воскресенье, 21 марта 2021 г.

HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

TOPICAL VOCABULARY 

     1. Who is who: applicant/prospective student; freshman; sophomore, junior, senior, undergraduate student; graduate (grad) student; part-time student; .transfer student; night stu­dent; faculty:1 teaching assistant, assistant professor, associate professor, (full) professor; counselor.2

      2. Administration: dean, assistant dean, department chair­man; President of the University; academic vice-president; stu­dent government; board of trustees.

      3. Structure: college (college of Arts anil Sciences); school (school of Education), evening school;'grad school; summer school;3 college of continuing education;4 department; career development and job placement office.2

      4. Academic calendar: fall spring term/semester; fall, winter, spring, summer quarter; school/academic year; exam period/days — reading days/period;5 break/recess; deadline6 (fall term break; whiter recess or winter holidays, summer vaca­tion).

     5. Academic programs: course (a one / three credit course); to take a course, to give a lecture; pass-fail course;1 elective, a major/to major (what's your major?); a minor (second in importance); discussion session; seminars; a more academic class, usually with grad students; a student-teacher.

     6. Grades: to get/to give a grade; pass-fail grading (e. g.: to take grammar pass-fail); grades A, B, C, D, E; A-student; to graduate with straight A; a credit, to earn a credit; education record.2

     7. Tests: quiz; to take/to give an exam; to retake an exam (a retake); to flunk a course; to flunk smb; to drop out/to with­draw; a pass-fail test; multiple choice test; essay test; SAT, PSAT (preliminary SAT) ACT; GPA.3

     8. Red Tape: to register (academically and financially); to enroll for admission; to interview; to sign up for a course; to select classes/courses; to drop a course, to add a course,4 a student I.D.,5 library card; transcript; degrees: B.A., M.A., Ph.D.; to confer a degree; to confer tenure, thesis, paper, dissertation.

     9. Financing: full-time fees; part-time fees; graiits; student financial aid; to apply for financial aid; to be eligible for finan­cial assistance; scholarship; academic fees; housing fees; a col­lege work-study job.

Higher Education

     Out of more than three million students who graduate from high school each year, about one million go on for higher edu­cation. A college at a leading university might receive applica­tions from two percent of these high school graduates, and then accept only one out of every ten who apply. Successful applicants at such colleges are usually chosen on the basis of a) their high school records; b) recommendations from their

      The system of higher education in the United States com­prises three categories Of institutions: 1) the university, which may contain a) several colleges for undergraduate students seeking a bachelor's (four-year) degree and b) one or more graduate schools for those continuing in specialized studies beyond the bachelor's degree to obtain a master's or a doctoral degree, 2) the technical training institutions at which high school graduates may take courses ranging from six months to four years in duration and learn a wide variety of technical skills, from hair styling through business accounting to com­puter programming; and 3) the two-year, or community col­lege, from which students may enter many professions or may transfer to four-year colleges.

     Any of these institutions, in any category, might be either public or private, depending on the source of its funding. Some universities and colleges have, over time, gained reputa­tions for offering particularly challenging courses and for pro­viding their students with a higher quality of education. The factors determining whether an institution is one of the best or one of the lower prestige are quality of the teaching faculty; quality of research, facilities; amount of funding available for libraries, special programs, etc.; and the competence and num­ber of applicants for admission, i. e. how selective the institu­tion can be in choosing its students.

      The most selective are the old private north-eastern univer­sities, commonly known as the Ivy League, include Harvard Radcliffe, (Cambridge, Mass., in the urban area of Boston), Yale University (New Haven, Conn. between Boston and New York), Columbia College (New York), Princeton University (New Jersey), Brown University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, University of Pennsylvania. With their traditions and long established reputations they occupy a position in Ameri­can university life rather like Oxford and Cambridge in Eng­land, particularly Harvard and Yale. The Ivy League Universi­ties are famous for their graduate schools, which have become intellectual elite centers.

      In defence of using the examinations as criteria for admis­sion, administrators say that the SATs provide a fair way for deciding whom to admit when they have ten or twelve appli­cants for every first-year student seat.

      In addition, to learning about a college/university's entrance requirements and the fees, Americans must also know the fol­lowing:

      Professional degrees such as a Bachelor of Law (LL.A.) or a Bachelor of Divinity (B.D.) take additional three years of study and require first a B.A. or B.S. to be earned by a student.

     Graduate schools in America award Master's and Doctor's degrees in both the arts and sciences. Tuition for these programs is high. The courses for most graduate degrees can be completed in two or four years. A thesis is required for a Master's degree; a Doctor's degree requires a minimum of two years of course work beyond the Master's degree level, success in a qualifying examination, proficiency in one or two foreign languages and/or in a research tool (such as statistics) and completion of a doctoral dissertation.

     The number of credits awarded for each course relates to the number of hours of work involved. At the undergraduate level a student generally takes about five three-hour-a week courses every semester. (Semesters usually run from September to early January and late January to late May.) Credits are earned by attending lectures (or lab classes) and by successful­ly completing assignments and examinations. One credit usual­ly equals one hour of class per week in a single course. A three-credit course in Linguistics, for example, could involve one hour of lectures plus two hours of seminars every week. Most students complete 10 courses per an academic year and it usually takes them four years to complete a bachelor's degree requirement of about 40 three-hour courses or 120 credits.

      In the American higher education system credits for the academic work are transferable among universities. A student can accumulate credits at one university, transfer them to a second and ultimately receive a degree from there or a third university.

1 The entire teaching staff at an educational institution.

2 For detailed information see Appendix (p. 262).

3 Classes taken in summer (during vacation time) to earn additional credits or to improve one's proficiency.

4 In-service training, updating one's qualification.

5 One or more days to read up for an examination.

6 The last date for a retake.

1A course where you don't take an examination, but a pass-fail test (зачёт).

2 Information on a student's attendance, enrollment status, degrees con­ferred and dates, honours and awards; college, class, major field of study; ad­dress, telephone number.

3 Grade Point Average — a grade allowing to continue in school and to graduate.

4 To take up an additional course for personal interest, not for a credit and to pay for it additionally, cf. факультатив

5 I. D. (Identification Document) — cf. студенческий билет

high school teachers; c) their scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SATs).

1. As you read the text a) look for the answers to the questions:

      1. What are the admission requirements to the colleges and universities? 2. What are the three types of schools in higher education? 3. What degrees are offered by schools of higher learning in the USA? What are the requirements for each of these degrees? 4. What are the peculiarities of the curricula offered by a college or a university? 5. What is a credit in the US system of higher education? How many credits must an undergraduate student earn to receive a bachelor's degree? How can they be earned?

b) Find in the text the factors which determine the choice by in individual of this or that college or university.

c) Summarize the text in three paragraphs.

2. Use the topical vocabulary and the material of the Appendix (p. 262) in answering the following questions:

      1. What steps do students have to take to enroll in a college/ university for admission? Speak about the exams they take — PSAT, SAT, ACT. 2. What financial assistance are applicants eligible for? What is college scholarship, grants, loan? Explain and bring out the essence of student financial aid. 3. Speak about the academic calendar of a university. How does an academic year differ from the one in Russia? 4. How many credit hours does a student need to graduate? What type auricular courses and how many does a student have to take to earn a degree? 5. What is a GPA (grade point average) ? 6. What is there to say about a college faculty? What is a tenure? 7. What is the role of a student's counsellor? Specify the function of career develop­ment and job placement within a university. 8. Should there be an age limit for university full-time students? What are your attitudes to mature students? 9. What are the sources of funding for universities and colleges (both public and private)? 10. What is an undergraduate student ? A graduate student ?

3. a) Study the following and extract the necessary information:

Average Academic Fees per Quarter

(public university)

                                                 Tuition

Colleges

                                                                                           non-residential                      residential

                                                                                                 students                             students

 

Two Year Colleges                                                          $ 753                         $ 1796

College of Applied Science                                             $ 753                         $ 1796

University College                                                           $ 63                              $ 150

(part-time rates per cr. hour)

Baccalaureate Colleges

Art & Science, College-                                                  $ 753                           $ 1796

Conservatory

School of Education, Evening

College, Business Administra-                                        $ 63                             $ 150

tion, etc.

(part-time rates per cr. hr.)

Graduate and Professional Programs

Medicine (M.D.)                                                             $ 2188                        $ 4204

(part-tame per cr. hr.)                                                      $ 182                          $ 350

Law J.D.)                                                                         $1192                         $2323

(part-tame per cr. hr.)/                                                     $ 99                            $ 194

Graduate programs                                                          $1171                         $2303

 (part-tame per cr. hr.)                                                     $98                             $ 192

_____________________________________________________________________

Room                                                                               $642

 Board (10 meals a week)                                                $ 1045

 

Average College Expenses

(University of Pennsylvania — private)

Tuition and General Fee                                      $ 11,976

Room and meals                                                  $ 4,865

Books and supplies                                              $ 380

Educational Technology Fee                               $ 200

Personal expenses (e. g. clothing, laundry,         $ 1,009

 recreation)

                                                                 _________________________

                                                             Total:     $ 18,430

The US court structure


 

ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE OF THE SYSTEM OF EDUCATION IN THE USA

ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE OF THE SYSTEM OF EDUCATION IN THE USA 

     The school year is usually nine months, from early Septem­ber to mid-June. The common pattern of organization, referred to as the 6-3-3 plan, includes elementary school in grades 1 through 6, junior high school in grades 7 through 9 and senior high school in grades 10 through 12. The older 8-4 plan, how­ever, in which grades 1 through 8 were the elementary school and 9 through 12 the high school, continues in many localities. There is also a 6-6 plan, grades 1 through 6 in elementary school and 7 through 12 in the secondary school. Today, uni­fied systems operating both elementary and secondary schools most commonly use the 6-3-3 plan or a 6-2-4 variation. How­ever, many variations on the patterns exist in the United States.

     Preschool education: 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. The pro­grams are flexible and are designed to help the child grow in self-reliance, learn to get along with others, and form good work and play habits.

     Elementary school: The main purpose of the elementary school is the general intellectual and social development of the child from 6 to 12 or 15 years of age. Curricula vary with the organization and educational aims of individual schools and communities. The more or less traditional program consists of teaching prescribed subject matter. 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. Pupils usu­ally elect about half their work in grades nine through twelve.

     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, such as New York, give statewide examinations which are prepared by the state department of education.

     Students receive "report cards" at least twice a year (in some school districts, up to six times) which indicate the grades they have received in each of the subjects they are studying. High schools maintain a school "transcript" which summarizes the courses taken and the grades obtained for each student. A copy of the transcript is normally submitted to col­leges when a student applies for admission.

     College-bound students generally take college admission tests during their last two years of high school.

1. College and university admission/entrance requirements:

1) application including personal information; 2) high school re­port including class rank, a transcript witn the list of all the courses taken and all grades received in high school with courses failed or repeated, test results,. SAT, Achievement Test and ACT scores and a general assessment of the applicant's character such as academic motivation, creativity, self-discip­line, leadership, self-confidence, warmth of personality, sense of humor, etc.; 3) one or more recommendations by school teach­ers; 4) personal commentary such as major extra-curricular ac­tivities, hobbies, special awards or prizes, work or travel experi­ences, educational and/or career goals and the reasons for the choice of this particular university; 5) personal interview.

2. Administration and organization:

 The head of the uni­versity is usually called President, sometimes Chancellor. His principal assistants are Vice-presidents, directors, deans and business managers. Each university consists of a number of units called either College or School. There is always a College of Arts and Sciences and several professional schools, e. g. on unit of a university may be called College of Medicine, where­as another one of the same university may be called Law School, i. e. the units of a university providing professional education may be called either colleges or schools, without any difference in meaning.

3. Faculty members: The teaching staff of an Amerian uni­versity is called the faculty. Full-time faculty consists of profes­sors and instructors. The rank of associate professors, assistant professors corresponds to the British rank of readers or senior lecturers.

4. Tenure — signifies that a faculty member has become a full and permanent member of the academic body of the uni­versity and provides the faculty member with the right of con­tinued employment without discriminatory reduction in salary unless there be grave reasons for dismissal. Normally tenure is attached to the ranks of Associate Professor and Professor who have demonstrated excellence in teaching, research and ser­vice.

5. Career development and job placement — an academic advising service which provides up-to-date information on career areas and individual career counseling and planning. Job placement is not guaranteed in universities of the USA.

6. Counselor — a person on a university staff who provides counseling and consultation service to help in decisions re­garding courses, majors, vocational plans, career opportunities and personal matters. Services are free to all students.

7. Teacher training: All states require a bachelor's degree for teaching elementary grades. Forty seven states require a bachelor's degree as the minimum preparation for teaching in the secondary schools; three states and the District of Colum­bia require five years or a master's degree. Many public and private colleges and universities are approved and accredited for teacher education. At the undergraduate level, the typical teacher education program is four or five years in length. It comprises a combination of traditional academic subjects and professional courses such as methods of teaching and educa­tional psychology. Practice-teaching for four or six months, ei­ther in the college laboratory school or in a public school sys­tem, is often included. Graduate of liberal arts colleges which do not have a teacher education program may usually qualify through a fifth year master's degree program.

8. Degrees: the Associates' degree — the Associate of Arts (AA.), the Associate of Science (A.S.) — is usually awarded at a community or junior college upon completion of 2 years of study — it represents the same level as completion of the first two years of a four-year college or university and students with A.A. or A.S. may transfer to four-year institutions.

     The Bachelors degree normally requires 4 years of academic study beyond the high school diploma: the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), the Bachelor of Science (B.S.); the Bachelor of Education (B. Ed.); the Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.), etc.

     The Master's degree — programs leading to the degree usu­ally require 1 or 2 years of advanced study in graduate-level courses and seminars. Frequently a thesis is required or a final oral or written examination. (M.A. — the Master of Arts, etc.)

     The Doctor's degree — usually the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) equal to the Soviet candidate of Science, Philology, etc.) — the highest academic degree, it requires a minimum of 2 years of course work beyond the Master's degree level, success in a qualifying examination, proficiency in one or two foreign languages and/or in a research tool (such as statistics) and completion of a doctoral dissertation.

9. SAT — the Scholastic Aptitude Test (in mathematics and verbal ability) used since 1947: 1600 scores — a good result; 400 scores — poor.

     The SAT is taken in the-11th grade of high school. (About 1,5 million students take it yearly.)

     Many educators point out that SAT scores are related to family income — the higher the income, the higher the SAT scores and certain minorities have not scored well because of low incomes and bad schools. SAT can be taken two or three times (in the the 11th and 12th grades), generally proceeded by PSAT (preliminary), a test to give students a warm-up exercise for the SAT and indicate their probable SAT scoring range.

     ACT — the American College Testing program — is similar to SAT but scores social studies and the natural studies. The ACT is taken when required by certain colleges or universities. (About 200,000 students take this test yearly.)

     Both tests are widely used in the admission process of US colleges and universities. Their results are sent to the colleges or universities to which the students have applied. ACT is meant to be taken only once.

     Achievement tests — special tests in a discipline required by some colleges for admission.

    "TOEFL" stands for the Test of English as a Foreign Lan­guage. This test is used to measure your English language pro­ficiency. If you are applying to a college or university, your TOEFL scores will help the admission staff determine if your skills are adequate for enrollment into the program of study you have selected.

10. Academic Year is usually nine months duration, or two semesters of four and a half months each. Classes usually begin in September and end in July. There are summer classes for those who want to improve the grades or take up additional courses.

     During one term or semester, a student will study, concur­rently, four or five different subjects. The students' progress is often assessed through quizzes (short oral or written tests), term papers and a final examination in each course. Each part of a student's work in a course is given a mark which helps to determine his final grade. A student's record consists of his grade in each course.

    College grades, determined by each instructor on the basis of class work and examinations, are usually on a five-point scale, with letters to indicate the levels of achievement. A — is the highest mark, indicating superior accomplishment, and the letters go through B, C, D to E or F which denotes failure. Many schools assign points for each grade (A = 5, B = 4, etc.) so that GPA (grade point average) may be computed. Normal­ly, a minimum grade point average (3.5 points) is required to continue in school and to graduate.

11. Student Financial Aid — sums of money for students who need financial aid to attend college.

When a family applies for aid, an analysis is made of the parents’ income; Financial Aid is normally awarded as part of a package: part grant (a grant needn't be repaid, parts of which might come from several sources: federal, state, private scholar­ship, college scholarship); part loan (to be repaid after college); part work (colleges normally expect students on aid to earn some of the money they need by working summers on the camps).

12. Students Union. There are several national nongovern­mental associations of students. The largest and most active has been the United States National Student Association, with headquarters in Washington, D.C. (USNSA).

     A great deal of the cultural and recreational life at a univer­sity is created and conducted by student groups. They sponsor or participate in concerts, plays, debates, forums and festivals.

     They have various clubs, film societies, jazz groups, news­papers, magazines, radio stations, athletic events. At many uni­versities, the centre of these social and cultural out-of-class activities is the Students Unjpn. Some community colleges or universities maintain major resident facilities, fraternity and sorority houses, and students unions.

     There are also a large number of national fraternities and sororities with chapters (branches) at almost 500 colleges and universities. These organizations, Greek letter societies, are descendants of the 18th century library and social dubs which flourished in the early American colleges.

     No society has more than one chapter hi any one college. While those societies are secret in character there is seldom any overemphasis of ritual or mystery in their conduct The Greek alphabet is generally used in naming the fraternity, sorority or a chapter. It has become quite the practice for students of a particular fraternity to reside together during then-college course in their "chapter" house. Students who live out­side the colleges or universities live hi cooperatives (cooperative housing associations providing lodgings), rooming houses or apartment complexes.

13. How to Write an Essay. The ability to write well-organized, concise essays is essential. The material must be presented hi logical order and clear language. An essay con­sists of a number of paragraphs. Here are some hints on para­graph writing:

     1) There are paragraph introducers which are sentences that establish the topic focus of the paragraph as a whole. The topic sentence hi the paragraph contains a key idea. 2) There are paragraph developers which present examples or details of various kinds to support the ideas of the topic sentence. 3) There are sometimes viewpoints or context modulators, which are sentences that provide a smooth transition between different sets of ideas. 4) There are paragraph terminators or restatement sentences, which logically conclude the ideas discussed hi the paragraph.

     To be able to write a good essay you must realize that your essay should be relevant to the set topic hi both content and focus; the essay should be the result of wide reading, taking notes, looking things up, sorting out information, theories and ideas, and coming to well-thought-out conclusions...

     An essay consists of a number of paragraphs which may be sorted into functional groups such as introductory, develop­mental, transitional, summarising.

     Depending upon the purpose or intent of the writer, par­ticular paragraphs may be thought of as aiming to persuade, inform, argue, or excite. Paragraphs may also be classified according to such techniques of development as comparison, contrast, description, classification, generalisation, etc.

     In linking paragraphs together the transitional devices may be the following:

1) the use of a pronoun instead of the above mentioned nouns; 2) repetition of the key word or phrase used in the pre­ceding paragraph; 3) the use of transitional words or phrases and connectives.

     The following connectives and transitional phrases are par­ticularly useful in an essay writing:

     first, second, etc.; next, finally, eventually, furthermore, meanwhile; because of, for; as, and since; thus, therefore, as a result, and so; at the same time, but; and (in order) to, so (that); and for, yet, nevertheless, nonetheless, however; whereas, while; on the other hand; in contrast, unlike; similary, also, too, both; obviously; etc.

     In essay writing the following hints concerning the lan­guage may be helpful:

— restrictions upon the vocabulary. Words and phrases labelled colloquial, familiar, vulgar, slang are excluded as inap­propriate. Abbreviations, contracted verbal forms, colloquial ab­breviations of words (such as ad, vac, exam, etc.) should not be used;

— preference should be given to concrete words rather than abstract (instead of walk — more specific stroll, shuffle, trot, etc.);

— wider use of phrasal verbs should be made;

— overused adjectives, adverbs, cliches should be avoided;

— idioms should be used with care;

— features of academic style should be preserved: lengthier and more complex paragraphs; the approach to the material is analytical, objective, intellectual, polemical; the academic writ­er's tone is serious, impersonal, formal rather than conversa­tional, personal, colloquial; the academic writer makes frequent use of passive forms of the verbs; impersonal pronouns and phrases; complex sentence structures; specialized vocabulary; — one must be aware that there are differences in style and usage between disciplines and topics set.

 A model paragraph development by contrast:

BRITISH AND AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES

     British and American universities are similar in their pursuit of knowledge as a goal but are quite different in their organiza­tion and operation.

     English universities and colleges, because of their selective intake, are relatively small. American universities, which com­bine a number of different colleges and professional schools, are large, sometimes with 20,000 to 25,000 students on one campus. Teacher training colleges and polytechnics are alter­natives to the university course for some students in England, being established for specific purposes. In contrast, virtually all schools of education, engineering and business studies, are in­tegral parts of universities in the United States. In England uni­versities receive about 70% of their financial support through Parliamentary grants. Similarly, in the United States, public in­stitutions receive about 75% of their funds from local, state, and federal sources, but private colleges and universities receive lit­tle or no government support. In England, personal financial aid is provided by the government to over 80% of the students through local educational authorities according to the parents' income. In the US student's aid is administered by the univer­sity or the sponsoring agency and is provided by private orga­nizations and the state or federal governments. Obviously Brit­ish and American universities have similar educational aims but different means of achieving those aims.

14. Buzz group — small groups of 3-5 persons to enact a simultaneous discussion of a motion. Each group has to work out and note down all possible arguments in favour of its mo­tion including defences against points that might be brought up by the opposition. It also has to work out the presentation of this material (who will put which argument and how), using every member of the group. The result of the discussion within a buzz group is to be reported by one of its members to the whole group.


понедельник, 15 февраля 2021 г.

UK School Exams - GCSEs, A-Levels, IB's

Regency Education help with school and university choices and applications in the UK. GCSE's are taken in the UK at the age of 16 and are graded from 9-1. A-Levels/IB or BTEC's are studied between 16-18 and these are used for university admissions.


Guide to the UK Education System - A Simple Explanation

Guide to the UK Education System - A Simple Explanation


British Education System | Britain Explained

In this brand new series 'Britain Explained' you will be guided through the different aspects of British culture.  Today we're looking at the British education system and how we learn in Britain. We'll look at the different types of schools and examinations.

The System of Education in the UK

 

Education in Great Britain

England schooling is compulsory for children of 5 to 16 years of age. Any child may attend a school without paying fees. Over 90% of children of compulsory school age go to state schools. The most important changes in Britain’s educational system were introduced under the Education Reform Act 1988. It led to the compulsory National Curriculum for pupils aged 5 to 16 in state schools. The Act also aims to give parents a wider choice of schools for their children. Local educational authorities finance most school education at local level. They also employ teachers. Every state school in England and Wales has a governing body, responsible for the school’s main policies. Parallel reforms are introduced in both Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Full-time education is compulsory up to the middle teenage years. There are three stages in education. The first stage is primary education; the second is secondary education; the third is further education at university or college.

Before going to a primary school children receive nursery education (some children attend pre-school play-groups). It’s the first age of education. Around half of 3—4 years old in Britain receive nursery education. Children of nursery age need care as well as education. Social, emotional and physical needs must be taken into consideration.

Compulsory primary education begins at the age of 5 in England, Wales and Scotland and at 4 in Northern Ireland. Children start their education in an infant school and move to a junior school at 7 years old. Primary schools vary in size and location. Pupils study different subjects (English, mathematics, science, history, geography, music, art, physical education). Over 80% of all primary schools are mixed.

In Britain most children of compulsory secondary school age (11—16) receive free education financed from public funds. The large majority of schools are mixed.

The school year in England and Wales begins in September and continues into July. In Scotland it is from August to June. In Northern Ireland — from September to June. At this level children start to learn a modern foreign language. The course of study at secondary school may lead to General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) qualifications. At 16 years old children take different examinations and have quite a lot of coursework, only after which they’re awarded GCSE.

Those who stay at school after GCSE, study for 2 more years for A (Advanced) level exams in two or three subjects.

A small proportion of children (about 8%) attend private, or independent schools, which are not financed by the state. To understand this phenomenon a little history is needed.

The British government paid little attention to education until the end of the 19th century. Schools had existed in Britain long before the government took an interest in education. A small group of schools admitted only the sons of the upper and upper middle classes. At these public schools much more attention was paid to «character-building» and the development of «team spirit» rather than to academic achievements. These were «boarding- schools» (as the pupils lived in them). The pupils wore distinctive clothes and the schools had their own traditions. The aim of those schools was to prepare young men to take up positions in the higher ranks of army, in business, civil service and politics.

A typical public school is for boys from 13. It admits fee-paying pupils. Such school is a boarding one. Each school is divided into houses with its housemaster. Public school place great emphasis on team sports. These schools are not at all luxurious or comfortable. A typical example of such a school is Eton.

British education has many different faces but one goal. Its aim is to realize the potential of all for the good of the individual and society as a whole.

The School Year

The school year is usually divided into three terms.

Autumn term lasts from September (or August) till Christmas holiday, which is about 2 weeks. Then spring term — till Easter holiday (also 2 weeks), and summer term, which lasts till June (or July). Summer holiday is about 6 weeks.

In addition all schools have a half-term, which lasts a few days or a week in the middle of each term.

School Life

Nearly all schools work five days a week. They are closed on Saturdays and Sundays. The school day starts at 9 o’clock and finishes between 3 and 4p.m. The lunch break usually lasts an hour-and-a-quarter. Most

pupils have lunch provided by the school. The lunch is paid by parents. Other children either go home for lunch or have a snack at school.

Exams

At 15—16 years old school children take public exams. They are not usually set up by the government (rather by independent examining boards). Each school or Local Education Authority decides which exams their pupils are to take. The boards publish syllabus for each subject. There is no single school-leaving exam or school-leaving certificate. Usually a vast range of subjects is offered for school children. Nearly all pupils do exam in English, Maths and Science. Most do exams in technology and in a foreign language. Some pupils take exams in 3—4 additional subjects.

Usually exams have nothing to do with school years. Once the examining boards decided to include certain popular television programmes on their literature syllabus.

At the age of 16 pupils can leave school. But quite a lot of them want to continue their education. Only 1/3 of all leave school at 16 and look for a job. (The general level of unemployed is high today. Some of them find job immediately and many take part in training schemes (which means job combined with part-time college courses).

In England and Wales those who stay at school study just three subjects in preparation for taking A-level exams (Advanced Level).

These academic exams are set by the same examining boards that set GCSE exams. They’re taken by pupils at the age of 18 years old, who wish to continue their education.

Universities usually select students on the basis of A-level results and an interview (students who wish to enter Oxford and Cambridge have to take certain exams). Those who have better A-level results are usually accepted.

Higher education has become more available in the second half of the 20th century. In 1960 there were less than 25 universities in Britain. By 1980 there were already more than 40, and by 1995 there were over a hundred institutions with university status.

Universities take the better students, that’s why nearly all students complete their studies. The normal course of study lasts 3—4 years. Students are not supposed to take a job during the term. Unless their parents are rich, they receive a state grant, which covers most of their expenses, including the cost of accommodation. Quite a lot of students live on campus (or in college) or in rooms nearby.

However, nowadays the government reduces the amount of the students and encourages a system of top-up loans. That’s why quite a lot of students can’t afford to live in college and many more of them are forced to do a part-time job, but this reduces the traditionally high quality of British university education. And, in addition, the number of students from low-income families has been greatly reduced.

There are no great distinctions between different types of universities in Britain. But still there are some categories of them.

First of all, Oxbridge. Oxford and Cambridge were founded in the medieval period. These Universities consist of semi-independent colleges, each of them having its own staff («Fellows»).

The «Fellows» teach the college students either one-to one or in very small groups. This system is unique in the world and known as tutorials in Oxford and supervisions in Cambridge.

Then, Scotish universities. By 1600 Scot-land had 4 universities — Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and St. Andrews. St. Andrews resembles Oxbridge very much. In the other three most of the students live at home or find their rooms in town. The process of study at these universities is very close to the continental one. There is less specialization than at Oxbridge.

During the 19th century various institutions of higher education (usually technical ones) were founded in the industrial towns and cities such as Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.

Their buildings were of local brick, so they got the name «redbrick» universities. They contrasted chiefly with Oxford and Cambridge. At first, they prepared students for London University degrees, but later they were given the right to award their own degrees. They became universities themselves. Now they accept students from all over the country. These universities are financed by local authority.

One of the developments in education in Britain is certainly the Open University. It was founded in 1971. Some people don’t have an opportunity to study full-time, and this university allows them to study for degree. The university’s courses are taught through television, radio and course books. Its students work individually and with tutors, to whom they send their papers. The students discuss their work at meetings or through correspondence. In summer they attend short courses.

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