8.Çàíÿòèå Ñåìèíàð

AMERICAN SCHOOLING.

The American system of Education differs from the systems of other countries. It has certain peculiarities of its own which are closely connected with the specific conditions of life in the New World and the history of the American society. There are free, state-supported, public schools which the majority of American children attend. There are also a number of private elementary and secondary schools where a fee is charged for admission and children are accepted or rejected on the basis of an examination. These include many church- supported schools, usually Catholic, which also charge a fee. Most public schools are coeducational, that is, girls and boys study together, but a lot of church-supported schools are for boys and girls only. Under the US Constitution the federal government has no power to make laws in the field of education. Thus, education remains primarily a function of the states. Each state has a Board of Education, not subject to federal control. State laws determine the age of compulsory education, the length of the school year, the way in which teachers shall be certified and many of the courses which must be taught. With so much local control there is some degree of uniformity of education provided in different parts of the USA, because state and national accrediting agencies insist that the certain standards be maintained and certain things be taught.

Education is compulsory for every child from the age of 6 up to the age of 16 except in Maine, New Mexico, North Dakota and Pennsylvania where it is compulsory to the age of 17 and in Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma and Utah where children must go to school until the age of 18. Elementary (primary) and secondary (high) schools are organized on one of two bases: eight years of elementary school and four years of secondary school, or six years of elementary, three years of junior high school and three years of senior high school. Elementary school children in the US learn much the same things as do children of the same age in other countries. The program of studies includes English (reading, writing, spelling, grammar, composition), arithmetic (sometimes elementary algebra or plane geometry in upper grades), geography, history of the USA, and ele­mentary natural science. Physical training, music, drawing are also taught. Some schools teach a modern language, such as French, Spanish, or German.

The junior high school is a sort of halfway between elementary and secondary school. It continues some elementary school subjects, but it also introduces courses in mathematics and science, and usually gives students their first chance to study a foreign language. It usually comprises grades seven, eight and nine, although sometimes it is only grades seven and eight.

The high school prepares young people either for work immediate­ly after graduation or for more advanced study in a college or univer­sity. Although there are some technical, vocational and specialized high schools in the United States the typical high school is com­prehensive in nature. The subjects studied in elementary school are dealt with in greater detail and in more advanced form in high school. In addition one can specialize in home economics, chemistry and physics, music, humanities, automobile mechanics, etc. High school students study 4-5 major subjects a year and classes in each of them meet for an hour a day, five days a week.

The United States have the shortest school year in the world, an average of 180 days. An important part of high school life is what is called extracurri­cular activities. The student is free to join a chorus, band or school orchestra; enter the debating team, or participate in sports of all kinds as well as a variety of social activities.

The fundamental task the US faces today is the modernization of the entire school system. It is not only to provide more and better schools, but also to re-examine the contents of the education and to bring it into line with modern requirements.

 

Óïðàæíåíèÿ äëÿ êîíòðîëÿ

     I Answer the questions:

1.  What is the main division in the educational system of the USA?

2.   What schools do the majority of American children attend?

3.  Who controls public schools?

4.  Is there any uniformity in the organization and curricula of American schools?

5.  What is the compulsory school age in the majority of the states?

6.  How many grades are there in American elementary and secondary schools? 7. What subjects does the program of elementary school include?

7.  What does the high school prepare young people for?

8.  What programs of study may a high school student follow?

9.  What activities are sponsored by the school outside its academic program?

    

     II Complete the sentences according to the text’s contents:

1. The American system of Education differs from…

2. The majority of American children attend…

3. Education is compulsory for every child from the age of 6 up to 16 except in…

4. The high school prepares young people for…