English for education

* READING THE EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES Elementary school: Most children in the United States start school whenthey are five years old.. Junior high school: After elementary

ENGLISH FOR EDUCATION

ENGLISH FOR EDUCATION

(Amended and supplemerited 2nd edition)

Compiled by:

Le Kim Dung, MA (Chief author)

Nguyen Thi Ha, MA

INTRODUCTION

Brief description of the book

Material collection This book is a theme-based collection of unitsdeveloped for master learners at Hanoi University of Education For the mostpart, the texts were selected from various sources available on the Internet;the rest is from other books All the exercises, however, were designed by us.The selection of the texts and the design of the exercises have been donewith great concern for the needs and interests of our learners who areteachers involving in different fields of education (Nursery I Education, PrimaryEducation, Special Education), as well as educators and educationalmanagers

Construction of the book The book contains ten units (about 350-400words/each) dealing with different topics in education: educational system,curriculum, testing, management, current issues Each unit opens withvocabulary work to prepare the learners for their later reading The text will befollowed by the comprehension check with a wide range of tasks to make surethat the learners have a thorough understanding of the text and to acquaintlearners with different reading skills The speaking part will take learners back

to their real working environment to talk about facts and problems, to expresstheir own opinion on different aspects of education in Vietnam The writing hasbeen compiled with a moderate aim of giving some guide and creating afavourable ground to the development of summary writing skill based on notes

(from a discussion), or from a text Each unit ends with consolidation which, asits name suggests, focuses on the consolidation of vocabulary essential forthe topic discussed At the end of the book, we also provide Moresupplementary readings for those who wish to spend more time exploring thelanguage, Used in education All the kind of language supplied in this book will

be crucial for learners to be partially successful in participating in someactivities in which the language is instructional tool

Intended conduction of the course

For the formal study, the course should be conducted as follows:

Number of credit: 6 credits (90 class hours at 45 minutes each)

Time: for the second and final phase of the English Language Coursefor master learners (Total class hours: 210) at Hanoi University of Education

Pre-requisites: learners should have successfully completed the firstphase of the English Language Course for master learners This means thatthey now should have sufficient knowledge of the language and learning skills

to successfully deal with and to fully appreciate what is presented during thisESP (English for specific purpose) course

Objectives

By the end of the course the students should be able to

- Read and comprehend small pieces of authentic materials closelyrelated to their fields of study

- Scan for needed information

- Skim for general ideas

- Identify main / supporting ideas in a reading

- Guess the meaning of new words and terms based in the context ofthe reading

- Summarize an article/ a discussion within 100-150 words

- Describe or comment on different topics of education.

- Build up a live vocabulary concerning learners' major of about 1000words

- State a fact, or express an idea / opinion in their own words

- Get involved in follow-up activities (Qs and As, comments, etc.) afterreading a text

- Translate small pieces of language (phrases, sentences, minireadings ) from English into Vietnamese and vice versa

Assessment of this ESP course

There are two types of assessment:

Informal: on-going assessment for which learners are not graded but it

is a way for the teacher to determine how well the learners are doing

Formal: assessment of any work done by the learners that is evaluatedand results in grades This will include:

- Class participation: 10%

- Completion of homework: 30%

- Midcourse test: 60%

The grading learners get from this ESP course will be added (at the rate

of 40% on the total) to the final score of the whole English language course formaster learners

UNIT 1 THE EDUCATION SUSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES

* VOCABULARY

Below is the list of the new words which are used in the text Look at thesentences to see how each new word is used and try to guess its meaning

grade (n)

1 School education is usually from grade 1 to grade 12.

2 At the end of grade 12, students prepare hard to go to university

1 This price does not include VAT, so you have to pay 10% more

2 School education includes 12 years, while university educationusually needs 4 years

2 If they want to do this job, they need a preparatory training

vary (v)- various (adj.)

1 They have tables of various sizes: small, big, and medium

2 Not all sharks are the same They vary in weight and in size

vocational (adj.)

1 Vocational schools prepare students for various kinds of work

2 Vocational schools train workers with various skills

private (adj.)

1 It looks like a hotel, but in fact it's a private house

2 The public is usually interested in the private lives of the famouspeople

aid (v), (n)

1 My lesson becomes more interesting when I use teaching aids, such

as pictures, films, cassette players and power point

2 He needs a hearing aid to hear better

2 Children in primary schools in Vietnam do not have to pay tuition

Use the new words given in Vocabulary in its correct form and tense to fill in sentences 1 — 8:

1 He should everything well, so that he will be able to start his newlife as soon as he arrives

2 Financial… are in great need now for the people who are the victims

of the earthquake

3 I am… in the afternoon, so you can come and see me any time then.

4 They did not go to the party for… reasons

5 School leavers who do not wish to go to university need… guidance

to know which job is suitable for them

6 School usually starts with…

7 His method of work has little…

8 Thang Long is the first… university in Vietnam

* READING

THE EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES

Elementary school: Most children in the United States start school whenthey are five years old They go to kindergarten for one year and, then startfirst, grade when they are six The first school is called "elementary school", or

"grade school" American children usually start to read when they are in thefirst and second grades The also begin to learn arithmetic and simple scienceand history

Junior high school: After elementary school, children go to "junior highschool" (sometimes it is called "middle school") In most 'sehoO1 systemsjunior high school includes seventh, eighth, and ninth grades, but sometimes it

is only the seventh and eighth grades Junior high school students are usually

12 to 14 years old

High school: High school (grades 10, 11 and 12) comes after junior highschool Students usually graduate from high school when they are 17 or 18.There are different kinds of high schools Some high schools prepare students

to go to college (college-preparatory high schools) Other high schoolsprepare students for' various kinds of work (vocational high schools) Manyhigh schools have both college-preparatory courses and vocational courses

Higher education: When students graduate from high school, they may

go to the college or university They are more than 3,000 colleges anduniversities in the United States

Some private colleges and universities are very expensive, but moststate universities cost very little Financial aid (money from the government) isoften available to help students pay at least part of their tuition Some form ofhigher education is available to every high school graduate

5 Kindergarten Elementary School

…1 Elementary school means the same as grade school

…2 Children do not do the reading when they reach the third grade

…3 Junior high school means the same as high school

…4 Every junior high school includes seventh, eighth, and ninthgrades

5 Students can graduate from high school when they are 17

6 All high schools have the same courses

…7 Vocational courses are for those who are not academically good 8 You can not find both college-preparatory courses and vocationalcourses in the same high school

9 School graduate can choose either a private or state college oruniversity.

10 Students can get money from the government for their study

II Match the words (a — e) and phrases (1 — 5):

2 the three years after junior high school

3 the year before elementary school

4 the three years after elementary school

5 after high schoolAnswer: 1… 2… 3… 4… 5…

* SPEAKING

Work in group and discuss these questions about your country.

1 When do children start school in your country?

2 Do children go to kindergarten? How long is kindergarten? Is itcompulsory? Is it good for children?

3 How many years do children spend in elementary school, junior highschool and high school? Do you think this division is reasonable?

4 Do high schools prepare children for various kind of work? Or do theyprepare them to go to college only?

5 How many colleges and universities are there in Vietnam? How many

of them are private ones?

6 Do students pay tuition when they go to school or university? Arethey cheap or expensive? Can they get financial aid? If yes, where can theyget it?

* WRITING

Base on your answers in Speaking to write a short introduction (of about

150 words) about education system in Vietnam

* CONSOLIDATION

1 Find from the text equivalents for the following Vietnamese words and phrases:

a Trường tiểu học

b Trường trung học cơ sở

c Trường trung học phổ thông

d Hệ thống trường học

e Học sinh tốt nghiệp phổ thông

f Nhiều loại hình nghề nghiệp khác nhau

g Trường dạy nghề

h Chương trình ôn thi vào đại học

i Trợ cấp về tài chính

k Học phí bậc đại học

2 Translate the following sentences into English:

a Học sinh thường tốt nghiệp phổ thông vào năm 18 tuổi

b Hầu hết các tỉnh trên cả nước đều có các trường dạy nghề

c Học sinh lớp 12 thường phải chuẩn bị rất cẩn thận cho kì thi vào đạihọc

d Sinh viên đại học có thể nhận được sự giúp đỡ về mặt tài chính từchính phủ

1 In our company, attendance is mandatory at all meetings.

2 In Vietnam, primary education is mandatory Every child has to go toschool

require (v) — requirement (n)

1 The situation requires quick actions Otherwise, it will be too late!

2 Our immediate requirement is extra teachers for evening classes

1 She rarely participates actively in class activities.

2 Which countries will be participating in the World Cup this year?

contrary (to) (adj.)

1 It's surprising that they get on well They have contrary beliefs aboutdifferent things

2 'Hot' and 'cold' have contrary meanings

1 I can not stand working at high pressure

2 High blood pressure is very dangerous

extreme (n & adj.) - extremely (adv) - extremism (n)

1 The north pole is in the extreme north of the earth

2 He holds extremely odd views about politics

hamper (v)

1 Our plan was hampered by the bad weather

2 The traffic jam hampered him from getting there in time

social (adj.)- socialize (+with) (v)

1 Every country has to face a lot of social problems.

2 Keeping children at home most of the time could hamper their ability

to socialize with others

Use the new words given in Vocabulary in its correct form and tense to fill in sentences 1 - 10:

1 Last year I attended a… development course in Bangkok

2 This work… a good knowledge of deep sea life

3 He was once terribly shy, but now he's gone to the opposite…

4 If you go to this party, you will have a good opportunity to… with yournew colleagues

5 Is military service… your country?

6 He was not able to get enough… for his research

7 She left home to escape the… in her family's formal way of life

8 Our main… is that they are not receiving enough help

9 If you want to… in this college, you have to finish all the necessarypapers

10 Few people will… in this competition It's too dangerous

* READING

SCHOOLING Read quickly through the text and match the headings (A-E) with their appropriate paragraphs (1-4) There is one odd heading.

A The reasons for homeshooling

B School attendance

C Homeschooling - not a good alternative

D Schooling-study and break.

E Popularity of public school

1…

Schooling is compulsory for all children in the United States, but the age

to attend school varies from state to state Most children begin primaryeducation with kindergarten at the age of 5 or 6, and complete their secondaryeducation at the age of 18 Typically, mandatory education starts with firstgrade (kindergarten is often not compulsory) Some states allow students toleave school at age 16, before finishing high school; other states requirestudents to stay in school until age 18

2…

Most parents send their children to either a public or private institution.According to government data, one-tenth of students are enrolled in privateschools However, approximately 85% of students enter the public schools,largely because they are "free" Students attend school for around eight hoursper day, 185 days per year Most schools have a summer break period forabout two and half months from June through August This break is muchlonger than the one in many other nations Originally, "summer vacation"allowed students to participate in the harvest period during the summer

3…

Less than 5% of parents choose to educate their own children at home.They do so for various reasons Some parents see nonreligious education ascontrary to their moral or religious systems Others feel that they can moreeffectively tailor a curriculum to suit their 'children's strengths andweaknesses, especially those with learning disabilities Still others feel that thenegative social pressures of schools (such as bullying, drugs, crime, and otherschool-related problems) are bad for a child's development Parents oftenform groups to help each other in the homeschooling process

4…

Many people are against homeschooling Some of their concernsinclude fears of poor academic quality, loss of income for the schools, andreligious or social extremism Furthermore, some believe that removingchildren from the school environment could hamper their ability to socializewith peers their own age.

(Education in the United States hitp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education—in—

the—United—States)

COMPREHENSION CHECK

I Read the following statements and say whether they are true (T), false (F) or not given (NG) according to the information from the text.

…1 Every child in the States has to go to school at the same age

…2 Children can leave school at 16 only when they have healthproblems

…3 As many students enroll in public schools as they do in privateones

…4 Like every other nation, the States allow a summer break of twoand a half months

…5 Not as much as 5% of parents educate their children at home

…6 Some parents feel that they can work out a more suitablecurriculum for their children

…7 Parents who choose to educate their own children at homesometimes meet and help each other with the education of their children

…8 One opposition homeschooling is the concern that, children wouldnot have sufficient activities at home for their study

…9 Teachers' organizations are not in favour of homeschooling

10 Children with homeschooling may lose their chance to socializewith their peers

II Read the text again and answer the following questions:

1 What is usually the school age for children in the United States?

2 Does every state in the United States have the same agerequirement at which children can leave school?

Work" in group and discuss these questions about your country.

1 When does mandatory education start in your country? How long isit?

2 Does the government require a certain age at which children canleave school?

3 Is private school popular in your country? Which attracts morestudents, public or private school? Why?

4 Do you have homeschooling? If yes, why do some parents choose to

do it?

5 'Education should be mandatory to children' Give one reason tosupport/ oppose this opinion

* WRITING

Base on your answers in Speaking to write a short introduction (of about

150 words) about schooling in Vietnam

l Sự phát triển của một đứa trẻ

2 Translate the following sentences into English:

a Sự phát triển của trẻ phụ thuộc vào nhiều yếu tố: gia đình và xã hội

b Do nhiều nguyên nhân khác nhau, phần lớn học sinh đều chọn học ởtrường công lập

c Chúng ta cần xây dựng một chương trình học phù hợp cho sự pháttrển của học sinh

d Học sinh thường lập nhóm để giúp đỡ nhau trong học tập

e Một trong những mối quan tâm lớn nhất của giáo viên là chất lượngdạy và học

UNIT 3 BASIC CURRICULAR STRUCTURE

1 They are in the second year at university They are sophomores

2 In some colleges and university, students don't have to choose theirmajors until their sophomore year

elective (adj & n)

1 Students can choose either English or German as one subject offoreign language to study at this course They are electives.

2 Students can take elective subjects in the field of their study Theydon't have to study all the subjects

1 After finishing this course, you can obtain a master degree

2 In order to obtain good degree, you have to study better

concept (n)

1 He can't understand the basic concepts of mathematics

2 Everybody in modern time knows the concept of freedom

offer (v)

1 He offered me a job as a secretary in his company

2 Colleges and Universities offer students a lot of opportunities to lookfor a job

2 We should consider these events in historical sequence

rigidity (n) rigid (adj.)

1 Rigid principles in a high school are very strict rules which makepupils obey seriously

2 The manager didn't agree with the rigidity of her views

Use the new words given above in its correct form and tense to fill in sentences 1 - 8.

1 We should… the importance of language learning in modern time

2 We are students of English so we have to… language study

3 There are a variety of for you to choose for this course

4 The teacher explained the of sexuality in a very simple way

5 Can students choose their field of study in their… year

6 If you can't pass this exam, you won't be able to…your diploma

7 I have been… a good job in her company

8 His… in that company is a reliable person

* READING

BASIC CURRICULAR STRUCTURE

Some schools in the United States encourage students to take electives

in the areas they are considering for a career Generally, at the high schoollevel, they take a broad variety of classes, without special emphasis Thecurriculum varies widely in quality and rigidity; for example, some statesconsider 70 (on a 100 point scale) to be a passing grade while others consider

it to be 75 and others 60

The following are the typical minimum course sequences that one musttake in order to obtain a high school diploma

- Science (biology, chemistry, and physics)

- Mathematics (usually three years minimum, including algebra,geometry, algebra II, and/ or pre - calculus/ trigonometry)

- English (four years)

- Social Science (various history, government, and economics courses,always including American history)

- Physical education (at least one year)

Many states require a "Health" course in which students learn anatomy,nutrition, and first aid; the basic concepts of sexuality and birth control; andwhy to avoid substances like illegal drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol

Electives

High schools offer a wide variety of elective courses, although theavailability of such courses depends upon each particular school's financialsituation

Common types of electives include:

- Visual arts (drawing, sculpture, painting, photography, film)

- Performing Arts (drama, band, orchestra, dance)

- Shop (woodworking, metalworking, automobile repair)

- Computers (word processing, programming, graphic design)

- Athletics (football, baseball, basketball, track and field, swimming,gymnastics, water polo, soccer)

- Publishing (journalism, yearbook)

- Foreign languages (French, German, and Spanish are common;Chinese, Latin, Greek and Japanese are less common, though Latin is gainingpopularity)

(Source: Education in the United States http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecducation—in—the—United—States)

COMPREHENSION CHECK

I Read the passage carefully and answer questions 1-6.

1 What are students sometimes encouraged to do?

……

2 What does the example of "some states consider 70 (on a 100 pointscale) to be a passing grade while others consider it to be 75 and others 607prove?

6 The main purpose of this passage is to

a provide students with information concerning their choice of subjects

b distinguish between compulsory and elective subjects

c introduce the subjects that the students do at school

II Look at the table below and match the course with its content:

k government and economics courses,

l nutrition, first aid

* SPEAKING

Work in group and discuss these questions about your country.

1 When do students begin to specialize into a narrow field of study?

2 Are there elective subjects in the curriculum for a career? If there are,what are they?

3 What is your opinion about elective? Do you think they are useful forstudents' future career?

4 Does the curriculum vary in different colleges and universities?

5 What are the typical minimum course sequence the students musttake to obtain a high school diploma?

6 What are some common types of electives in high schools?

* WRITING

1 Base on your answers in speaking to write a short introduction (ofabout 150 words) about the basic curricular structure in Vietnam

2 Below is the summary of the text "Basic Curricular Structure" withsome words missing Find the words from the text to complete the summary.

In the United States, most students start to (a) into their majors in their(b)… year of college

At the high school level, students have a broad variety of subjectswithout any special (c)… Thus, to obtain a high school (d) students have totake such courses as science, (e)… English, social science and physicaleducation etc Besides, many (f)… courses are also given for students at highschools Visual arts, (g)… which include word processing, programming andgraphic design are two (h)… types of electives

h Hoàn cảnh kin tế / điều kiện tài chính

2 Translate the following sentences into English.

a Một số trường phổ thông ở nước ta đã bắt đầu đưa một số môn học

tự chọn vào giảng dạy tại trường

b Hầu hết sinh viên Việt Nam đều chọn môn chuyên ngành ngay từnăm thứ nhất

c Mặc dù giáo dục thể chất không phải là môn học chính của hầu hếtsinh viên nhưng phải thi đỗ môn này, các em mới nhận được bằng tốt nghiệp

d Học sinh cần biết và tránh ma tuý và rượu

e Điều kiện tài chính của trường quyết định số lượng môn tự chọn ở trườngđó

UNIT 4 NURSERY AND PROSCHOOL EDUCATION

2 80% of school attendance is required for semester exam

the former — the latter (pron)

If I have to choose between fish and meat, I would prefer the former tothe latter I've always liked fish

literacy — illiteracy (n)

1 Illiteracy rate in remote areas in our country is still very high

2 Literacy is the ability to read and write

mix (v)— mixture (n)

1 Oil will not mix with water It floats on the surface

2 Air is a mixture of different gases: oxygen, nitrogen

individual (adj.)— individually (adv)

1 Each individual is responsible for his own life

2 The interviewer will talk to each applicant individually

foster (v)

1 He has contributed a lot to foster the development of local industries

2 They know how to foster their children's interests

1 Scholarship is well distributed among advanced students

2 A fair distribution of profits among the work-force is essential

proportion (n)

1 A large proportion of the earth's surface is covered with water

2 The proportion of advanced students to the whole class is 1/3

rate (n)

1 This factory produces cars at a rate of 36 cars per week

2 The pass rate of the university entrance examination is low

diverse (adj.)- diversity (n)

1 Her interests are very diverse: reading, painting and even streetskating

2 At the conference you can listen to a wide diversity of opinion

fund (n)

1 UNICEF stands for United Nations Children's Fund

2 We can now send many people abroad under government funds

coordinate (v) — coordination (n)

1 Swimming is a coordination of the whole body's movements

2 The programs were not well - coordinated, so the result was not asgood as we expected.

contribute (+to) (v)— contribution (n)

1 Everybody in my department contributed one day's pay to help thevictims of the flood

2 The whole country have made big contribution of money to charity

impact (+on/ upon) (v)

1 Her speech made a great impact on everybody at the meeting

2 You can see the great impact of new technology on every industry

Use the new words given in Vocabulary in its correct form and tense to fill in sentences 1 - 8:

1 We must… our efforts to ensure the success of the project

2 Is meeting compulsory in your company?

3 The Chairman encouraged everyone… to the discussion

4 The demonstrators the leaflets to passers-by

5 In a forest, one can observe the of plan

6 It is difficult for a teacher to give… attention to all the students in a bigclass

7 How do you… Karpov as a chess player?

8 What is the… of men to women in your country?

* READING

NURSERY AND PRESCHOOL EDUCATION Characteristics of Nursery and Preschool

Children served by nursery programs are usually three- and old In a nursery program, a child usually attends only two to four hours perday, for three to five half-days per week, and for eight to ten months per year.Depending on the program, a child typically encounters a mixture of

four-years-"curriculum" and social experience The former tends to focus on orallanguage development and pre-literacy skills, as preparation for elementaryschool The social experience tends to consist of a mixture of group gamesand freely - chosen plays organized individually or in stile groups The socialexperiences are to foster self-confidence and social skills

Extent and Distribution of Nursery and Preschool Programs

In the 1980s in the United States, about 30% of three- and olds attended some sort of part-time nursery or preschool program, and by theend of the century the proportion had risen to about 50% Around the world,rates of nursery attendance vary from virtually 100% in France, Sweden, andJapan to virtually 0% in India and most of Africa Among the economicallydeveloped nations, therefore, the United States ranks relatively low in nurseryschool attendance Its programs are also more diverse than other developednations, and less well funded and coordinated by national authorities andpolicies These facts probably contribute to the ongoing concerns and debates

four-year-in the United States about the quality and impact of nursery and preschool onchildren's development

(Source: Nursery and Preschool Education by Kelvin L Seifert)

COMPREHENSION CHECK

I Read the text and answer the following questions:

1 How long does a child usually attend in a nursery program?

……

2 What does a child typically encounter on the program?

8 What does "its" in the second paragraph refer to?

II Read the following statements and say whether they are true (T), false (F) or not given (NG) according to the information from the text.

1 Children served by nursery programs attend school full-time

2 Nursery curriculum focuses on oral language development andpre-literacy skills

3 A nursery programs prepares a child for elementary school

4 Plays chosen for nursery education are all children's plays

5 The social experiences are just for improving social skills

6 All Japanese children attend nursery school

7 In the United States, not as many children attend nursery schools

as in France

8 The US spends more money on nursery programs than France orJapan.

9 The U.S does not concern about the impact of nursery programs

on children's development

* SPEAKING

Work in group and discuss these questions about your country.

1 Do you have nursery and preschool programs in your country?

2 Do you have any facts and figures concerning nursery education?(The proportion of children attending nursery, the number of nursery school,the distribution of nursery schools, the fund, the curriculum )

3 What, in your own opinion, is the good points of sending a child tonursery school?

4 What, in your own opinion, is the weak points of sending a child tonursery school?

5 Does nursery attendance vary from city to the countryside, from area

to area? If yes, why?

6 What do you think can be done to improve nursery education in yourcountry?

1 Find from the text equivalents for the following Vietnamese words and phrases:

a Đặc điểm của các trường mẫu giáo

b Chương trình học mẫu giáo

c Sự phát triển ngôn ngữ nói

d Các kỹ năng đọc viết

e Giao tiếp xã hội

f Trò chơi tập thể

g Tỉ lệ đi học mẫu giáo

h Các nước kinh tế phát triển

i Những chính sách của nhà nước

k Những cuộc tranh cãi đang diễn ra

2 Translate the following sentences into English:

a Chương trình mẫu giáo là một bước chuẩn bị cho các em bước vàobậc tiểu học

b Những trò chơi tập thể giúp cho học sinh phát triển các kỹ năng giaotiếp xã hội

c Trong 10 năm qua, tỉ lệ trẻ em đi học đã tăng lên đáng kể

d Các chương trình mẫu giáo thường không đa dạng và không được

1 At seventeen, most boys are physically developed: tall and strong.

2 The accident caused her mental suffering She gets angry easily

3 Mentally retarded children have some problem with their brain Theyare slow learners

structure (v & n)

1 A good essay must be well-structured

2 This company has an effective management structure That's the key

to its success

separate (v & n)

1 The children sleep in separate beds No two sleep in the same

2 This patient should be separated from the others

major, minor (adj.) majority, minority (n)

1 He only took a minor part in the play Few people noticed him

2 The majority of people prefer TV to the radio The radio has becomeless popular

severe (adj.)— severity (n)

1 He is suffering a lot from his severe injuries

2 Most gold seekers could not stand the severity of the cold in the northpole

adequate (adj.)

1 Their earnings are adequate to their needs So their life is alright

2 Take adequate precautions The cave is deep and dark

session (n)

1 After several sessions at the gym, I feel a lot better

2 Slower learners have to attend special sessions to supplementregular class time

regular (adj.)

1 He has no regular work, so it's difficult for him to support his family

2 Regular exercise is good for your health Try to do it every day orthree times a week

equal (adj.)

1 They are of equal height Both are 178cm tall

2 Divide the cake into equal parts No part should be bigger than theother

opportunity (n)

1 People in the countryside have fewer opportunities for employmentthan those in the city

2 Don't miss this opportunity It may never come again

Use the new words given in Vocabulary in its correct form and tense to fill in sentences 1 — 8:

1 The… school curriculum must suit education goals of a country

2 We have special service for our customers

3 We have encountered… problems It must be long before we cansolve them

4 I don't think we understand each other It's time we go our… ways

5 The child's parents are much worried about the… of his mentalproblems

6 If you want a room with separate shower, you have to pay a… of $10.

7 People have to create their own… Don't just wait

8 Women are still struggling for true with men

* READING

EDUCATION OF STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

The following phrases (1-6) have been taken from the text Readthrough the text quickly and decide where (a-f) to place them:

1 as other students

2 often tinder the care of a guide

3 provide equal opportunity

4 in which they spend most of their day

5 commonly known as special education

6 than other students

In the United States, education of the mentally retarded, blind, and deaf

is structured to be as close as possible to the same experience received bynormal students Blind and deaf students usually have separate classes (a)…,but may sit in normal classes with guides or interpreters The mentallyretarded are required to attend the same amount of time (b)…; however, theyare almost always in separate classrooms for the majority of the school day.These classes, (c)…, are run by teachers who are often required to havespecial training Depending upon the degree and severity of any mental orphysical problems, these students may participate in normal classes andactivities, (d)… Larger districts are often able to provide more adequate andquality care for those with special needs

Some students are identified early on as being significantly slowerlearners (e)… Sometimes these students are able to attend special sessions

during the day to supplement regular class time; here they often receive extrainstruction or perform easier work The goal of these programs, however, is totry and bring everyone up to the same standard and (f) to all students.

(Education in the United States http:/en.wiklipedia.org/wiki/Education-in-the-United-States)

COMPREHENSION CHECK Choose the best answer (a, b, c or d) for each question in the text.

1 In the United States, education of the mentally retarded, blind, and deaf is…that for normal students

a very different from

b almost the same as

c exactly the same as

d not as well structured as

2 Blind and deaf students…

a always have separate classes from ordinary ones

b can sometimes join normal classes with guides or interpreters

c can learn with normal students when they have interpreters

d spend most of their day with normal students

3 Teachers who want to teach students with special needs should…

a have special training

b spend most of his/ her time at school

c work the same amount of time as their students

d have come from classes for special needs themselves

4 Whether a student with special needs may participate in normal classesand activities depends on…

a his/ her intelligence.

b the accompany of a guide

c the severity of his/ her problems

d his/ her physical health

5 If a student is identified as being significantly slower in learning than otherstudents…

a he can stay on after class to have extra hours of learning

b he/ she can still attend regular class time

c he/ she will attend special sessions away from normal students

d he/ she will never go to evening classes

6 The goal of these special sessions is…

a to give slow-learning students more confidence

b to bring every student up healthy and well-educated

c to provide these students with better curriculum

d to make sure that every student has the same opportunity ofeducation

7 The main idea of this text is…

a to talk about the difficulties that students with special needs mayhave at school

b to state all the facilities that are offered to students with specialneeds

c to remind teachers who work with these students of theirresponsibilities

d to explain briefly how and why special education is structured andconducted at schools

* SPEAKING

Work in group and discuss these questions about your country.

1 Do the mentally retarded, blind, and deaf in your country have achance to go to school?

2 Do they go to the same school with normal students or do they havespecial schools for their needs?

3 Are there enough schools for those students? How are theydistributed in the country?

4 Is the curriculum for the mentally retarded, blind, and deaf structuredthe same as the one received by normal students?

5 Are there any special requirements for the teachers who run thesespecial classes?

6 What do you think is the better way to educate students with learningdifficulties, having them in the same school with normal students in separateschools?

7 What can be done to help those students socialize with others?

In the United States, mentally retarded, blind and deaf students receive

a more or less similar (1)… as the normal ones They go to the same school;(2)… the same amount of time; and although they spend most of their time in(3)… classes (known as special education), they may still (4)… in normalclasses and activities under the care of a (5)… or interpreter

Students who are very slow in (6)… may have special sessions wherethey can receive (7)… instruction or C easier work.

The United States is trying to bring everyone the same standard and thesame (8) in education

2 Translate the following sentences into English:

a Chương trình giáo dục cho trẻ em chậm phát triển trí tuệ được xâydựng gần going với chương trình cho học sinh bình thường

b Trẻ em chậm phát triển trí tuệ cũng phải tham gia học trên lớp bằng

số lượng thời gian như trẻ em bình thường

c Tuỳ mức độ trầm trọng của các vấn đề về trí tuệ và thể lực, trẻ emchậm phát triển trí tuệ có thể tham gia các hoạc động với các học sinh bìnhthường khác

d Trong những buổi học đặc biệt này, học sinh được chỉ bảo kĩ lưỡng

và thực hiện các công việc đơn giản hơn

UNIT 6 CHOICES FOR SCHOOL LEAVERS

* VOCABULARY

Below is the list of the new words which are used in the text Look at thesentences to see how each new word is used and try to guess its meaning

gcse

1 GCSE stands for a General Certificate of Secondary Education

2 In Britain you can get a GCSE when you are 16

1 The academic year usually begins in September and ends in June

2 Physics is one of the academic subjects It is not a technical subject

qualification (n)

1 What sort of qualification do you need for the job?

2 He has all the right qualifications for this.job He's a good applicant

strength (n) > < weakness (n)

1 Your strengths mean your good points

2 Your weaknesses mean your bad points

subjective (adj.), subjectively (adv)

1 We shouldn't give our own subjective comments on her actions

2 Our perception of things is often influenced by subjective factors.

aptitude (n) for sth

1 Aptitude means natural ability, skill for doing something

2 Does she show any aptitude for games?

confuse (v)

1 I was confused by being asked so many questions

2 Don't confuse Austria with Australia

guide(v), guidance (n)

1 The teacher guided me to do this exercise

2 I really need your guidance to make sure that I am going to choosethe right career

regret (v, n)

1 I heard of his death with deep regret

2 I regret to inform you that you've failed the exam

Use the new words given above in its correct form and tense to fill in sentences 1- 8.

1 He couldn't get this job, because he didn't have enough…

2 Different concepts of the same subject sometimes make us…

3 My Linh is… singer

4 The teacher's… is very necessary for you before the exam

5 Her… help her a lot in applying for the job

6 Language learning requires good

7 In some cases, things shouldn't be considered… but objectively

8 I to say the job has been filled

* READING

CHOICES FOR SCHOOL LEAVERS

This is the information sheet about choices for school leavers in Britain

Careers Department Information Sheet Where do you go now?

OK, you'll be 16 this year and you are doing your GCSEs in thesummer

Do you really know where you want to go and what you want to do afteryou've done your GCSEs? You need to consider three key questions:

1 Do you want to continue studying at a university - or a college for aprofessional or academic degree?

2 Do you want to continue studying in a less academic way — doingtraining at a College of Further Education to get a vocational or technicalqualification that leads to a specific job?

3 Do you want to leave school and get a job that perhaps requires notraining or where you receive training 'on the job'?

To answer these questions, you need to talk to four sorts of people:

1 Talk to teachers who know you well A teacher who knows yourstrengths and weaknesses will advise you well Ask your teachers what theythink you should do You might not agree with the advice, but you should listen

to it

2 Talk to older teenagers Find out if there is anything they regret Butremember, their advice is subjective: the things that are important for themmight not be important for you

3 Talk to a career adviser Ask them which colleges are the best for thesubjects you want to study Decide exactly which university, college or College