Section 3. Spoken practice chapter 1. Higher education Unit 1. Aims and Types of Education: a New Vision

Task 1. Complete the following passages with appropriate words and expressions from the box below. You may need to change the form of some of the words.

correspondence course; literacy; numeracy; graduate school; pass;

elementary; acquire; day release; discipline; kindergarten; doctorate;

physical education; qualifications; higher degree; subject; opportunity

night class; secondary; elementary school graduate; skills; mature.

You are never too old to learn. Do you agree with this statement?

Education is a long process that not only provides us with basic (1) _______________ such as (2) _______________ and (3) _______________, but is also essential in shaping our future lives. From the moment we enter (4) _______________ as 5-year-olds, and as we progress through (5) _______________ and (6) _______________ education, we are laying the foundations for the life ahead of us. We must (7) _______________ ourselves to work hard so that we can (8) _______________ exams and gain the (9) _______________ we will need to secure a good job. We must also (10) _______________ valuable life skills so that we can fit in and work with those around us. And of course (11) _______________ helps us to develop our bodies and stay fit and healthy.

For most people, this process ends when they are in their mid-to-late teens and they (12 _______________ from high school. For others, however, it is the beginning of a lifetime of learning. After they finish school, many progress to (13) _______________ education where they will work towards a (14) _______________ in a chosen (15) _______________ at university. After that, they may work for a while before opting to study at a (16) _______________ for a Master’s degree, or a (17) _______________. Alternatively, they may choose to attend a (18) _______________ after work or, if they have a sympathetic employer, obtain (19) _______________ so that they can study during the week. And if they live a long way from a college or university, they might follow a (20) _______________ using mail and the Internet. In fact, it is largely due to the proliferation of computers that many people, who have not been near a school for many years, have started to study again and can proudly class themselves as (21) _______________ students.

We live in a fascinating and constantly changing world, and we must continually learn and acquire new knowledge if we are to adapt and keep up with changing events. Our schooldays are just the beginning of this process, and we should make the best of every (22) _______________ to develop ourselves, whether we are eighteen or eighty. You are, indeed, never too old to learn.

Task 2.а You will hear a radio debate on education. Tick the topics mentioned by the speakers in the table below.

Topics		Speaker
		Anne	Quentin	Phil
1	the aims of education
2	creativity and originality
3	the curriculum
4	discipline in schools
5	exams and qualifications
6	literacy

Task 2.b. Listen again and decide which of the topics above causes most concern to each speaker. Choose only one topic per speaker.

a) Anne............................................................................

b) Quentin........................................................................

c) Phil...............................................................................

Task 2.c. Listen again and complete sentences 1-5 with the correct answer (a–d).

1. Anne is currently

a) a secondary school teacher

b) a student

c) a lecturer

d) none of the above

2. Anne believes that the old concept of a well-educated person

a) encompassed personal qualities as well as knowledge

b) deserved to be changed because it was elitist

c) has been replaced by a better concept

d) led to people becoming over-educated

3. Quentin believes that the current education system

a) pleases examiners

b) tests intellect and knowledge

c) prepares young people for the challenges of the future

d) stunts creativity and original thinking

4. Phil believes that

a) literacy is more important than creativity

b) many creative people are unable to express themselves articulately

c) being well-educated encompasses creativity, originality and literacy

d) standards at universities are higher than they used to be

5. During the discussion

a) none of the speakers agree about anything

b) all of the speakers are in basic agreement

c) none of the speakers listens to the others' opinions

d) each speaker agrees with at least part of another speaker's argument

Task 3.a Read paragraphs 1-6 and match them with the types of education from the box.

liberal education cooperative education adult education	vocational education human resource development (HRD) special education
1.________________provides educational opportunities for disabled or gifted people. Most countries support education programs for people who are blind, deaf or hearing impaired, emotionally disturbed, physically disabled, or mentally retarded.
2._________________aims primarily at preparing individuals for a job. Universities and separate professional schools prepare students for careers in such fields as architecture, business, engineering, law, medicine, nursing, teaching, and theology. Community and junior colleges and specialized schools offer advanced professional and technical training.
3._____________________is usually referred to as training and helps employees learn precisely what to do in their jobs and how to work as part of a team, develop new skills and improve the quality of products and services. Specialists involved in teaching here are generally called trainers rather than teachers.
4._____________aims at broad mental development. It teaches a student to investigate all sides of a question and all possible solutions to a problem before reaching a conclusion or planning a course of action. The branches of learning that aid in this development are called the liberal arts. These branches include the humanities, mathematics, and the biological, physical, and social sciences.
5.________________is instruction for men and women who no longer go to school full time. It is also called continuing education or recurrent education. It includes classes, correspondence courses, discussion groups, lectures, reading programs, and other organized learning activities.
6._____________________is a method of education that combines classroom studies with practical work experience. Cooperative education programs typically involve formal written agreements between the school/college and employers. These agreements allow students to hold jobs, usually for pay, that are related to the students' fields of study or career goals.

Task 3.b Give the definitions of the following types of education.Which of the terms below are applicable to the higher education system?

a) liberal education	g) self-education	m) tertiary education
b) general education	h) in-service education	n) distance learning (online) education
c) further education	i) compulsory education
d) special education	j) free education	o) e-learning education
e) adult education	k) business education
f) cooperative education	l) continuing education