Read Text 2.
Read and memorize the following words.
Suggest some possible types of homework.
Look at the heading of Text 2 and try to guess what it is about.
Subjects
Study the table and answer the questions.
You can normally do/study these subjects at university but not always at school:
Medicine | Law | Philosophy | Engineering |
Psychology | Sociology | Architecture | Politics |
Business studies | Agriculture | History of Art |
– Which subjects do the students do at University?
– Which subjects do the pupils do at school?
– Which subjects do you think are the most important to study at school\university?
4. Here are some school subjects but the letters are mixed up. What are the subjects?
Example: MGREAN – German.
1. TAHMS
2. IRTHOSY
3. CNECSEI
4. NISGEHL
5. HOGTCEYNLO
6. EHGORAGPY
7. RAT
8. SIMCU
9. EHNFCR
10.NEOCCIOSM
waste марнування
survey обстеження, інспектування
to conclude дійти висновку
to perform well добре встигати
amount кількість
issue спірне питання
to prove довести
assignment завдання
rote механічне запам’ятовування
concept поняття
value цінність
grade оцінка
to encourage заохочувати
score кількість набраних очок
to emphasize надавати особливого значення
to research досліджувати
proof доказ
resource можливість; засіб
to share a room жити в одній кімнаті
chore робота по дому
inequality нерівність
to fly in the face суперечити
opportunity можливість
low achiever невстигаючий учень
sick note лікарняний
strict punishment суворе покарання
library facilities можливості бібліотек
to skip lessons пропускати заняття
Text 2. HOMEWORK: IS IT GOOD FOR YOU?
Do You Like Homework? Did It Help You in School?
Is Homework a Waste of Time?
In the middle of the 1980s, a commission conducted a survey of American education and concluded that pupils were ‘at risk’: they were not getting a good education and not performing well in school. One easy way to improve was to increase the amount of homework.
But now, some educators think homework has gone too far. Even six-year-old pupils get homework. In some schools in California, primary school pupils do an average of two hours a week. Educators disagree on homework. There are two main issues they disagree on. The first issue is whether or not homework actually improves your studies. The second issue is whether or not homework is fair.
Does Homework Help?
There are a lot of different types of homework. Some teachers give assignments that are ‘rote’ assignments. You repeat an idea, word or concept over and over again. This might mean writing ten sentences using the verb to be or doing ten math calculations using the same formula. Critics of homework say that this work has no real learning value. Other kinds of homework include reading, writing papers or studying for tests.
Some of these types of homework assignments may indeed help you get a better grade or get a better test score. That would mean your academic achievement is higher. But are you really learning more? Some educators encourage homework that is more creative and emphasizes understanding. If you are studying Japan, for example, you might be asked to create a costumed doll or do a report on Buddhism or research food in Japan.
Is Homework Fair?
Etta Briggs from a college in California says there is no proof that homework makes you do better in school. She believes that homework is unfair.
Why? Some children have well-educated parents and lots of books and resources, including a computer, at home. They have their own room and a quiet place to study. Other children have poorly-educated parents. They have to share a room with a sister or a brother. They have no place to study, and no resources at home. They may even have a job. Etta Briggs thinks homework increases social inequality and flies in the face of the American ideal of equal educational opportunity.
Some students say that homework is good because it means they spend time with their parents. Some educators found that students who were low achievers and did very little homework had less educated parents.
Etta Briggs and other educators believe that the pupils should have time for independent work, like doing exercises, researching, writing papers and studying for exams, during the school day. What do you think?