Анна Коршунова – Non-standard methods of teaching English and their effectiveness (страница 3)

This attitude to education has both pros and cons. Thanks to such a system, everyone can work at their own pace, and anyone who really wants to gain knowledge will be able to do it. On the other hand, because of this kind of permissiveness, many do not receive even basic skills and it is more difficult for them to live in the modern world.

In England there are two types of comprehensive schools – primary (from 6 to 11 years old) and secondary (from 11 to 17 years old). Children under 14 years old study for free. Secondary educational institutions include: grammar and public (elite) schools for preparation for universities, a modern school for the middle class of British society, a central school with an emphasis on vocational training.

In a two-year pre-preparatory school, children are not yet studying, but rather preparing for the lower grades – primary school (also known as preparatory school and elementary school). Education at the next level includes basic subjects: languages, elementary mathematics, history, science, physical education, music. In lower grades, project work is very common – students form groups and work on common assignments together. In general, the principle of «together» in the English school is very developed, if not cultivated. Teachers in most cases know all the children by name (and many parents) and help children make friends with each other and approve of the initiative of elders in relation to younger ones. Much attention is paid to relationships between schoolchildren: aggression is punished strictly, including expulsion from school.

At the age of 11—12, the second stage begins – Secondary school, high school. It can be a comprehensive school, a gymnasium, a selective school or a church school. Church schools are schools formed at parishes; selective schools require high grades in basic subjects, that is, successful testing before entering school; gymnasiums place an emphasis on mathematics.

At this stage, many students move from state schools to private ones, although there are, of course, private primary schools in the UK as well. The British private school is as much a hallmark of the country as the monarchy, the performing arts and rock music. Today there are almost four thousand private schools in Great Britain, and the first of them appeared here many centuries ago in monasteries. True, now they have a very indirect relationship with monasteries. An independent school is what they are also called, meaning independence from government funding and the state educational program. Although the educational basis for the systems is the same.

However, a private school is considered to place more emphasis on students and provide a higher standard of education. Another reason to study at an independent school is to become part of history and maintain tradition, something that has always been very important to the British. Many English families study in the same school generation after generation and do not even consider any other options solely because of maintaining tradition.

But the separate education of boys and girls is not only a tribute to tradition, but also a reasoned common practice. There are approximately equal numbers of supporters and opponents of such a scheme in the UK today, which is why such schools are still popular. The motives of the adherents of separate education are by no means sanctimonious. On the contrary, they believe that children should be separated into different buildings (and schools), taking into account the following reasons: girls develop intellectually faster than boys – there is no need to interfere with those in the same class who are ahead and behind. Boys and girls have different criteria for success – there is no need to pit them against each other «Women’s» and «men’s» responsibilities are leveled out – both boys and girls in their teams learn to do «non-female» and «non-male» work, become more independent and organized.

If the primary school pays great attention to community, then the secondary school relies on education and upbringing, and the concept of «education» includes not only learning, but also rhetoric skills, working with text and information, the ability to speak in front of an audience, and an understanding of art as classical, and modern. Raising an English gentleman or young lady is the prerogative of the most elite schools, but the ability to behave in society is also monitored in simpler schools. It’s interesting how all these principles correlate with reality: it’s no secret that English teenagers are considered almost the most cocky and hooligan in Europe. At the same time, they are all trained in good manners and at the right moment they very quickly «activate» their knowledge.

The A-Level certificate or its international analogue IB (International Baccalaureate) is still a secondary school, but it is already direct preparation for entering a university. It lasts for another two years. At this stage, students again choose the subjects they will need when entering university. The school has a department that helps you decide on a career (careers department). Each student is assigned a personal mentor with whom they can discuss their prospects, and he also helps them choose a university. The free choice of subjects and the school’s interest in the success of its students almost eliminates absenteeism – it becomes completely useless, because you yourself decided what you need to study. Lessons are built on constant discussion, discussion and searching for answers. This approach to education makes England one of the world’s leading leaders in education and develops children’s talents in line with their interests.

Children in China start school at the age of 6—7 years. Education at the school is divided into three levels: primary school (the period of study lasts 6 years), secondary school (children also study here for 6 years) and high school (training lasts 3 years). The first nine years of school are free, parents pay for high school, but gifted children can receive a scholarship. It is very rare that a Chinese school combines all three levels at once; most often these are three different schools with different names. The territory of Chinese schools is huge, consists of a complex of buildings and is a mini-town. This allows it to accommodate about 4 thousand students, and in one class the number of students sometimes reaches 90 people. Thus, it is very difficult to convey information to all students, an individual approach is lost, basically all tasks are completed by the choir.

The flag of the People’s Republic of China is installed on the territory of each school, and every Monday children line up and participate in the flag-raising ceremony to the sounds of the national anthem, and so that all students really participate, the youngest are placed on stools. Every day they determine who will be responsible for raising the flag. Thus, they develop a sense of patriotism in children. Already in elementary school, students sincerely begin to love the party for its past and present merits and even know some ideological texts by heart.

School classes begin at 7—8 am and last until 4.30 am, so children spend about 9 hours at school. From 11.30 to 14.00 children rest, have lunch and sleep. It is believed that with such a load, sleep is very useful. The day is structured in such a way that more complex subjects come first, and after sleep, children study easier disciplines. School holidays take place twice a year: in summer and winter, but even during the holidays students do not rest; their parents take them to different clubs or send them abroad to improve their language skills.

Discipline in Chinese schools is no less strict. Respect for teachers and elders begins to be instilled in children from the first grade. Students greet and say goodbye to the teacher while standing. Students perform all actions only with the permission of the teacher; they cannot go to the toilet during a lesson, and if a student is not interested in the lesson, usually no one pays attention to it. In some schools, teachers may still hit children on the wrist for playing or talking in class, so the classroom is usually quiet. Among other things, a student who misses more than 12 lessons will be expelled. Such discipline helps schoolchildren in the future at work. Working in Chinese companies presupposes a strict hierarchy: the main thing is to keep a low profile and unquestioningly obey your elders (and those who are older in the company are most often also senior in rank), and thanks to the principles instilled in them from school, the Chinese do this brilliantly.

Chinese children have a special school uniform – they go to class in the same tracksuits, regardless of whether there is a physical education lesson that day.

Much attention is paid to Chinese language and mathematics in primary schools. This is no coincidence; it is believed that the Chinese language helps to develop a mathematical mindset, and mathematics, in turn, develops logic. Also in elementary school they study natural science, physical education, music, history, geography, fine arts, and in some schools they also add such a subject as ethics and morality (the works of Confucius begin to be read to children in kindergarten). Children are required to attend seminars where issues of political information are covered. During the lessons, children are introduced to Russian writers of the Soviet period, and they also read a lot about Lenin.