Topic 2 Educating RitaBitter roots, sweet fruit

Nina Dearle

By PresenterMedia.com

VOCABULARY WORK

English Vocabulary in Use Upper Intermediate:

43 Education

English Vocabulary in Use Advanced:

11 Study and Academic Work12 Education: Debates and Issues

British schools and institutionsListen to the definitions and decide the school or institution which is being described

boarding school coeducational school college of Further Education comprehensive school evening classes nursery school playschool polytechnic prep school

primary school private school public school secondary school sixth-Form College state school teacher Training College the Open University university

From Target Vocabulary 2 (Penguin Books)

Schools for children under 5

State schools (5-18)

Private schools (5-18)

Higher education (people who have left school)

College of Further Education Comprehensive school Nursery school Playschool Polytechnic Prep school

Primary school Public school Sixth-Form College Teacher Training College University

Place the following words in the correct places in the chart below.

From Target Vocabulary 2 (Penguin)

Schools for children under 5 nursery school playschool

State schools (5-18) comprehensive school Primary school Sixth Form College

Private schools (5-18) prep schoolpublic school

Higher education (people who have left school)

College of Further EducationPolytechnicTeacher Training Collegeuniversity

PART 11) What do we learn about Philip Beadle in the

introduction?2) Why isn’t it a good idea for teachers to duck down

to the school canteen and eat lunch with their students?

3) Why is it a good idea for teachers to duck down to the school canteen and eat lunch with their students?

PART 21) How many rules do they talk about?2) What are they?3) Why is it important for teachers to turn up?4) What happens when higher achieving boys are

grouped with lower achieving girls?5) And the reverse?

PART 36) What does Philip Beadle say about the teacher’s

role in the classroom?7) What does he say about tolerance?8) What are the value system of the community?9) What is Philip Beadle’s opinion on school rules?10)What ultimately determines the response of the

teacher to “challenging” behaviour?

Too much importance is attached to exams at school. Do you agree?

The traditional method of assessing academic progress has always been for students to take exams.

However, like many other people, I feel that too much importance is given to exams and that it is time to change the way we monitor our children’s development at school.

Firstly, I think that that the examination system is unfair because sometimes two students with the same ability in a subject get very different exam results.

This is because one is much better at taking exams than the other.Apart from this, exam questions often test how much a student has

remembered about the things he or she has been taught in the classroom.As a result, students are often encouraged to learn facts by heart, instead of

how to use the information and how to think for themselves. Lastly, it seems to me that exams sometimes have a bad effect on teaching,

as teachers are usually judged by the exam results of their students.Consequently, they are often more interested in preparing their students for

the exams than in making their lessons lively and stimulating.To sum up, in my opinion less importance should be given to exams because

they are unfair, because they are often a test of memory and because they can have a negative influence on teaching.

Where should the essay be divided into paragraphs?

INTRODUCTION

The focus of the essay – linking to the question. The point of view you intend to express.

BODY OF THE ESSAY

A logical progression of paragraphs, each one developing a central idea.Clear topic sentence for each paragraph.

Two or three examples, where appropriate, to back up statements.

CONCLUDING PARAGRAPHDrawing together of major points.

Personal response to the essay question.

Find out all you can about …

… and be prepared to talk about it next lesson!

&Read the excerpt from this book about a prep. (preparatory) school in the UK (a private school, usually single-sex, for children between 8 and 13 years old). The humorous text deals with the difficulties that can arise when idiomatic or figurative expressions are taken literally.

1. Which of the statements describe correctly Peregrine and his behaviour?

a) take their own time (line 30)b) pull their socks up (line 41)c) turn over a new leaf (line 43)

a) He behaves very well.b) He’s not as bright as other boys

of his age.c) He reads the Bible.d) He’s always saying what the time

is.e) He always does exactly what he

is told to do.f) He often misunderstands his

teachers.g) He destroyed some flowers.

2. What did the teachers in fact mean when they told their pupils to do the following?

spend as much time on the task as they neededmake an extra effort to behave or work harderthey should reform their conduct

3. What is the relationship between Mr Clyde –Browne and Peregrine? How do you know?

Mr Clyde –Browne is probably Peregrine’s father He has received reports about Peregrine’s behaviour, and his remarks in lines 6-7 (I can face facts as well as the next man. Are you suggesting he’s stupid?) suggest he is the boy’s father. It’s unlikely he’s a teacher, since he speaks to the headmaster in a rather rude manner (What on earth …? That ¡s the third time …) etc.

4. What expressions can you find that give an indication of Mr Clyde-Browne’s profession?

in his nastiest courtroom manner (line 17)resorting to cross –examination to fight his way out (line 35)Both phrases point to Mr Clyde-Browne’s being a barrister or judge.

5. What do you think Mr Clyde-Browne felt about Education in a rational world (line 23)?

He probably doesn’t think that RE should have a place in a rational world. The phrase vent one’s feelings is usually used about expressing anger or irritation.

6. Why is teaching Peregrine a distinctly unnerving experience (line 40)?

Because he is likely to take figurative remarks literally. This can have unexpected (or unnerving) results.

7. Why is the interview almost as harassing as trying to teach Peregrine (line 25)?

Because Mr Clyde-Browne is behaving in almost the same way as Peregrine behaves in school. He is pedantic and unimaginative, and has difficulty distinguishing between literal and idiomatic expressions (see lines 19-23, for example).

8. Make brief notes on the information we are given about the school – what type of school it is, its teachers, subjects taught, etc.

An expensive prep school2 teachers are mentioned – the headmaster himself and the

Reverend WilkinsonOnly one of the subjects taught there is mentioned: Bible Studies

Grammar antics

A possessive adjective (my, your, etc.) or genitive (Jon’s, Bernard’s) is used when the action itself is the object of the main verb and its meaning is limited to a particular person or thing:

I don’t mind your leavingI will not tolerate their cheating

Some verbs (e.g. see, hear, watch, feel) are normally followed by object + -ing I saw him cheating

I heard them comparing answers

In colloquial usage the object forms (me, them, etc) are very often substituted for possessive forms. Expressions such as If you don’t mind me saying so are widespread; examination candidates should, however, avoid them in their written work.

For more information click here and here!

If you don’t mind my saying so.

Some verbs and phrases are followed by a gerund with no preposition.

STUDENT AYou are planning your children’s future education with your partner. You think private education would be best. You feel you can afford it and that it is something worth paying for. You begin.

STUDENT BYou are planning your children’s future education with your partner. You think state education would be best. You feel you can’t afford private education and that it isn’t something worth paying for. Your partner will begin.

ORAL TESTTASK 2: DIALOGUE

ADECUACIÓNCumplimiento de la tarea con inclusión de todos los puntos requeridos. Adecuación de formato y registro.

COHERENCIA / COHESIÓNESTRATEGIAS COMUNICATIVAS-FLUIDEZ

Organización del discurso (Intercambio del turno de palabra). Uso de las funciones comunicativas.Cohesión de las frases (organización sintáctica, concordancias, pronombres, …).

PRONUNCIACIÓN Y ENTONACIÓN

RIQUEZA Y CORRECCIÓN GRAMATICALUso cuando procede, de estructuras acordes al nivel y correctamente incorporados al discurso.

RIQUEZA Y CORRECCIÓN LÉXICAUso de una gama de términos acordes al nivel y correctamente incorporados al discurso, cuando procede.

EXPRESIÓN E INTERACCIÓN ORAL

Education in GB

Great report on

Nina’s Cabbages