6. Read the article and comment on the problems of the British teachers and pupils. Are these problems found in your country? Classroom Chaos: How Teachers Lost Control

“As the petite, middle-aged teacher shouts desperately for the out-of-control class to be quiet, a faint, childish boy’s voice can be heard, calling out above the deafening din: ‘Go to Hell, Miss!’ It’s a shocking scene, but according to Classroom Chaos – a documentary broadcast on Five – not untypical of daily life in British schools.

Teachers are leaving the profession because of the violent behaviour of pupils.

More than 80 per cent of teachers believe that unacceptable behaviour has increased during their career; nearly as many experience disruption to lessons on a weekly basis.

Returning to teaching after a gap of 30 years, Sylvia Thomas secretly filmed her experiences as a supply teacher in 15 secondary schools in London and the north of England; the schools were chosen at random. Yet almost everywhere she went, Thomas faced a “constant battle” with rude, unruly pupils. In the documentary children are shown ”on their feet, moving around, shouting, bustling, getting on with their own petty social business”.

The Survey by the National Union of Teachers (NUT) found that 30 per cent of teachers encountered the use of offensive weapons The Survey by the National Union of Teachers (NUT) found that 30 per cent of teachers encountered the use of offensive weapons and a similar number claimed to have been bullied by a pupil at least once a week.

One of the most worrying findings of the report was the spread of the problem to younger children. More than 60 per cent of teachers in primary schools and more than 40 per cent in nursery schools recorded weekly disruption ranging from verbal aggression to physical assault.

As usual, the educational system is failing the less clever children. Vast sums of money are spent on helping bright pupils escaped to new “academies” – modern-day grammar schools where “rough boys” are not present – leaving the rest to sink or swim.

But money spent on “bog-standard” schools is money down the drain unless we first “re-establish institutional control”. That will take ”near-martial discipline”: two adults in every classroom, metal detectors, and police on the premises. We’ll get nowhere until we restore authority to teachers.

7. Decide whether the following statements are true or false.

1. Disruption of lessons is untypical of daily life in British schools.

2. Most teachers quit over pupil aggressive behaviour.

3. Sylvia Thomas filmed her experiences as a supply teacher in 15 primary schools in London and the north of England.

4. According to the Survey by NUT, 30 per cent of teachers faced the use of offensive weapons.

5. Lesson disruption yet at nursery and primary schools ranges from verbal abuse to physical violence.

6. Restoring authority to teachers is essential for re-establishing institutional control.

8. Explain the meaning of the underlined phrases in the text above and recall the context in which they have been used.