School education in Great Britain, Russia and the United States Муниципальное образовательное учреждение средняя общеобразовательная школа №5 School education in Great Britain, Russia and the United States Автор : ученица 8 Б класса Антонова Кристина Научный руководитель: Учитель английского языка Симинисова Анастасия Владимировна Город Гусев 2014
Introduction I consider that a good education is a key to success. A school is the first step on the education-way because it prepares pupils for their future life, helps them to choose their careers. It gives the opportunity to develop pupils’ talents, gain practical knowledge and skills. I study well at school and my dream is to speak English fluently and accurately. But to know the language well means to know the culture of this country, traditions and such main aspects as political system, the system of education and economy. Thus, I understood the necessity to learn more about it. Fortunately, my teacher suggested me to compare school education in Great Britain, Russia and the United States to do a research work.
The problem of the research: Is it important to know the system of school education of your own country and English-speaking ones? The hypothesis is that school education in Great Britain, Russia and the United States (US) has common and distinctive features. The object of the research is school education in Great Britain, Russia and the US. The subject of research is common and distinctive features of school education in Great Britain, Russia and the United States.
2. To compare school education in Great Britain, Russia and the US. The aim of the work is to study and analyze the literature on the problem to prove or disapprove the hypothesis. Learning objectives: 1. To find the information on the problem in books and in the Internet. 2. To compare school education in Great Britain, Russia and the US. 3. To represent the results with the help of charts.
Education in Great Britain In Britain the school year begins in September. Children go to school 5 days a week. In Great Britain there are different types of secondary schools. Most of them are state schools. In some British schools uniforms are worn by all the pupils, in others children can wear what they want to. Private (or public) schools in England and Wales are very expensive. The education in public schools is of high quality, the discipline is very strict. The public schools accept pupils at about 12 or 13 years of age on the basis of a strict selection. Education is compulsory from 5-16 years. Primary education is given to children between 5 and 11 years of age. It is subdivided into an infant school for children aged 5 to 7 and a junior school for children aged 7 to 11. At junior stage of schooling pupils were often placed in A, B, C and D streams according to their abilities. Till recently most junior school children had to seat for the eleven-plus examination. It usually consisted of an arithmetic paper and an intelligent test.
Secondary education includes the children from 11 years of age to 16 Secondary education includes the children from 11 years of age to 16. Until recently there were three main types of secondary schools: grammar, technical and modern schools. (see Appendix 1). Children study different subjects there: English, Maths, Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics), Geography, History, Art, English Literature, Music, Physical Education and foreign languages. Pupils take tests at the age of 7, 11 and 13. At the age of 16 pupils take the General Certificate of Secondary Education examination (GCSE) and they can leave school if they wish. This is the end of compulsory education. Some 16-year-olds continue their studies in the sixth form at school or at a sixth form college. It prepares them for national exams called “A” levels (Advanced Levels) at 18.
Appendix 1 Education in GB secondary education (for 11-16 years old) form 1-5 primary education (for 5-11 years old) Infant School for children aged from 5 to 7. Pupils learn the beginning of reading, writing, counting. They also draw, sing, dance, play games. Junior School for children aged from 7 to 11. Pupils sit at desks and follow a regular timetable. Also pupils read and write compositions about their daily life. Comprehensive Schools It combines all types of academic and technical education. Grammar Schools It is a type of secondary school which provides academic education.
Sometimes British teachers deal with the students, who are not ideal Sometimes British teachers deal with the students, who are not ideal. Here some punishments used in British schools. · Lines - When a teacher gives you "lines", you write out some sentence again and again, perhaps fifty or one hundred times. · Detention — If you are in detention, you stay after school to do extra work — perhaps "lines" or clean the classroom. · Report - If you are "on report", you have a card which you give to the teacher at the end of every lesson. Each teacher reports if you have behaved well or badly. · Suspension - If you are suspended, you cannot come to school for a few days or weeks. Your parents have to see the Head Teacher. This is serious. · Exclusion — If you are excluded, you are sent away from your school. This is very serious. You have to go to another school where the teachers all know about your bad behaviour.
Education in Russia Education at schools is free. There are some private primary and secondary schools. In Russia there is a nine-year compulsory education, but to enter a university one has to study two years more. Primary and secondary schools together comprise eleven years of study. Compulsory education is for children from 6(7) to 15 years old(see Appendix 2). Pre-school consists of kindergartens and creches. Children there learn reading, writing and arithmetic. The main link in the system of education is the general school. The term of study in a general secondary school is 11 years and consists of primary, middle and upper stages. After the 9th form students have to pass exams. Also they have a choice between entering the 10th form of a general secondary school and enrolling in a specialized secondary or vocational schools.
Appendix 2 Education in Russia Pre-school education (nursery, kindergarten) Elementary school, lyceum, gymnasia) Primary education Secondary school, lyceum, gymnasia Secondary education University, institute, academy Higher education
Education in the USA The United States does not have a national school system. Each child is guaranteed up to eleven years of education. There are 2 types of schools - public, supported by the state, and private. The relations between students and teachers in state schools are democratic and friendly. In American public schools students wear whatever they want. They can choose the subjects they want to study. Some parents prefer homeschooling and educate their children themselves. Private schools are often controlled by churches or religious groups and that’s why religious subjects are included into the curriculum. These schools are fee-paying and enroll about 10 per cent of the nation’s schoolchildren. The US system of education is the following:(see Appendix 3).
Higher School (4 years of study) Appendix 3 Education in the USA Elementary School (for 6-12 years old) At the age of 6 children start elementary school and continue until they are 12. It usually includes the first six grades – from the 1st grade to the 6th grade. But sometimes elementary school includes the first four or eight grades. In general, pupils study English, the History of the USA, Elementary Mathematics and Natural Science. High School A high school is usually of two parts: Junior High School (for 12-15 years old, grades 7-9) Senior High School (for 15-18 years old, grades 10-12) Students of high school study many subjects and finally they receive a certificate of graduation. They also take part in a great number of outside classroom activities such as different kinds of sport, drama groups, orchestras and many others. Higher School (4 years of study) Those are universities and colleges of higher education.During the first 2 years each student majors in one subject and minors in another. After 4 years of study the students receive bachelor's degree. A degree is a title conferred upon students by a college or a university. It may be either a S.B. (Bachelor of Science) or A.B. (Bachelor of Arts). After receiving a bachelor's degree a student may have professional studies for 2 years more at graduation school. In this case he or she receives a master's degree.
Comparison of education in Great Britain, Russia and the United States Comparison of education in Great Britain, Russia and the United States. Distinctive and common features We have compared school education in Great Britain, Russia and the United States to find out common and distinctive features. The results of the research are the following: 1) There is National Curriculum in Great Britain and Russia. There is no National Curriculum in the USA, each state has its own system of schools. 2) Children start school at the age of 5 in Great Britain, at the age of 6 in the USA and at the age of 6(7) in Russia. 3)Education is compulsory from 5-16 years in Great Britain, from 6-16 years in the USA (but some states require from 6-18), from 6(7) -15 years in Russia. 4)We have compared the levels of education. The results are represented in the following chart (see Appendix 4).
Levels (parts) of education in comparison Appendix 3 Levels (parts) of education in comparison Great Britain Russia The USA Primary school (5-11) • Infant school (5-7) • Junior school (7-11) Secondary school (11-16) (The 6th form at school/the 6th form college) Primary school 6(7)- 10(11) Secondary school 10 (11)-15 (16) Secondary school (upper stage) 15(16) -17 (18) Elementary School (6-12) High School (12-18) • Junior High School(12-15) • Senior High School (15-18) Exams Great Britain Russia The USA Pupils take exams at the age of 7, 11 and 13 (SAT –Standard Assessment Test). At 16 pupils take a national exam called GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) At 18 pupils have chief examination leading to the General Certificate of Education Advanced level (GCE A-level). Pupils take exams at the end of the 9th and 11th forms. There are nonational exams, although some schools and states have their own exams.
5) We have compared the types of exams in Great Britain, Russia and the United States.The results are represented in the following chart (see Appendix 4). For example, at the end of the 5th year in Britain many students take a national examination, the GCSE. In American school at the end of high school, students graduate with a high school diploma if they complete their studies satisfactorily. The grades go from A (excellent) to F (fail).In Russia, children pass the exam at the end of the 9th and 11th forms. These exams are required for all students. Also pupils have different tests during the year. 6) There are state and private schools in Great Britain, Russia and the United States but they are attended by different percentage of the school population(see Appendix 5): In Great Britain: 95% - state, 5% - private (public). In the USA: 90 %- public, 10 % - private. In Russia: 99 % - state, 1 % - private. 7) We have compared school subjects in Great Britain, Russia and the United States. The results are represented in the following chart (see Appendix 4).
Appendix 4 There are state and private schools in Great Britain, Russia and the United States but they are attended by different percentage of the school population:
The school year begins in September and ends in May in Russia. 8) The beginning of the school year coincides in Great Britain, Russia and the United States, but the end of the school year in all three countries is different: The school year usually begins in September and continues through the first or second week of June in the USA. The school year begins in early September and continues into the following July in Great Britain. The school year begins in September and ends in May in Russia.
Conclusion We have analyzed the educational systems in Great Britain, Russia and the United States. The aim of education in all countries is to develop to the full the talents of children for their own benefit and that of society of the whole. It is an investment in the future. Education in all countries is free of charge. But, mostly, the educational systems in these countries have differences. Most of them were mentioned in the practical part. Thus, our hypothesis was proved. The school education in Great Britain, Russia and the USA has both common and distinctive features. Our work can help students to know more about school education in Great Britain, and the USA and the charts will help to remember it easier.
School subjects Appendix 6 Great Britain Russia The USA Russia The USA Primary school: Religious Education, Maths, Art,English,Reading, Writing, Physical Education, French. Primary school: Maths, Art, English, Reading, Russian, Physical Education, Religious Culture, Nature Study, Music, IT. Elementary school: Mathematics, English (Language arts: Reading, Grammar, Composition and Literature), Computer, Music, Art, Physical Culture and a foreign language. Secondary school: English, English Literature, Mathematics, Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics), Geography, History, Technology, Modern languages, etc. Secondary school:Russian, English/German Literature, Mathematics, Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics), Geography, History, Technology, Physical Education, Art, IT etc. High school: Mathematics, English, Social studies (History, Geography, Citizenship, Economics, Computer, Physical Culture, American history, Literature, etc.