Task 1: Listening comprehension
Listen to three people talking about their experiences in education. Which speakers feelings does each of the following statements summaries? Write M (for Mark), J (for Jim) or C (for Claire)
1. When a teacher tries to help a student understand the world, the teachers own understanding is enhanced. .
2. Whatever subject we study, education can teach us to learn from life. ..
3. Having an education is important, even in careers which do not normally require academic qualifications. ..
Task 2: Reading comprehension
| For questions 1-16, answer by choosing from paragraphs A-D. Some choices may be required more than once. | ||
| Which person believes in the educational value of the outside world? has two children, one of whom is rather more sociable than the other? Believes in letting young children take responsibility for their own learning? Concedes that in one area of the curriculum her children might be lagging behind their peers? Is able to educate her children at home because of the nature of her occupation? Decided to educated her children at home partly out of financial necessity? Socialises with other like-minded people? Believes home education means children relate better to other people? Believes that educating ones children is a fundamental part of parenting? Suggests that, in her opinion, schools can be restrictive and oppressive? Has learned not to be too strict about her childrens studies? Becomes concerned when children are faced with challenging ideas? Rations the time her children can devote to their favourite hobbies? Says that decisions about her childrens lifestyle are not always fully accepted by both the children? Has a structured plan of work which the children follow? Thinks that home education saves children a lot of time? |
MY CHILDREN DONT GO TO SCHOOL
Four parents tell us why they choose to educate their children at home, rather than send them to school
A. MARGARET
I knew very early on that my children, Caroline, 13, and Edwin, 9, were gifted, but no-one seemed to recognize it at school. For various reasons we didnt want our children to go to state schools, and the private ones werent worth the deprivation Id have to go through to afford them.
Because my two are so motivated, its really quite easy. I buy books and the materials they need for the syllabuses and basically just let them get on with it, though obviously I keep an eye on them. From the outset, I left them to choose which bits to study from the syllabuses I dont want things to get too regimental. Why make children unhappy by forcing them to do things they dont want do if they learn as much doing what they like? Im rather bitter about my own school education; frankly, with some of the lessons I feel Id have learnt more by just going to the school library.
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The childrens number one thing at the moment is computers, though I restrict the Internet to the evenings, as I dont want them staring at screens for too long. I hope, Im not too pushy with them, though. Sometimes you do worry because they are often wrestling with adult questions of ethics and philosophy before theyre really old enough, but to be honest I dont mind if their personalities are rather adult thats better than being too children. Edwin sees his friends regularly and while Carolines more self-contained, shes adamant shes not lonely.
Because Im freelance Ive always been able to work from home and be with the children. I think a lot more people would do this if they didnt have to go out to work.
B. JANE
When we started teaching Helen, we got together with other home educators to share our problems, and would meet every Thursday in the village community centre taking turns to prepare a topic. These meetings developed into a kind of mini co-operative, almost an alternative school, if you like. But when Helen started exam work at the age of 15, she started to take the initiative in her learning. For instance, she would draw up her own timetable, which was marvellous.
I think the fact that weve never had a television has been a big factor o their being so interested in everything and so articulate. My son grumbles about it occasionally, but when you are not at school there isnt peer pressure to watch it. Thats not to say my children havent got friends they have! Theyre certainly not missing out socially indeed I think home-educated kids are actually more socially skilled, because they spend so much time watching adults.
Helen is now 16 and has just started at St. Marys Music School in Edinburgh. We were never seriously tempted to change to mainstream schooling until Helen decided she wanted to take her music seriously. I was a bit nervous who wouldnt be, sending their child 400 miles away at 15 but when children are old enough to make a reasoned decision you have to trust their judgment.
C. DIANE
Ben was at school for a year but off sick a lot I think he was too young at 4 and got exhausted and I found he learned more at home. When we moved to another part of the country, I used the move as an opportunity to keep him out of school, and it was such a success that I did the same thing for Tabitha. At first I was very formal about it and had fixed hours, but I soon relaxed.
Weve got books for Maths and English that tie in to the National Curriculum, which children follow at school, but we also do a lot of topic work on things that interest them. Tabitha follows a curriculum called Primary Maths, and Ben follows the Bobby Moore of Football Maths Book, which makes the subject fun.
Now we might start off with a bit of Maths and then write to a pen friend and then go to the shops. I dont consciously turn a shopping trip into a lesson but when we get back, Ill realize they have learned things like Maths, geography and even issues such as fair trading.
We meet up with other home educators though a parents group. We go on outings or just get together in our free time to relax together. Other people Ive talked to say home-educated children are less likely to be stroppy teenagers, perhaps because theyre isnt the same peer pressure. Certainly, my two are at ease in adult company and seem to be well-balanced people. Mind you, if they really wanted to go to school, I wouldnt stop them.
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D. SARAH
We made a conscious decision, long before they were due to start, not to send the twins to school. We realised that would be sent away for their education, that we would say goodbye to them at half past seven and not see them again till something like half past four, just like business people. It just didnt seem right for us to be passing the responsibility of bringing up our children on to somebody else. Maybe were just different from other people, but it seem perfectly and healthy to have our family all together at home until theyll grown up. I actually used to work as a teacher, so educating my own children is second nature to me.
Even as a former teacher Im inclined to think that some of what children do at school, from a strictly learning point of view, is unnecessary. Like groupwork, for example. Cut that out by teaching at home and we can give our children the individual attention they need, and take short cuts towards they really need to know.
The kids are happy, pleasant individuals, with plenty of friends. I couldnt if theyre more or less sociable than other kids, because Im biased! Its difficult to say how theyd match up with their friends if they took a school test. I think theyre OK as far as reading and writing and concerned, but they might not to do so well in Maths. My husband and I feel that the kids are still to young, at 6 and 8 grapple with mathematical concepts. So we do tried and ration this old favourite, for the moment. At the moment theres still plenty of time, and above all, plenty of time still to play and enjoy life.
Task III: Language in Use
Read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to from a word that fit in the gap in the same line. There is an example at the beginning.
REWARDING CHILDREN
Cash rewards are a common form of (0) motivation used by parents MOTIVATE
with high (1)_____ to encourage their children to work hard at exam EXPECT
time. Some youngsters receive (2)_____ of as much as £ 100 for each PAY
A grade they obtain at GCSE. But should such bribes' be based on
exam (3)______ or should they, as many parents and teachers feel, PERFORM
be offered in (4)_____ of a child's effort, regardless of results? The RECOGNIZE
latter approach would solve the problem of how parents reward children
with different levels of (5)____; imagine, for example, a family with ABLE
one child who is (6)_____ gifted and another who has learning ACADEMIC
(7)______. The dangers of result-related incentives for the second child DIFFICULT
are clear; with little hope of obtaining the higher grades, the withholding
of promised (8)_____ rewards would only compound the child's feeling FINANCE
of (9)______. However, some leading educational psychologists believe FAIL
that parents should rely on their own (10)_____ in such matters. They JUDGE
maintain that if parents know that money will motivate their child, then
they should not be condemned for operating a system of cash payouts.
2. Choose the correct word to complete each sentence:
1. As a travelling / visiting / touring professor in sociology, he spends much of his time abroad.
2. The overseer / supervisor / administrator of your thesis will advise you on what kind of content is appropriate for your introduction.
3. The tester / marker / inspector refused to correct the paper, claiming it was illegible.
4. Thanks to weekly lessons with a private lecture / tutor / professor, her reading ability improved steadily.
5. He looks as if he lives on the streets, but in fact he is a respected headmaster / dean / don at Oxford University.
6. All applications must include the names and addresses of two academic referees / arbitrators / evaluators.
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7. If you think your work has been graded unfairly, file a complaint with the head / chief / leader of the department.
8. Students performance will be judged by external prefects /graders / assessors to ensure objectively.
9. The ski teacher / coach / instructor warned the new skiers about the risk of frostbite.
10. Your careers director / analyst / adviser is there to help you make the best choice for your future.
Task IV. Read the following article and give a short written summary of it.
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