3.4. Факультет педагогики и методики начального образования

Schools in Britain

About 9 million children between the ages of 5 and 16 attend Britain’s 30,500 state schools. Education is free in all of them. Some 600,000 pupils go to 2,500 private schools, often called “independent sector” where the parents have to pay for their children.

Boys and girls are taught together in most primary schools. More than 80 per cent of pupils in state secondary schools in England and Wales and over 60 per cent in Northern Ireland attend mixed schools. In Scotland nearly all schools are mixed. Most independent schools for younger children are also mixed while the majority of private secondary schools are single-sex.

State schools are almost all day schools holding classes from Mondays to Fridays. The school year in England and Wales normally begins in early September and continues into the following July. In Scotland it runs generally from mid-August to the end of June. The year is divided into three terms of around 13 weeks each.

Regulations in England and Wales require all state schools to send to parents a written annual report on their child’s progress. The report must contain: details about the child's progress in subjects studied; details of the results of National Curriculum assessments and of public examinations taken by the child; comparative information about the results of other pupils of the same age in school.

1. Choose the paragraph (1, 2, 3, 4) dealing with the following information.

1. Parents have to pay money for their children’s studies at independent schools.

2. Parents can compare their child's results with other children’s progress.

2. Answer the question: What types of schools are most numerous in the United Kingdom?

1. Mixed schools both state and independent ones.

2. Independent schools taking fees for educating children.

3. Primary Schools teaching children from 5 to 11.

4. Secondary schools taking children after 11.

3. Choose the adequate summary of the text.

1. The text is devoted to the academic year in mixed schools in the UK.

2. The text deals with school regulations in the UK, types of schools and the academic year.

3. The text throws light upon parents’ rights and their participating in school activities.

4. The text describes mixed, private and independent schools.

3.5. Факультет педагогики и психологии детства

3.5.1. Intelligence

What makes one person more intelligent than another? What makes one person а genius, like the brilliant Albert Einstein, and another person а fool? Are people born intelligent or stupid, or is intelligence the result of where and how you live? These are very old questions and the answers to them are still not clear.

We know, however, that just being born with а good mind is not enough. In some ways, the mind is like а leg or an arm muscle. It needs exercise. Mental exercise is particularly important for young children. Many child psychologists think that parents should play with their children more often and give them problems to think about. The children are then more likely to grow up bright and intelligent. If, on the other hand, children are left alone а great deal with nothing to do, they are more likely to become dull and unintelligent.

Parents should also be careful what they say to young children. According to some psychologists, if parents are always telling а child that he or she is а fool or an idiot, then child is more likely to keep doing silly and foolish things. So it is probably better for parents to say very positive things to their children, such as “That was а very clever thing you did” or “You are such а smart child”.

1. Find the paragraph with the answers to the following questions.

1. Should parents praise their children from the point of view of some psychologists?

2. Are people born intelligent or stupid?

3. Should parents help their children solve problems?

4. Do people become intelligent with the help of good parents and teachers?

2. Change the underlined words to make the sentences true.

1. Einstein was an unintelligent person.

2. The more you rest your mind, the more intelligent you should become.

3. Parents should never play with their children.

4. Children who are often left alone are more likely to be bright

5. It is bad for parents to tell children that they are clever.

6. Parents should say very negative things to their children.

3. Match the right and the left columns.

1. Mental exercise is important a) not enough.

2. Parents should give children b) for young children.

3. To be born with а good mind is c) problems to think about.

3.5.2. Speech-Language Therapy

A speech disorder refers to a problem with the actual production of sounds, whereas a language disorder refers to a difficulty in understanding or putting words together to communicate ideas. Speech disorders include articulation disorders, fluency disorders, voice disorders and feeding disorders. Language disorders can be either receptive or expressive.

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs), often informally known as speech therapists, are professionals educated in the study of human communication, its development, and its disorders. They hold at least a master’s degree and state certification/licensure in the field. SLPs assess the problems and find the best way to treat them.

In speech-language therapy, an SLP will work with a child one-on-one, in a small group, or directly in a classroom to overcome difficulties involved with a specific disorder. Therapists use a variety of strategies, including language intervention activities, articulation therapy, oral-motor/feeding and swallowing therapy.

Speech-language experts agree that parental involvement is crucial to the success of a child’s progress in speech or language therapy. Parents are an extremely important part of their child’s therapy program and help determine whether it is a success. Kids who complete the program quickest and with the longest-lasting results are those whose parents have been involved. The process of overcoming a speech or language disorder can take some time and effort, so it’s important that all family members be patient and understanding with the child.

1. Match the titles with the paragraphs (1-4).

1. Remediation (Correction)

2. Speech Disorders and Language Disorders

3. Helping Your Child

4. Specialists in Speech-Language Therapy

2) Find the words in the text that mean:

1. the act or process of speaking or expressing in words (paragraph 1)

2. to evaluate or estimate the nature, ability, or importance of smth (par. 2 )

3. to allow food or drink to pass down the throat (par.3)

4. to have or include (something) as a necessary or integral part (par. 4)

3. True, false or no information?

1. Speech disorders occur when a person is unable to produce speech sounds correctly or fluently, or has problems with their voice or resonance.

2. Language disorders occur when a person has trouble understanding others (receptive language), or sharing thoughts, ideas, and feelings (expressive language).