Unit 5

EDUCATION IN THE USA

Text: Education in the USA.

Grammar: The Past Perfect Continuous Tense.

Практические цели: ознакомление с лексическим материалом по теме « Education in USA», развитие умений и навыков разговорной речи по теме «Education», закрепление и тренировка грамматической темы The Past Perfect Continuous Tense, развитие навыков монологической речи по теме.

Education in the USA.

Over 57 mln students are enrolled in American schools. Americans place a high value on education for themselves and for their children. Universal access to high quality education has been one of the nation’s historic goals.

More than 100 years before signing the Declaration of Independence, European settlers in Massachusetts passed laws requiring all communities to hire school masters. American’s first college, Harvard was founded in Massachusetts in 1636 and in 1865 education was becoming available to all.

There are the varieties of schools in America now: public and private, large and small, urban and rural, traditional and experimental, academic, vocational and comprehensive. Educational system of the USA consists of : Preschool education, Elementary school, Secondary school and Higher education. Preschool education : The school year is usually nine months, from early September to mid – June. A child’s introduction to formal education is usually in kindergarten classes operated in most public school systems. Many systems also provide nursery schools. The age group is commonly four and five years. These preschool education programs maintain a close relationship with the home and parents, and aim to give children useful experiences which will prepare them for elementary school. Elementary school: The main purpose of elementary school is the general intellectual and social development of the child from 6 to 12 or 15 years of age. Carricula vary with the organization and educational aims of individual schools and communities. Promotion from one grade to the next is based on the pupil’s achievement of specified skills in reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic, history, geography, music and art. Secondary school: Most pupils follow a course that includes English, science, social studies, mathematics and physical education. Elective subjects may be chosen in the fields of foreign languages, fine arts and vocational training. Most young Americans graduate from school with a high school diploma upon satisfactory completion of a specified number of courses. Students are usually graded from A (excellent) to F (failing) in each course they take on the basis of performance in tests given at intervals throughout the year, participation in class discussions and completion of written and oral assignments. Locally developed end-of-the-year examinations are given in many schools. Some states, as New York, give statewide examinations which are prepared by the state department of education. After graduating from secondary schools a growing number of Americans go on to higher education. American institutions of higher education include: technical training schools, community colleges, colleges offering four-year bachelor degree programmes and universities which contain one or more colleges and graduate schools offering master’s or doctoral degree programmes. The factors determining an institution’s prestige are the quality of the teaching faculty, quality of research facilities, the number and competence of applicants for admission.

Topical vocabulary.

1.to enroll зачислять

2. value оценка

3.access доступ

4.law закон, право

5.to hire нанимать

6.to found основывать

7. urban городской

8.rural сельский

9.to consist (of) состоять (из)

10.kindergarten детский сад

11.social общественный

12.to vary меняться

13.promotion продвижение

14.achievement достижение

15.throughout везде

16.assignment задание

17.to determine решать

18.applicant абитуриент

19.admission зачисление

20.purpose цель

21.bachelior’s degree степень бакалавра

22.master’s degree степень магистра

Ex.1. Suggest the Russian for:

1.to enroll

2. vary

3. promotion from one grade

4. law

5. rural

6. pupil’ achievement

7. urban

8. to hire

9.to consist (of)

10.in kindergarten classes

11.social

12. a high value

13. universal access

14. to found

15. admission

16.the main purpose

Ex.2. Match the following words and expressions from column A with those in column B.

1.social development степень магистра

2.to consist of был основан

3. achievement of specified skills цель

4.to graduate from степень бакалавра

5.was founded достижение определенных навыков

6. purpose состоять из

7.bachelior’s degree общественное развитие

8.master’s degree доступ

9.access окончить

Ex.3 .Fill in the gaps with the words given in brackets.

1. The school year lasts usually ... ... . from early September to mid – June.

2. The age group is commonly .... years.

3. These preschool education programs maintain a close relationship with ... ... , and aim to give

children useful experiences which will ... them for elementary school.

4.The main purpose of elementary school is the development ... ... of the child from 6 to 12 or 15

years of age.

5. Promotion from one ... to the next is based on the pupil’s achievement of specified skills in

reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic, history, geography, music and art.

6. Most young Americans ... from school with a ... school diploma upon satisfactory completion

of a specified number of courses.

7 .Some states, as New York, give statewide examinations which are prepared by... .....

8.After graduating from secondary schools a growing number of Americans go on ... ....

9. Curricula ... with the organization and educational aims of individual schools and communities.

the state department of education, vary, general intellectual and social , graduate, to higher education, four and five, high, nine months, prepare, grade ,the home and parents

Ex.4. Translate into English.

1.Школьный год обычно длиться 9 месяцев. 2.Перевод ученика с одного класса на другой основывается на его достижений определенных навыков по чтению, по арифметике, по историй, по географий. 3.Основная цель начальной школы – интеллектуальное и общественное развитие ребенка. 4.Учащиеся должны завершить несколько учебных курсов, чтобы получить документ об окончании школы.5.Каждый курс состоит из четырех или пяти предметов, и учащиеся изучают его в течение года.

Ex.5. Answer the questions on the text and say about the structure of the school system of the USA.

1. How long does the school year last?

2. What is the main purpose of the preschool education and of the elementary school?

3. How long does the elementary school last?

4. What subjects does the programme of studies in the secondary school include?

5. What must students do to be graded from A(excellent) to F(failing) levels?

6. What form of education do students choose after graduating from secondary schools?

7.What are the factors determining an institution’s prestige?

Grammar: The Past Perfect Continuous Tense.

Affirmative	Negative	Interrogative
I had been working	I had not been working	Had I been working?

I’d been working I hadn’t been working

• The Past Perfect Continuous Tense.