Text 6. Education in the USA

Read Text 6 and find out some new information about the system of education in the United States.

PART III. Education in the USA

Retell Text 3.

Find at least 3 differences and 3 similarities between the systems of education in Ukraine and Great Britain.

Write a letter to a pen-friend about the system of higher education in Great Britain.

Pre-reading Activities

1. Match the following words and word-combinations with their Ukrainian equivalents:

1) church-related schools a) відділ народної освіти

2) board of education b) навички спілкування

3) standards and requirements c) прийом до коледжу

4) tuition fee d) безкоштовно

5) summer support classes e) оцінки

6) social skills f) плата за навчання

7) admission to college g) залишитися на другий рік

8) extra-curricular activities h) позашкільні та позакласні заходи

9) grades i) навчальні матеріали

10) teaching materials j) норми та вимоги

11) to repeat a course k) релігійні школи

12) at no cost l) заняття для студентів, які не

встигають

Reading Activities

Americans have always shown a great concern for education. Here are some figures to support this statement. Today, there are 43 million pupils and students in public schools, and another 6 million in private schools throughout the country. In other words, 88% of American children attend public schools (financed by the government) and 12% go to private schools. Every year about 12 million Americans become students in over 3,000 colleges and universities of every type: private, public, church-related, small and large, in cities, counties and states.

The United States does not have a national system of education. It means that most educational matters are left to the separate states or the local community. In general, colleges, universities and schools, whether state or private, are quite free to determine their own individual standards and requirements.

The major result of this unusual situation is that there is a lot of variety in elementary, secondary and higher education throughout the nation. For example, although all states today require that children attend school until a certain age, it varies from 14 to 18 years. Or, as another example, in about 60% of the states, local schools are free to choose subjects and teaching materials or textbooks which they think are appropriate. In other states they only use the teaching materials approved by the state Board of Education. Some universities are free to residents of the state, others are expensive, especially for out-of-state students, with tuition fees of thousands of dollars each year. Some school systems are extremely conservative, some very progressive and liberal. These and other important differences must always be considered while describing American schools.

Because of the great variety of schools and colleges, and the many differences between them, we cannot speak about a typical American school or college. Yet, there are basic simi­larities in structure among the various schools and systems to give some general comments.

Most schools start at the kindergarten level at the age of 5. The elementary school (or grade school) goes from age 6 to 11 or 12 (grades 1 to 5 or 6). This is usually followed by a middle school (grades 6-8) or Junior High School (grades 7-9). High schools include 3 or 4 years, usually until the age of 18. Pupils who do not do well often have to repeat courses or attend summer support classes which are also called ‘make up’ or remedial classes.

Like schools in Britain and other English-speaking countries, those in US have always stressed ‘character’ or ‘social skills’ through extra-curricular activities, including sports. Most schools publish their newspapers, have student orchestras and choirs, theater and drama groups and clubs. Many sports are available to students at no cost, and many schools have swimming pools, tennis courts and stadiums.

Students who wish to go to a good university have to work hard. During studies any student can be asked to leave because of poor grades. As tuition fees are rather high at most colleges and universities, students who must work at outside jobs as well as study are the rule rather than the exception.

Post-reading Activities

Дата добавления: 2014-11-29