Vocabulary exercises:

1. Read the given words in a correct way:

Approval, elementary, state, movement, to separate, timeline, submission, grade, signature, quality, separate, to improve, poor, to receive, charter, contribution, to change, to measure, challenge, children, co-educational, satisfaction, a diploma.

2. Translate into Russian:

To improve the quality of education, the timeline for approval, a grade, to receive a diploma, different movements, a separate choice, a public school, a private school, graduation, an elementary (primary) school, the approval of the charter, the submission of the document, to attend a charter school, to measure by scores.

3. Give the English equivalents:

Обязательное образование, (бесплатная) средняя школа в США, неполная средняя школа (7, 8, 9 классы), старшие классы средней школы (10, 11, 12 классы), диплом о получении среднего образования, вносить вклад, обзор, финансируемый государством.

4. Fill in the blanks with the necessary word or word combination: high school diploma, education, public schools, levels, immigrants, pupils, children:

Schools in new york

Today New York City population includes more than 1.3 million school-age … . About 80% of them attend the city’s 1,100 … . In the early part of the twentieth century the city schools helped prepare … for American life, training most for jobs in commerce and industry and a favored few for higher … .

Today pupil expectations are far higher and, indeed, the economy requires higher … of education. College has become a necessity for most …, not just for the talented elite. A … has become a minimum requirement for today’s youth.

(From City Schools by D. Ravich, J. Viteritti)

5. Make up 5 English sentences using new words and word combinations.

6. Translate the following Russian sentences into English:

1. Американские дети идут в школу в 5, 6 или 7 лет в зависимости от штата.

2. Обязательное образование в США длится 10 лет.

3. Система среднего образования в Соединенных Штатах отличается от систем образования других стран.

4. Чартерные школы вносят значительный склад в образовательную реформу страны.

5. Чартерные школы не зависят от местности, в которой расположены, поддерживаются правительством и управляются родителями, компаниями и т.д., а не системой общеобразовательных школ.

6. Американские школьники посещают среднюю школу с 7 по 12 классы.

7. Только дети богатых людей учатся в частных школах.

8. Каково личное отношение их родителей к этому вопросу?

9. Учебный год в США длится в среднем 180 дней.

10. Некоторые молодые люди начинают работать сразу после окончания средней школы.

7. Define if the statements given below are true or false. If it is false, give the correct answer:

1. The American system of education differs from the systems of other countries.

2. Compulsory education in the USA varies between 5 and 7 years of age, 5 being the most common.

3. American secondary education is in grades 7-11.

4. All states and districts have set the secondary school graduation level as the completion of the 10^th grade.

5. Now public and private school distinctions are largely based on religious influences.

VIII. Answer the questions:

1. What are public and private school distinctions?

2. Are private schools popular now?

3. The conditions of teaching in private schools are the same as in public schools, aren’t they?

4. What subjects does the programme of studies for elementary school children in the USA include?

5. How long does the school year in the USA last?

6. Are charter schools private or public?

7. Children from rich families go to charter schools, don’t they?

8. How is the quality of charter schools measured?

9. Why are charter schools formed?

10. Who can write a charter?

IX. Read the following dialogue in parts and translate it into Russian paying attention to the new words and expressions:

Student A: Would you tell us about American graded schools?

Teacher: The assigning of children to different levels is called graded arrangement. The movement of pupils from grade to grade according to age is called the vertical organizational plan.

Student B: Oh, that’s very interesting. And what is the difference between the graded and nongraded school?

Teacher: The major aim of the nongraded organizational pattern is continuous process. This system allows pupils to progress through the curriculum at their own pace.

Student A: And what about grades?

Teacher: Forget about them. In the nongraded system progress is reported in terms of tasks completed and the manner of learning not by grades or rating systems. And the continuous progress is reflected in pupils’ growth of knowledge.

Student B: And I have heard about self-contained classrooms and departmentalization. Is there any difference between them?

Teacher: Of course, there is. In the self-contained classroom pupils spend the day primarily with one teacher learning English, Mathematics, Social Studies and Science. In the school with departmentalization the teacher is a specialist in one or two curriculum areas.

Students: Thank you very much. You’ve been very helpful.

X. Make up and act out a suitable dialogue using the topical vocabulary:

1. Public education should be free. Any person should receive a good education at public expense.

2. Schooling should be equal and open. No one should be discriminated against because of race, religious or financial status.

3. Education is compulsory. Parents cannot decide to keep their children out of school.

XI. Make up reports/computer presentations in groups choosing one of the following topics (don’t forget about a practical task after your story/submission of a presentation) (See Appendix 1):

1. American primary education.

2. Secondary education in the USA.

3. The National Curriculum.

4. Public and private schools in America.

5. The differences between primary and secondary education in the USA, the UK and Russia.