образование.

II. Prepare an oral presentation of the school you went to according to the plan:

– school location;

– school structure;

– core and elective courses offered by your school;

– your favourite subjects;

– system of grading;

– teaching staff;

– methods of teaching applied in your school;

– time-table;

– periods and criteria of knowledge assessment;

– your class;

– equipment in classrooms, laboratories, gyms, work-shops;

– school canteen;

– extracurricular activities in your school;

– what you liked and disliked at your school;

– what you would like to improve or introduce there.

 

III. Think back to your favourite teacher at school and talk about them to your partner. You can use the questions as a plan.

 

– Was it a woman or a man? What was their name?

– What did they look like? What sort of clothes did they use to wear?

– Were they strict or easy-going?

– What subject did they teach? Were you good at that subject?

– What sort of things did you use to do in class?

– What was special about your favourite teacher?

– Were they popular with your classmates?

– Are you still in touch with them?

 

IV. Work in small groups and discuss the following questions. Make use of the expressions given in the annex.

 

1. Did you get any extra education? If yes, describe the specialist school you went to. How could people judge your ability? Did you take part in any performances? What kind of opportunities have your gift given you?

2. What other abilities would you like to make?

3. Do you find developing children’s talents in music, dance and drama a good idea? Why?

4. What other establishments encouraging children’s talent in different fields exist in this country? Describe their work. Can you predict their future in new social and economic environment?

5. What other methods would you suggest to make the best use of children’s talents in our country?

 

V. Ponder on the following items and present your ideas in class:

 

– encouraging very young children to study and be successful;

– being different from other children;

– stress caused by intense learning;

– generation gap between fathers and sons;

– pros and contras of coaching;

– advantages and disadvantages of homeschooling;

– qualities that make a good teacher;

– qualities that make a good student.

 

`VI. Suggest English correspondences for the following Russian proverbs. What translation transformations can be used?

 

1. Не учась и лаптя не сплетешь.

2. Знай больше, а говори меньше!

3. Ученье – свет, а неученье – тьма.

4. За ученого двух неученых дают.

5. Кто много знает, с того много и спрашивается.

6. Незнайка лежит, а знайка далеко бежит.

7. Не выучит школа – выучит охота (нужда).

8. Повторенье – мать ученья.

9. Ученье лучше богатства.

10. По платью встречают, по уму провожают.

VII. Compare the RF system of secondary education with that of the UK discussed in the previous chapter. Write a list of their strengths and weaknesses getting use of your tables. Discuss them in pairs.

Before You Read

I. Answer the questions.

 

1. Is it necessary to take exams to enter a university in Russia?

2. Is there a lot of competition?

3. How rich do you have to be to attend a Russian university?

 

II. Write a diagram showing in detail the system of higher education in this country. Give your comments on it.

 

III. Scan the text using the vocabulary given below.

 

The RF Higher Schooling

 

A higher school system plays an important role in the development of any country. Only highly qualified specialists can solve the most complex problems facing modern society. Knowledge, science and culture open the prospects for the future.

At the beginning of the 20^th century the majority of the population in Russia was illiterate. Now Russia is a country with a high educational level for the