The system of education in Great Britain and America

The British system of education has a very long history, but in the past few years there have been many changes in it. British education was traditionally decentralized, but now the Education Reform Act has led to a compulsory National Cur­riculum for pupils aged five to sixteen in state schools. The Act also aims to give parents a wider choice of schools for their children. Thus they have the right to express a preference for a school.

Boys and girls are taught together in most schools. Non-selec­tive comprehensive education caters for children of all abilities. Most children receive free education financed from public funds. 7% of children attend private fee-paying schools.

Around half of 3- and 4-years-olds in Britain receive nursery education and many children attend preschool play groups, most­ly organized by parents. Compulsory primary education begins at the age of 5. Children usually start their school career in an infant school and move to a junior school or department at seven. In some schools they move to middle school at the age of eight, nine or ten. These three stages form the primary school, covering the follow­ing subjects: English, Maths and Science, History, Geography, Music, Art and Physical Education.

At seven and eleven years old (and at secondary school at four­teen and sixteen) teachers measure children`s progress in each subject against attainment targets. For each target there are ten levels of attainment.

The secondary level includes the children from eleven to eight­een. Here they build on the knowledge they have acquired at pri­mary school. And according to the National Curriculum they start to learn a modern foreign language. At the age of sixteen they can get General Certificate of Secondary Education qualifications on the basis of examinations and course work.

If pupils are successful they can continue to more advanced education and training. After a further two years of study the General Certificate of Education Advanced level exam is taken at the age of eighteen and can be combined with the Advanced Sup­plementary level exam to provide a wider range of subjects. These exams are the main standard for entry to university education and to many forms of professional training. There is also a Cer­tificate of Pre-Vocational Education for those who stay at school till seventeen. This provides a preparation for work on vocational courses.

For those leaving school at sixteen there are Further Educa­tion colleges. Most of them are work-related and vocational.

The next stage is higher education. All British universities enjoy complete academic freedom. There are seventy-nine uni­versities, Oxford and Cambridge being the oldest of them. Over 90% of students receive awards covering tuition fees and main­tenance.

Americans also place a high value on education. Universal ac­cess to high quality education has been one of the nation`s historic goals.

America`s first college, Harward, was founded in 1636. In 1865 education became available to all. The peculiar feature of American education is the absence of central administration. Each of the 50 states controls and directs its own schools. Most states require that children attend schools from the time they reach six or seven years old until they are sixteen or seven­teen.

There is no uniform school organization or curriculum through­out the nation. But certain common features exist. Preschool edu­cation is part of the elementary school. Elementary and secondary schools consist of twelve years of classes which meet for about ten months a year, five days a week and five hours a day. Almost eve­ry elementary school curriculum includes English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Music, Art and Physical Education. Many schools include classes teaching basic computer skills.

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.

 

Questions:

1. What changes did the British educational system have in the past few years?

2. How is British primary education organized?

3. What exams do British children take? What certificates do they receive?

4. What do you know about the history of education in the USA?

5. What is the peculiar feature of American education?

6. For how many years do American children go to school?

7. What does a typical American school curriculum include?

8. What types of higher education institutions do you know?

9. What famous British/American/Russian universities do you know?

 

Vocabulary (transcribe the words, learn them by heart):

ac­cess – доступ

admission — прием

advanced — продвинутый

applicant — кандидат

attainment — достижение

available – доступный

bachelor — бакалавр

community college — обществен­ный колледж

competence – компетентность, квалификация

competitive — состязательный

comprehensive — общее (образо­вание)

compulsory — обязательный

curriculum — учебный план

degree — степень

faculty — факультет; преподава­тельский состав

General Certificate of Secondary Education — Общий Сертифи­кат о Среднем Образовании

infant school — детская школа (с 5 до 7 лет)

junior school — младшая школа (с 7 до 11 лет)

maintenance — средства к сущес­твованию

master — магистр

nursery education — детсадовское (дошкольное) образование

peculiar – специфический, своеобразный, особенный, необычный

preschool — дошкольный

primary, elementary — начальный

research facilities — возможности исследовательской работы

scholarship — стипендия

Science — естественные науки

secondary — средний (об образо­вании)

Social Studies — общественные науки

successful – успешный, удачный

sup­plementary – дополнительный

target – цель

technical training school – техническое училище

to acquire – приобретать, получать

to attend — посещать

to cater – обеспечивать, обслуживать; поставлять

to determine – определять, устанавливать

to provide – обеспечивать, снабжать, предоставлять

training – обучение, профессиональная подготовка

tuition fee — плата за обучение

vocational — профессиональный

work-related – профессиональный, связанный с работой

 

Exercises

I. Compose your own sentences with the following words:

admission, advanced, attainment, available, competence, comprehensive, maintenance, nursery education, peculiar, research facilities, scholarship, supplementary, to acquire, to attend, to cater, to determine, to provide, training, tuition fee, work-related.

II. Writing

You have received a letter from your English-speaking pen friend David who writes:

... My younger brother entered a junior school this year. At what age do children in Russia go to school? What subjects do you have? Can you choose subjects you want to study?...

Write a letter to David. In your letter answer his questions and ask 3 ques­tions about his brother. Write 100—140 words. Remember the rules of letter writing.