B) Compare and contrast the school you studied at and Kharkiv G.S. Skovoroda National Pedagogical University

Model: Studies at university are not similar to studies at school.

Use the following phrases:

… is (not) like, … is (not) similar to …, on the one hand …, on the other hand, as … as, not as … as

c) The teaching process is the process of joint activities of teachers and students directed at the achievement of teaching goals. Discuss how you understand this statement.

Model: On the one hand students and teachers take part in the teaching process, on the other hand their functions are different.

Use the following expressions:

on the one hand, … on the other hand …, consequently …, accordingly;

I think…; I believe …; I consider…; In my opinion…; To my mind…

15. Compare the structure of the academic year, marking systems and students’ work in the UK, USA and Ukraine.

UK (approximately)	US (approximately)	UA (approximately)
FIRST TERM OCT 5 – DEC 15 MID-SESSIONAL EXAMS (MID-SESSIONALS) CHRISTMAS VACATION DEC 16 – JAN 10	FIRST SEMESTR SEP 5 – DEC 22 WINTER VACATION DEC 23 – JAN 21 END-OF-SEMESTER (FINAL) EXAMS	FIRST SEMESTR SEP 1 – JAN 30 WINTER VACATION JAN 31 – FEB 10 END-OF-SEMESTER (FINAL) EXAMS
SECOND TERM JAN 11 – MAR 20 MID-SESSIONAL EXAMS EASTER VACATION MAR 21 – APR 25	WINTER SEMESTR JAN 2 – JAN 21	SECOND SEMESTR FEB 11 – JUN 30
SECOND SEMESTER JAN 22 – MAY 19   END-OF-SEMESTER (FINAL) EXAMS   SUMMER VACATION MAY 20 – SEP 4	END-OF-SEMESTER (FINAL) EXAMS   SUMMER VACATION JUL 1 – AUG 31
MAY TERM MAY 21 – JUN 8	TYPES OF EXAMS · pass-or-fail test / exam · end-of-semester (regular) exam · final (degree) exam
SUMMER VACATION JUL 1 – OCT 4	SUMMER SESSION JUN 9 – AUG 31
SESSION = ACADEMIC YEAR	SESSION = ADDITIONAL PERIOD OF STUDY DURING A VACATION

· Fill in the text below using the information and terminology in the table above.

A. In English universities the academic year, which is also called ______ (1), lasts approximately from the beginning of ______ (2) to the end of ______ (3). The session is broken into three parts, which are called ______ (4). The students have to take exams at the end of each ______(5). Those exams are called ______(6) exams, or _______(7) in the ______ (8) and the ______(9) terms. However, the exams at the end of the third ______(10) are called _____(11) exams, or just _____(12).

B. In contrast to the English universities, the ______(1) year in American universities is broken only into two _____(2). The school year starts earlier than in Britain, in _____(3), and it is over earlier as well, at the end of_____(4). However, there are extra ______(5), when the students may take additional courses and shorten their period of study. They may do it in winter ______(6), during the winter ______(7); in May, during the May _______(8); and in summer, during the summer ______(9). At the end of each semester the students take their ______(10) exams, which may be called _______(11) exams if those are the last ______(12) within a specific course, or preliminary _____(13) exams, if they are not the last ones in this particular course.

C. Describe the structure of the academic (school) year, the vacations and the exams the Ukrainians have. Talk about:

1. When does an academic year start and when is it over?

2. How many parts is an academic year divided into? How are they called? How long do they last?

3. When do the students take their exams? What types are they? How many of each type may the students take within one semester?

4. How many vacations are there in an academic year? How long are they? Do you think they should be longer or shorter? Why?

5. Compare the structure of the academic year in the three countries in the table along the following guidelines:

a) the length of the academic year;

b) the number of periods the academic year is broken into;

c) the length of the vacations;

d) the number of exams per year;

e) the degree of students’ freedom to choose the place to study at;

f) which structure of the academic year do you like best of all? Why?

g) Work in groups of 3-4. Suggest an ideal project of the academic year structure for Ukraine. Give your reasons.

D. Translate the sentences into English:

В українських та американських університетах навчальний рік складається з двох семестрів, наприкінці кожного із них студенти складають семестрові іспити та заліки. Студенти, які закінчують повний курс навчання, складають іспити на присвоєння відповідного ступеня. На відміну від України, американські студенти можуть скоротити термін власного навчання за рахунок додаткових занять під час зимових та літніх канікул. Британські ж університети ділять навчальний рік на три триместри, однак починають навчання на місяць пізніше, ніж в Україні і США. Навчальний рік в Україні та Великобританії закінчується одночасно, а в США заняття припиняються майже на півтора місяця раніше. Загальна тривалість канікул є найдовшою у Великобританії – близько 150 днів, в США вона складає близько 135 днів, а в Україні – лише 70 днів. Термін „файнелз” у Великобританії означає іспити на одержання ступеня (бакалавра або магістра), а в США, крім того, це можуть бути останні іспити з будь-якого предмету. В Україні цей термін може позначати „державні іспити”, в США іспити, які передують останньому іспиту з певного предмету, називаються „прелімінеріз”.

Дата добавления: 2014-11-29