Владимир Аракин - Практический курс английского языка 3 курс [calibre 2.43.0]

fund supplied regularly by new experiences, new thoughts and discoveries, by reading and moving around among people from whom

he can acquire such things."

B. Should a teacher plan all the procedure of a lesson?

"The rest of that summer Miss Dove mapped her strategies in her bed-chamber. To represent a classroom she laid her father's

chessboard on a table by the north window. The squares were desks. The ivory men were children. For hours on end, moving them

about the board, speaking to them in unequivocal terms, she did what might be called "practice teaching". To the last detail she

planned her procedure. The greeting to each class, as it entered the room, the ceremony of its dismissal, the rules and penalties and

forms were all settled upon. The presentation of her subject matter was carefully considered."

C. Should compulsory school attendance be abolished?

"We should abolish compulsory school attendance. Our compulsory school attendance laws once served a humane and useful

purpose. They protected children's rights to some schooling, against those adults who would otherwise have denied it to them in order

to exploit their labour, in farm, shop, store, mine, or factory. Today, the laws help nobody, not the schools, not the teachers, not the

children. To keep kids in school who would rather not be there costs the the schools an enormous amount of time and trouble, to say

nothing of what it costs to repair the damage that these angry and resentful prisoners do whenever they get the chance. Every teacher

knows that any kid in class who, for whatever reason, would rather not be there, not only doesn't learn anything himself but makes

learning harder for anyone else. For many kids, not going to college, school is just a useless time-wasting obstacle preventing them

from needed money or doing some useful work."

D.Should fixed curriculum be used in schools?

"Some harder reforms are required. Abolish the fixed, required curriculum. People remember only what is interesting and useful

to them, what helps make sense of the world or helps them enjoy or get along in it. All else they quickly forget, if they ever learn it at

all. The idea of the "body of knowledge", to be picked up at school and used for the rest of one's life, is nonsense in a world as

complicated and rapidly changing as ours. Anyway, the most important questions and problems of our time are not in the curriculum,

not even in the hot-shot universities, let alone the schools. Check any university catalogue and see how many courses you can find on

such questions-as Peace, Poverty, Race, Environmental Pollution and so on."

16. Role -Playing.

Formal Versus Informal Teaching

The group of students is divided into two teams, each of which performs the same role play. While discussing formal and informal

styles of teaching be sure to show their advantages and disadvantages. Expand on the ideas of your character. Disagree with some

participants and share the others' points of view. At the end of the conference you should come to a conclusion about the desirable

style of teaching in school. (May be done by a vote.) Comments from the class on each team's performance and the value of the dif -

ferent arguments are invited.

S i t u a t i o n : After studying the county reports on the work of formal/informal classes in secondary schools of the county the

chief education officer who is at the head of the local education authority) holds a conference to discuss the most controversial issue

in the area of "teaching style" that is to say: are "informal" styles of teaching more effective than "formal" ones?

C h a r a c t e r s :

1. Mr. Bernard Hudson, aged 33, an education officer, has no definite view of his own, he is in two minds after his inspection. Pu-

pils seem to do better in terms of the basic skills in formal classes, the superiority of formal teaching for basic subjects is evident.

CMdren taught in informal classes achieve lower academic outcomes but are more independent, cooperative, ask more questions

seeking information, are better at non-verbal problem solving, are less frequently absent from classrooms. Much individualised in-

struction is used here.

2. Miss Susan Curry, aged 54, a Geography teacher in Stewart Comprehensive School. Stands for firmness, principle and authori-

ty. Never reduces learning to the level of entertainment. Organises her lessons well. Laughter is not her style. Ignores fashion.

Responsibility is the air she breathes. She likes utilizing her strength to its utmost limits. Always shows her power. Likes making and

keeping rules. Insists upon her pupils' even margins and correct posture, punctuality and industriousness.

3. Mrs. Hilary Bell, aged 42, a grammar school teacher. Likes her work and her school. Approves of its formality, its regard for

order. Is used to working briskly, without a break. Writes in careful, legible script. Has cultivated felicity in the language." Never

permits her pupils to use expressions which are inelegant, rude or improper. Always acts within reason. Reminds people of Mary

Poppins, an English nanny from a fairy-tale with supernatural powers. Has the same effect on children. Keeps pupils on their toes.

Discipline in her class is strict. Discourages movement during classes, pupil talk is forbidden. All the same shows much respect for

her pupils.

4. Mr. Mark Dawson, aged 27, principal of Newlyn East Primary School. Believes in being friends with the children, in classroom

democracy. Is charmed by his younger pupils. The infants are his pets. Likes to join in their games at break, to feel that they love him.

In his lessons pupils take an active part. He lets children speak and think through speaking. Doesn't approve of Hilary Bell's didactic

methods but admits that they work if a teacher is sincere since kids are fair. You can't fool them. If a teacher is doing a sincere job,

they know it.

5. Ann Bennett, 21 year-old student teacher. Uses informal methods in her class. Movement during her class is allowed, any

question is encouraged. Interruption of the lesson doesn't scare Ann. She comments on all marked work in the spirit of a teacher-

learner dialogue. Likes to put problems and encourages their discussion either in pairs or groups. Though her class sometimes lacks

discipline she is quite happy with her work, methods and pupils. Believes that in formal classes children won't develop an ability to

think and feel for themselves. But her timing and planning are not perfect. Sometimes doesn't have time to explain and drill ev-

erything she is expected to.

6. Mrs. Leonie Thorpe, aged 67, a pensioner, former teacher of English. Thinks that there is no single right of handling classes or

individual children. Each teacher should find his own way. Leo- nie's experience shows that certain formal ways of behaving in the

classroom are more likely than others to lead to order. Is not sure that children can say and do as they please in the classroom. The

more teachers take from children, the worse it gets. Thinks it is necessary to find some way to show them who's "Boss". But believes

that an olderly and highly drilled class who know exactly what is expected of them at each point of the lesson may not al ways

develop personal qualities. Thinks that friendliness and cooperation are required on any teacher's part.

17. Group Discussion.

Give your own views on the problems below and speak against your opponents.

Topic 1. Mixed-ability grouping in the classroom

T a l k i n g p o i n t s :

4.Mixed-ability group — the usual basis of classroom organization in Russia. Results.

5.Mixed-ability grouping — a controversial innovation for the English, having occurred partly as a reaction against streaming.

6.Introduction of mixed-ability groups in English primary schools (the dominant form of organization), the first and second

years of secondary schooling (relatively unproblematic), later years of secondary school (cautious and tentative).

N 4. Considerations relating to preparing pupils for public examinations— a major obstacle to the introduction of mixed-ability

groupings in senior years of secondary school in England,

5. Mixed-ability grouping means harder work for teachers. English teachers' possible reactions. The ways to solve the problem

used by Russian teachers.

6. Advantages and disadvantages of mixed-ability groups.

Topic 2. Is school a place for the imparting of knowledge (understood as certain material to memorize) or a place for the

creation and development of a child's personality?

T a l k i n g p o i n t s :

1. Children before school. Do they have opportunities to learn? Are they eager to find and figure things out? Inquisitive? Confi-

dent? Persistent? Independent? Have they achieved a degree of success without any formal instruction in school to help them solve

the mystery of the language?

2. Learning— a passive or an active process on the part of a pupil? Don't teachers often make children feel that they are

inadequate, worthless, unworthy, fit only to take other people's orders, a blank sheet for other people to write on? Isn't what we say

about respect for the child in school usually opposed to what teachers do?

3. "To be wrong, uncertain and confused— is a crime; right answers are what the school wants" — the motto of certain (if not

many) schools. Do children in such schools or classes acquire some undesirable habits? Do they not learn to dodge, bluff, fake,

cheat, to be lazy, to be bored, to work with a small part of their mind, to escape from the reality around them into daydreams and

fantasies?

Topic 3. Pupils' norms of behaviour

(The document given below was produced by the Deputy Head of a large comprehensive school for discussion at a special staff meeting.)

T a l k i n g p o i n t s :

1. Pupils should enter classrooms and sit down with books and pens ready for teacher to arrive unless the room has a notice on

the door indicating that pupils should not enter until the teacher arrives.

2. a) Pupils should stand when teacher enters classroom (not compulsory for fourth and fifth years), b) Pupils should stop talk ing

as soon as the teacher enters the class.

3. Anyone arriving after the teacher has started the lesson should wait at the front of the class until the teacher has asked for

explanation.

4. Jackets should be removed as soon as the pupils have entered the classroom.

5. Anyone bringing a message to a class should wait at the front until asked by the teacher to speak. Only written notes should be

accepted.

6. When the teacher is addressing the class nobody should raise his hand but not call out.

Any pupil wishing to answer a question or attract the teacher's attention should raise his hand but not call out.

1. Chewing should not be allowed since it prevents articulate speech and singing.

2. At the end of lessons pupils should not make any move to pack up or leave until teacher has given permission and the class

should all sit quietly when they have packed until dismissed by teacher but teachers should not abuse this rule by detaining pupils so