Fill in the blanks with a word in the box below:

We go to school to study and learn new things. I always went to state schools. My
parents 1______________ me at state schools because private ones were more
expensive. I was good 2______________ the humanities – history, literature,
Latin, Greek – and not that good at sciences – physics, chemistry, maths and so
3______________. Some of the other students said I was the English teacher’s
4______________, but I don’t think this was true. Only I 5______________ good
marks in this 6______________.

I loved the 7______________. The bell 8______________and we all dashed down

to the playground to play games there. I was really 9______________ on
basketball and I was in a team with other people.

Teachers used to take the roll every day and it was difficult to 10______________
a lesson.

Cheating? No, not really. I never cheated at school. I was afraid the teacher could
catch me. It would have been 11______________ embarrassing.
12______________, if my parents 13______________ found out, they would have
been mad at me.

Most of the teachers I had at school were nice and friendly and not too strict, but
there were some nasty 14______________ as well, 15______________ the
Geography and History teacher. I remember she 16______________ flunked me in
a final exam and I had to do a 17______________in September.

Apart from that I enjoyed school a lot. I made a lot of friends that I still keep in
touch 18______________.

Depending on 19______________ you do in your A levels, you can choose to go to

one university or another. Studying for a university degree is expensive
______________ tuition fees are really high.

At university you can usually take as many modules (subjects) 21______________

you want each term (semester). At the end of each term, you sit an exam, which
you either pass or fail.

keen pet retake how miss besides too

at on subject especially enrolled got with

rang as since break ones even had

 Learning Strategies

Learning strategies

Learning strategies or study skills determine the approach for achieving the learning
objectives. The strategies are usually tied to your needs and interests to enhance
learning and are based on many types of learning styles.

Here are some strategies that can help you be successful in your studies.

Set small, achievable goals

Start with small steps to reach higher targets.

1. For example, try to learn 5 new English vocabulary items every

day.
2. Set a 30 minutes study session every day.
3. Learn the lyrics of an English song every now and then.
4. Read a short English text every day.

Setting small targets is much better than setting huge goals that you cannot achieve.
Remember that "small drops of water make the mighty ocean"

Plan your studies

Planning your studies gives meaning to your work. If you know all the steps necessary to
achieve a goal and these steps are written down on a piece of paper, it will be easy for
you, then, to see the whole picture.

Be motivated

The secret to success is that you should be motivated to learn. Try to avoid boredom by
having fun in what you do. Try to find a positive aspect to studying English.

1. Read about what you are interested (hobbies, fields of interest...)

in English.
2. Watch your favourite films in English
3. Listen to your favourite English songs and learn the lyrics.
4. Write your diary in English.
5. Read about your favorite stars in English websites...

Remember, we learn better and fast things we really want to learn.

Manage your time

In order to manage your time successfully, having an awareness of what your goals are
will assist you in prioritizing your activities. Time management provides you with the
opportunity to create a schedule that works for you, not for others. This personal
attention gives you the flexibility to include the things that are most important to you.

Set a reward for yourself

Set a reward for yourself that you can look forward. For example, when you reach a goal,
give yourself a reward:

1. Watch a movie.
2. A delicious snack.
3. Meet your friends.
4. Go to the café.

Related links

Study skills
Tips for new school year start
How to prepare for exams?
Stress, health and your exam preparation
Baccalaureate preparation
Studying in the USA
 Reading Comprehension - Education

Develop your reading skills. Read the following text and do the
comprehension questions

Education

Education encompasses both the teaching and

learning of knowledge, proper conduct, and
technical competency. It thus focuses on the
cultivation of skills, trades or professions, as well
as mental, moral & aesthetic development.

Formal education consists of systematic

instruction, teaching and training by professional
teachers. This consists of the application of
pedagogy and the development of curricula.

The right to education is a fundamental human right. Since 1952, Article 2 of the first
Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights obliges all signatory parties to
guarantee the right to education. At world level, the United Nations' International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of 1966 guarantees this right under its
Article 13.

Educational systems are established to provide education and training, often for children
and the young. A curriculum defines what students should know, understand and be able
to do as the result of education. A teaching profession delivers teaching which enables
learning, and a system of policies, regulations, examinations, structures and funding
enables teachers to teach to the best of their abilities. Sometimes educational systems
can be used to promote doctrines or ideals as well as knowledge, which is known
as social engineering. This can lead to political abuse of the system, particularly in
totalitarian states and government.

Primary (or elementary) education consists of the first years of formal, structured
education. In general, primary education consists of six or seven years of schooling
starting at the age of 5 or 6, although this varies between, and sometimes within,
countries. Globally, around 70% of primary-age children are enrolled in primary
education, and this proportion is rising.
In most contemporary educational systems of the world, secondary education consists of
the second years of formal education that occur during adolescence.It is characterized by
transition from the typically compulsory, comprehensive primary education for minors, to
the optional, selective tertiary, "post-secondary", or "higher" education (e.g., university,
vocational school) for adults.

Higher education, also called tertiary, third stage, or post secondary education, is the
non-compulsory educational level that follows the completion of a school providing a
secondary education, such as a high school or secondary school. Tertiary education is
normally taken to include undergraduate and postgraduate education, as well as
vocational education and training. Colleges and universities are the main institutions that
provide tertiary education. Collectively, these are sometimes known as tertiary
institutions. Tertiary education generally results in the receipt of certificates, diplomas,
or academic degrees.

Comprehension:

1. a definition of education includes:

a. the process of teaching,
b. the process of teaching and learning
2. Everywhere in the world children go to primary schools:
a. at the same age
b. the age may differ.
3. tertiary education refers to:
a. primary education,
b. secondary education,
c. post secondary education.
4. Tertiary education is:
a. optional.
b. compulsory

Check Answ ers Show Answ ers

Study skills
Tips for new school year start
Vocabulary related to education
Vocabulary related to school
Reading on education
Exercise on the vocabulary related to education.
 1217 Learn Types Part 1
Julia talks about various types of learners and shares what type of learner she
it.
 Transcript

 Audio Slideshow
 Vocabulary

Audio Script ( + / - )

Julia Todd
Audio File
Free MP3
Todd: So, Julia, we're both teachers.

Julia: That's right.

Todd: And are you familier with the different learner types?

Julia: A little bit, yes, I encounter different kinds of learners in my classrooms.

Todd: OK, so for example, what kind of learner are you?

Julia: I think possibly more than one, maybe overlap on a couple,

but primarily a visual learner so I'd have to take it in through my eyes usually
like with a picture. I certainly have to see a word if I'm learning a language. I
have to see it written down.

Todd: So you need a phonetic script? You need something?

Julia: I need something visual.

Todd: Yeah for it to stick in your head?

Julia: For it to stay in my mind, it has to have a visual. I can't just hear it for
example. I can't just hear a word and remember it. I have to have some sort of
visual to connect it to.

Todd: OK, so you're a visual learner, anything else?

Julia: I think it's called a visual learner. I don't know the technical term for it but
an emotional learner if a...

Todd: Really?

Julia: Yeah. If a piece of information or the thing that I'm learning is attached to
an emotional experience, I store it very definitively. I can remember it. I
can recall it. If it's just a neutral, say a sentence, I can't remember it. It has to
have a back story. It has to have an emotional connection somehow.

Todd: Right. It has to have some connection?

Julia: Yes, yeah. Usually a personal story especially humor. If there's a joke
involved, if it made me laugh at the time of learning it. I'm a laughter learner, I
don't know if that's a real one but definitely an emotional response makes it
much more easy for me to learn something.
 1218 Learn Types Part 2
Julia and Todd continue talking about learner types and Todd guesses the type
of learn he is.
 Transcript

 Audio Slideshow
 Vocabulary

Audio Script ( + / - )

Julia Todd
Audio File
Free MP3
Julia: And how about you? What kind of learner are you?

Todd: Well I guess I'm maybe kinesthetic, that's movement, right, or doing things with your
hands.

Julia: Yeah, I think so or even your whole body?

Todd: I don't know. Is kinesthetic using your hands or is it your whole body? Or does it matter?

Julia: I'm not sure it matters. Perhaps there's two different types. I know there's something
called TPR when we teach English, total physical response.

Todd: Right. So that would be kinesthetic?

Julia: That's maybe kinesthetic, that's where you give an instruction and the student performs
the task and they use the whole body in that case but it can just be your hands or a body part. I
think it's both.
Todd: Yes, I think so, yeah. Yes, I mean, so basically if I do it like if I somehow have to make it
or if I'm moving, I definitely think I learn better. You know, I learned how to do everything for
web design and stuff like that by I think just moving the mouse, click here, click there, type here,
type there, whereas like reading it from a book I just, you know, I couldn't learn it that way. So
maybe, maybe, I'm kind of that way. The same with cooking, you know, like I have to do it. If I
don't do it I'm not going to remember it. I just can't read a recipe and cook. So I think maybe the
other thing I would be, would be, I guess would be an aural learner orauditory learner. So
basically through hearing.

Julia: My husband's the same, yeah.

Todd: Yeah.

Julia: He can hear a sentence, hear a new word, and remember it just from his ears.

Todd: Really?

Julia: Yeah.

Todd: That's good.

Julia: That's very good, yeah.

Todd: Like I love podcasts and I love hearing things, that's probably why I have this website. I
don't like reading too much. I do read and I actually don't even like watching TV very much. I
don't like watching movies very much.

Julia: Really?

Todd: No. I would actually much rather listen to a radio program, a good podcast, than watch a
movie.

Julia: You see when I listen to a podcast...

Todd: While I'm walking.

Julia: There you go, definitely kinesthetic. If I listen to a podcast, I get a little bit frustrated that I
can't see the people speaking.

Todd: Really?

Julia: It frustrates me a little bit that I can't see the faces when they're talking, when I don't know
what they look like.

Todd: Oh, I never even thought of that. Yeah, I just don't even care.

Julia: I need to, I need visual input in order for it to, I don't know, go into that part of my brain
where it stays, where it storesmaybe.

Todd: So we're definitely two different types of learners?

Julia: Absolutely, yes.

 932 Class Rules
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Marion talks about how she keeps her class in order.
 Transcript

 Audio Slide Show

 Vocabulary

Audio Script ( + / - )

Marion Todd
Audio File MP3 Link
Todd: So, Marion, how are your classes?

Marion: My classes are quite good at the moment. I'm enjoying them. I work in
a junior high school and high school together, so my students range
from twelve years old right up to eighteen.

Todd: What do you teach your students?

Marion: It teach them English.

Todd: Really.

Marion: Yeah, so communication basically.

Todd: OK, so are they good students? You got nice kids?

Marion: I have a mixuture so, but mainly they're quite good children. They're
mostly very nice, but there are always going to be a few who are a bit naughty.

Todd: So what do the naughty students do to be naughty?

Marion: Well, in my class naughty students don't pay attention when I speak
sometimes, or they talk to their friend next to them when they should be
listening or writing or doing something else. I don't mind if they talk to each
other about what we're doing but if they are talking about what was on TV last
night so something like that I don't like it, unless they do it in English. If they can
that's fine.

Todd: Well, what do you do if your students are bad, are naughty? How do
you discipline them?

Marion: I hit them....No, I don't.

Todd: You do not.

Marion: I'm joking, I'm joking. Well, I have quite small classes, so it's quite
easy. I'll just either call their name or walk down to their seat and if everybody is
working on something, I'll talk to them about their work and see what they're
doing, if they have any problems, that kind of thing and then if it gets worse,
then sometimes they have to stand up, or if they are really, really naughty, and
don't do any work, they'll have to come back and see me after school, and finish
their work, then.

Todd: So are you a strict teacher or a friendly teacher?

Marion: I'm more of a friendly teacher, but with a couple of classes, I've
become a strict teacher because I have to be, but mostly a friendly teacher I
think.

Todd: Who are easier to teach, the junior high students or the high school
students?

Marion: Probably the junior high because their more enthusiastic about English.
They get quite excited about coming to our classes, and like I said they are
small classes so it's easier and better for them to because they have more
chance to speak and to use English.
 at the moment • range from • basically
naughty • discipline

1. Temperatures -15 degrees to 40 degrees Celsius.

2. I'm not interested in buying a new car , but I will be in the next
few months.
3. The boy had to go to his room because he was being .
4. What methods do you use to your children?
5. I am in the car all day.

encounter • primarily • visual

phonetic • recall

1. Can you write that down for me? I'm more of a learner.
2. This class focuses on speaking.
3. I know what street she lives on, but I don't the house number.
4. It's hard to know exactly what you will on camping trips.
5. Most of the students here like it when you use symbols when
you teach new vocabulary.

kinesthetic • whereas • auditory

input • stored

1. You will have some students who really like using the book,
others will hate it.
2. When teaching children, it helps to use activities.
3. You must include activities for both and visual learners.
4. I have all my photographs on this external disc.
5. A visual will help get people interested.
How To Become A Teacher

Becoming a teacher is a rewarding career. Watch this video on what courses you should take in order to

become a teacher.

My name is Martin Meenath from City Tutors Limited, and I am a non-practicing barrister, a lector and a

tutor. There are many reasons to become a teacher, not just the hours, the pay, the pension and the

holidays. The rewarding nature of the job is something that attracted great many people.

Teaching is divided into four key stages which correspond roughly to the ages of a child's development,

between the compulsory school ages of 3 and 18. Each teacher in England of Wales is qualified in at least

two of these key stages. If you want to be a primary school teacher, you'll have to have a degree in

primary education or in another subject plus a post-graduate stiff of education.

You'll be teaching children between the ages of 3 and 11 which correspond to the first two key stages and

you'll be expected to teach the entire national curriculum for children. There won't be a special subject. If

you want to teach children above the age of 11, you'll be specialized in at least two subjects and you'll

have either a teaching degree or a degree in your own particular subject and a post-graduate stiff of

education.

After you get your PGCE, you are required to do professional training in a school, after which, you'll gain

qualified teacher status. You'll be functioning more or less as a teacher in that situation, but you'll have

someone supervising you and if you've heard rumors about going to tough schools, you can discount

them. You go to schools in your local area that meet with your needs and meet the educational authorities'

needs.

Teaching is a fast-changing profession, and with the introduction of free schools and with a greater

interplay between private and public schools, we're going to see quite a lot of development and changes

and we're also going to see teaching

 Conversation Questions
School
 1. Did you go to a public school or a private one?
o What are the advantages of each type of school?
 2. Did most of your teachers take attendance?
 3. Did you ever skip class?
 4. Did you have any evening classes?
 5. Do you still keep in touch with your best friend in elementary school?
 6. Were you ever late for class?
o If so, why?
o Did the teacher get angry?
 7. Have you ever failed a class / a subject?
 8. How did you get to school?
 9. How much homework did you do every day?
 10. Was your school strict?
 11. What classes did you not like? Why?
 12. What did you like best about your school?
 13. What did you like the least about your school?
 14. What is your best memory from school?
o What's your worst memory?
 15. What school did you graduate from?
 16. What were some of the rules you had to follow at your high school?
o Which rules did you think were unfair?
o Did you ever get caught breaking any school rules?
 17. Which subjects were you good at? (What were your strong subjects?)
 18. Which subjects were you poor at? (Which subjects were difficult for you?)
 19. What are the major characteristics you think a teacher should have?
 20. Do you think children feel pressure to wear expensive, designer clothes to
school?
 21. Who did you like to sit with in your classroom?
 22. Do you like to be taught by a female or male teacher?
 23. Which subjects do you think are not useful or needed anymore?
 24. Are boys and girls treated differently by teachers in coeducational schools If so,
how?
 25. Do you think girls / boys work together much better if there are no boys /
girls around? Agree or disagree?
THINGS YOU CAN SAY ABOUT SCHOOL

What was the school and the classes like?

I went to a private / public school in …

The classes were small. There were only 15 students in each class, so it was
easy to learn.

The classes were huge – 40 or so students, so it was always noisy and it was
difficult to learn.

What subjects were you good / bad at?

I was really good at sport, so I loved PE.

I wasn’t good at maths. I hated them.

I remember I always passed my exams. I never failed a subject.

What are your best memories of school? And your worst?

When I was at school, I wanted to be a …. when I grew up.

I used to play with my mates on the playground during the break. I loved that.

My best / worst memory was when ....

The only thing I didn’t like was (when I had to do) the homework.

My worst memory was when...

Rules and discipline

We had to study hard for exams / do a lot of homework / wear a uniform / be

quiet in class.

We weren’t allowed to smoke / to talk to our classmates during classes.

If I skipped a lesson, my parents got really angry with me and I got grounded
without TV or money for a week.
What were the teachers like?

The teachers were strict and made us work hard.

Some of the teachers were really nice and friendly and I enjoyed their classes a
lot.

What were your classmates like?

They were mostly nice and friendly and I used to get on well with most of them.
But some were really nasty and tried to make fun of me and it was tough.

I used to sit next to a girl / boy that ...