Discuss Browning's words "A man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?", a) Comment on the quotation, b) How would you answer Miss Barrett's question as to whether it is wise to aim higher than one's capaci ty? With which group of pupils would you side? c) Illustrate the quotation by a literary example, d) Make up dialogues dealing with the ideas Browning's words arouse.
143.
Comment on the phraseological unit "to hitch one's wagon to a star".
Reread Text Five to speak on the following points of its style.
The story is told in the form of a letter. Is it a modem or an old-fashioned form? (Prove your point) What is the author's purpose in resorting to it? Point out some of the characteristic features of the style resulting from the choice.
What is gained by telling the story in the first person? How does the fact in fluence the mood and atmosphere of the narration?
What impression do you form of the character of Sylvia Barrett from her let ter? Is she detached in her attitude to the facts she describes? Prove your point.
What method(s) of characterization does the author use?
Point out the sentences bearing touches of humour or irony. (Prove which it is.)
Comment on the language. Compare it with that of James Hilton (Text One).
PROFESSION-ORIENTED QUESTIONS AND ACTIVITIES
I. Listen attentively to your fellow-student's reading of Ex. 2. In what way will you correct his mistakes if he makes any?
II. Ask your fellow-student to read out loud Ex. 3; ask him to beat the time to observe proper stresses; correct his mistakes in the pronunciation of vowels.
III. While listening to your fellow-students' reading of Ex. 4, write down their mistakes, then analyse them and ask the students to correct them orally.
IV. Ask your fellow-student to read the passages given in Ex. 5 observing the intonation of parentheses; correct his mistakes.
V. Comment on Professor Winters' recommendation to teach not the subject but the whole child. What does it imply in terms of foreign-language teaching?
VI. What do you think of the popular quotation from B. Shaw "Those who can, do, those who can't teach"? Give reasons for your answer.
VII. a) Reread the text for the information on the "culture element". Make up a list of specific features of American school life as can be seen through this ex tract, b) Be ready to speak on the American high school system. (Revise the mate rial given in Part Four.)
VIII. The text of this lesson is given in a form of a letter. That should remind you of the peculiarities of letter-writing in English, a) Write down the expressions for the salutation, the body of the letter and the complimentary clause that you
think appropriate for teaching on a school level, b) Speaking in terms of meth-ods, why do you think letter-writing is so essential in foreign-language teach-ing at all levels?
IX. Give a professional account of the papers or written homework at your teacher's choice that you have corrected. Use the following:
1. I've marked/corrected your papers. 2. Will you do your correc-tions now! 3. Now I'm going to give you your homework back. 4. Would you read the last sentence again, please! 5. In this way we check on the proficiency of the students. 6. All students of English especially those who are trained to become school teachers must have legible writing. 7. Give it a suitable title.
X. Take up problem-solving situations 11-15 (See the Appendix). Discuss them in class.
CONVERSATION AND DISCUSSION
NEW CHALLENGES IN EDUCATION
Topical Vocabulary
access n (to provide wide - to knowledge/cultural treasures, etc.)
adjust v (to - one's mind to smth.) advocate v, n (to - smth.; to be an - of smth.)
background л(cultural/educational/family -) branch out v (to - to another problem/subject)
broaden v (to - one's education; to - the range of interest) challenge n (~s of space/in education)
carry out v (to - computations/task/operations) communicate v (to - attitudes/ideas/facts/propositions) computer n (—aided instruction; - terminal)
essentials n (- of a subject) deep-going a (- changes) development n (- of new ideas) device n
eliminate v
grounding n (to get a firm - in a subject)
Impact n innovation n
insight n (- into smth.)
interaction n (man-macnine ~) jot down v
language n (machine -; artificial -) learning n (rote -; insightful -; lifelong -) manual a (- work/training)
mould v (to - character/personality) operate v (to - a computer) physical facilities
Private study
proceed v (to - at one's own speed) program v (to - a computer) provide v (to - drills/commentary) role-play; role-playing activity rote n (- learning; to learn by -) remedial a (- material/class)score n (to keep -)
sophisticated p.p. (- equipment/comment/speaker) scientific and technological revolution
speed n (to proceed at one's own -) subject matter
substitute v, n (- teacher; to ~ smth. for smth.) superior a (to be - to a teacher)
take notes of lectures (but: to make brief/outline notes) terminal n (home -; computer -)
Time sharing
trial and error (method) user n
I. Lifelong learning is vital for every individual. Only by continuous nourish-ment of the human mind, body and soul can man be adequate to the challenge of our time. "How to teach" seems to be a well-developed area in education. What about methods of learning?
1. a) Read the following:
You may think that study is an individual matter; that methods which suit some individual will not suit others; and that different methods are appropriate to different subjects. All this is true. Study remains an art. The best methods of learning medieval history will not necessarily be the best methods of learning chemical engineer- / ing. But, whatever subject you are studying, there are nevertheless certain general principles which you should know about, and which
should enable you to work out your own personal methods and schemes of study more effectively, and with less trial and error.
Success in study depends not only on ability and hard work but also on effective methods of study. Some students can do more work in a given time than others, and do it more easily. This is largely a matter of ability, no doubt, but ability is by no means the only fac-tor. Important study skills such as note-taking, revising, and making plans and time-tables have to be learned and practised, yet very few students get any systematic instruction in these matters. Most have to rely on the study techniques which they learned at school, or to proceed by personal trial and error. Even the most gifted students can seldom discover unaided the most effective ways of studying.
Take a question which must concern all students: What is the most effective method of learning from textbooks? Several methods are possible, e.g. 1) simple reading and re-reading, 2) underlining the main points and important details in the text, 3) reading and then making brief outline notes.
Actual research studies of the effectiveness of these methods, as judged by examination success, have in fact been done on quite a large scale. Method (3) turned out to be the best, but only if the text was read over first in order to get the general sense, and if the notes were made in the student's own words. Without some practice and training in note-taking, method (3) was actually inferior to method (1).
You must thoroughly understand what you are studying. If you really understand a subject not only do you remember it easily, but you can apply your knowledge in new situations. The important thing is not what you know, but what you can do with what you know. The extra effort envolved in getting a firm grounding in the essen-tials of a subject is repaid many times in later study.
How are you to achieve understanding? Understanding involves 1 j linking new knowledge to the old and 2) organizing it and remem-bering it in a systematic fashion.
(From: Maddox H. How to Study. L, 1971.)
Answer the following questions:
Do you think that study is really an individual matter? Do you believe that you can become efficient in learning through proper organization and method? 2. Which of the three methods of learning from textbooks suggested by the author do you usu-ally stick to in your studies? Which do you personally find effec-
tive? 3. There is a most important general rule of learning given by the author in this extract. What is it? 4. How do students achieve understanding?
