SCHOOL AND EDUCATION

READING:

The British Education System

Read the text you´ll find in the following weblink : http://www.learnenglish.de/culture/educationculture.htm

and answer the following questions:

1.What are the  main differences between the Scottish exams and the rest of the exams in the UK?

2.What are the main differences between school holidays in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK?

3.What other term is it preferably used to call public schools in England? Why?

4.How was the term public school invented?

5. What do the following  public school terms stand for? Bad egg; bibbling; brushing; clipe;coxy; fag;muzz.

LISTENINGS:
College majors
College textbooks
Back to school supplies
School report
University Degree
pros and cons of wearing school uniform
Katie´s school day
Maryse´s typical schoolday
Caps and gown
US middle and high school
VOCABULARY EXERCISES
school supplies
things in the classroom
educational subjects
VIDEOS:
Shakira's Speech at Oxford Union
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yRm3GCZ2U4

Tips for International Students

Write some of the things International students should or shouldn´t do if they want to study in USA.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c66CzhERrGE&feature=related

Culture Shock - International Students 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQtzQn1Rvc8&NR=1

My life as an international student

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIuAcfKoX18&NR=1

Celebrities on YouTube to beat bullying

SONGS:
 A Song for Teachers - You Have Made A Difference

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwsKWiXlA78&feature=related

Pink Floyd - We Don't Need No Education 

(helicopter in background)
(beat)
When we grew up and went to school
There were certain teachers who would hurt the children any way they could
A boring ready region upon anything we did exposing every weakness how the kid did bye the kid (laughter)
Out in the middle of nowhere 
they were at home at night 
their fat and psychopathic wives would beat them, 
to within inches of their lives
(beat)
We don´t need no education
We don´ t need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the class room
Teachers leave those kids alone
(yells) Hey, teachers! Leave those kids alone!
All in all, it's just a
Nother brick in the wall
All in all, you're just a
Nother brick in the wall
(british kids)
We don´t need no education
We don´t need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the class room
Teachers leave those kids alone
(yells) Hey, teachers! Leave those kids alone!
All in all, it's just a
Nother brick in the wall
All in all, you're just a
Nother brick in the wall
(beat)
If u dont eat ur meat u kant have ne pudding
How kan u have any pudding if u dont eat ur meat
If u dont eat ur meat u kant have ne pudding
How kan u have any pudding if u dont eat ur meat
If u dont eat ur meat u kant have ne pudding
How kan u have any pudding if u dont eat ur meat
(kids screaming)
(beeping)

The Wombats School uniforms

Lyrics to School Uniforms :

It all started on the school bus,
You were 9 and I was 10,
Remember you had a Walkman,
All I had was a middle part and a pen

Oh sweet Louise,
Whatever happened to her?

Then is all went downhill,
You grew tall I stayed the same,
I guess that's just puberty,
Making us boys all play a losing game

Oh sweet Louise

I always found it hard to work things through,
Those school uniforms made a joke,
Made a joke of me and you,
I'm glad I'm not back in school

She got an older boyfriend (how could she?)
Had a beard,
Smoked Marlboro red,
How can I compete with that? (how can he?)
I don't even know the location of the bike sheds

Oh sweet Louise

I always found it hard to work things through,
Those school uniforms made a joke,
Made a joke of me and you,
I always found it hard to work things through,
Those school uniforms made a joke,
Made a joke of me and you

I remember short skirts,
Long hair,
My hormones flying everywhere

I always found it hard to work things through,
Those school uniforms made a joke,
Made a joke of me and you,
I always found it hard to work things through,
Those school uniforms made a joke,
Made a joke of me and you

I'm glad I'm not back in school

STEREOTYPES

AMERICAN STEREOTYPES

A hick is a term for an American stereotype. It is also used in Canada to a lesser degree. It is a term for people who live in rural areas, especially on farms and ranches. It is usually meant as an insult. One other form of the word 'hick' is 'redneck'.
Click on the following website Redneck and answer the following questions:
1) What is a redneck?
2) Find some other words for Redneck?
3) Where does this word come from?
4) What are the other uses or meanings for this word?

READ AND FIND MORE ABOUT AMERICAN STEREOTYPES
Stereotypes about Americans
Don't believe all of the stereotypes you may have heard about Americans. Even the ones that are true in general may not be true about specific individuals or a large segment of the population. For example, although Americans tend to be louder and more boisterous than people from other cultures (especially at athletic events), many of the people you meet will be quiet and polite. Some people may be intolerant and xenophobic, but most will be pleasant and welcoming. Remember that American films and television exaggerate in order to generate excitement, and so present a rather distorted picture of what life in the United States is really like. Likewise, tourists are not always on their best behavior.
Americans do tend to be more informal than people from other countries. It is common for Americans to wear casual clothing to school and to greet professors by first name. Nevertheless, good manners and politeness are always appropriate. If you are courteous and polite, and dress a little more formally than your American friends, it will only reflect well on you.
However, there are situations and environments in which formality is the norm. Some businesses require their employees to wear a uniform or a suit. It would be inappropriate to wear a T-shirt and blue jeans to a job interview. Some of the more prestigious restaurants require a coat and tie. Americans tend to dress up for cultural events (the opera, theater and ballet) and to dress down for athletic events. Formal wear is required at weddings and funerals, or any other event with religious overtones.
Rid yourself of any preconceived notions of American behavior before you arrive. If you rely on the stereotypes, you will likely put yourself into an awkward and embarrassing situation and offend your American acquaintances. Some of the more common stereotypes of American citizens include:

• Boastful and arrogant.
• Disrespectful of authority.
• Drunkard.
• Extravagant and wasteful.
• Generous.
• Ignorant of other countries and cultures.
• Informal.
• Insensitive.
• Lazy.
• Loud and obnoxious.
• Promiscuous.
• Racist.
• Rich and wealthy.
• Rude and immature.
• Snobbish.
• Stingy.
• Think they know everything.
• Thinks every country should imitate the US.
• Uninformed about politics.
• 7 American stereotypes

EUROPEAN STEREOTYPES

This cartoon is treating ironically some  European "qualities" ? What would be the "right" ones for each nationality?
clue- search for the opposite adjective e.g-for British:  bad at cooking; French:bad- tempered while driving.
DO THE SAME FOR THE BRITISH

MAPPING EUROPEAN STEREOTYPES

THE PERFECT EUROPEAN

VIDEOS AND LISTENINGS

Watch the video and write  a brief comment on it. 

BREAKING STEREOTYPES

What are the British like?

THE ENGLISH MAN

Italy and people

GLOSSARY

British and American Stereotypes

A true preppy is someone who: 
Wears, but is not limited to, Polo, Lilly, Brooks Brothers, Lacoste, LL Bean (ie duck boots), ribbon belts, prints (ie cords with embroidered whales, palm trees, etc), sweaters tied around the neck, collar always popped, looks neat and put together. Hair ribbons or ribbon headbands, pearls, and other classic jewelry pull the look together. Preppies are partial to monogrammed and engraved items (ie tote bags, oxford shirts, jewelry, money clips, etc). Colors are always brite (favorites include pink and lime green). Preppies may not always match EXACTLY but they are always coordinated. Hats are worn (ie polo player, Lacoste, Brooks Brothers), but they are unique- not designs you would see in the mainstream and the "mall". 
Preppies often attend prep schools (ie Middlesex School, Governor Dummer Academy, and Belmont Hill) followed by New England private colleges. 
They are confident and unafraid to express their own styles and be daring in their fashions. Preppies vacation on Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, Delray Beach, and on the coast of Maine. These vacation locales are places their families have been going to for years, and have histories there. 
It is a common misconception that preppies are snobs. Many people view them as unapproachable, and as a result mislabel them. Preppies are not as rich as people may think they are, but they are often well off. They buy into classics rather than trends, and don't change their lifestyles with fads. ...

The Stereotypical American in Europe

THE SIMPSONS in BRAZIL

AMERICAN ENGLISH VERSUS BRITISH ENGLISH

American English&British English
Quotations from famous authors
""We (the British and Americans) are two countries separated by a common language."
G.B. Shaw
George Bernard Shaw
The Americans are identical to the British in all respects except, of course, language."
Oscar Wilde
Giving English to an American is like giving sex to a child. He knows it's important but he doesn't know what to do with it."
Adam Cooper (19th century)
CURIOSITY
The Englishman commented to the American about the "curious" way in which he pronounced so many words, such as schedule (pronounced shedule). The American thought about it for a few moments, then replied, "Perhaps it's because we went to different shools!"
We find some differences between American and British English.

1) There are  some grammatical differences:

a) In American English the past simple is often used to give new information or to announce a recent happening (in this case the present perfect is mainly used:
   -I lost my key.Can you help me look for it?  (In standar English would be: I´ve lost my key.)

    The past simple is used with just,already and yet  :

     - I´m not hungry.I just had lunch.( In standar English : I´ve  just had lunch, It´s used the present perfect)
     - Did you do the ironing? I already did it.
     -I didn´t do the ironing yet.
b) In American English the forms I have, I don´t have,do you have? are more usual then the forms I´ve got,I haven´t got,have you got?
     -Do you have any money?

c) Americans say "on  a team" after a superlative instead of " of"
   He´s the best player on the team.

d) Americans say " on the weekend " or "on weekends" instead of at the weekend/weekends.

e) Americans use different than not different to

f) Americans say write someone without to:
    Don´t forget to write me.
g) Some verbs having double form for the past simple(e.g learned,learnt) are used mainly in the regular form( learned) in American English.

h) The past participle of get is gotten in American English.
   Your English has gotten much better since I last saw you.
i)AmE: It looks like it is broken
BrE: It looks as if it is broken / It looks like it is broken
j)AmE: Tuesday through Sunday (to also possible)
  BrE: Tuesday to Sunday

2) There are also some spelling differences for example:
 traveling, traveled,canceling,color,honor.

Words ending in -or (American) -our (British) color, colour, humor, humour, flavor, flavour etc.
Words ending in -ize (American) -ise (British) recognize, recognise, patronize, patronise etc.
AmE: Program BrE: Programme

3)There are many different accents in both British and American English. Someone from Boston sounds very different from someone from the immigrant Italian community of New York, and they both sound very different from a Texan farmer.

Generally, though, there are differences in vowel sounds, particularly the short vowels. British speakers often don't pronounce the R in words like "car" and "hard" but Americans nearly always do.

AmE: More nasal vowels than in BrE
BrE: The sound “o” is rounded short (dog)
AmE: Pronunciation of the sound made by a+consonant is pronounced /ae/
BrE: The pronunciation is different than in AmE for the sound of the vowel like in home, go, open.
AmE: “r” is pronounced no matter where it is positioned in the word.
BrE: “r” is pronounced only before a vowel sound.
AmE: The “t” and “d” are softer and lighter than in BrE.
BrE: The “u” sound (new, tune) is pronounced like /ju:/
BrE: The suffix –ile is pronounced with /aIl/
AmE: The suffix –ile is pronounced like /l/
AmE: Every syllable is pronounced in long words ending in –ary, -ery or –ory
AmE: The final vowel of a word borrowed to French is most of the time stressed
( here you are some interesting webpages to notice this contrast)

VOCABULARY
Sometimes, a given word may have a different meaning depending on the variety of English that is used.

AmE: Mad is a synonym of crazy
BrE: Mad is a synonym of angry

And often, a different word is used in both Englishes to refer to the same idea.

AmE: Candy
BrE: Sweets
AmE: Diaper
BrE: Nappy

Flat    AmE:Apartment
Lift    AmE:Escalator
Pop    AmE:Soda
Jumper    AmE:Sweater
Car parkAmE:Parking lot
Bonnet    AmE:Hood
Boot    AmE:Trunk
Pavement AmE:Sidewalk
Waistcoat AmE:Vest
Clothes peg AmE:Clothes pin
Vest: n undershirt. The item of clothing worn under your shirt. What Americans call a “vest,” Brits call a “waistcoat.”

CROSSWORDS PUZZLES
http://iteslj.org/cw/1/ck-brit1.html

Food and Cooking Terminology: British to American
http://www.uta.fi/FAST/US1/REF/foodx.html

English Usage in the UK and USA
http://www.krysstal.com/ukandusa.html
Selected Vocabulary Differences

Between British and American English
http://www.uta.fi/FAST/US1/REF/usgbdiff.html

AMERICAN-ENGLISH/ENGLISH-AMERICAN TRANSLATION GUIDE
http://www.ling.ed.ac.uk/~aaron/amlish.html
Comparing American English and British English
http://www.cftech.com/BrainBank/OTHERREFERENCE/GRAMMARANDPUNCTUATION/AmerEngBritEng.html
English (British) - American Dictionary
http://www.bg-map.com/us-uk.html

CARTOONS

 

In American English, the usual spelling of the word is "check"

Vet - In England, vets look after the health of our animals and pets. They are rarely seen loitering on street corners, begging for work or money. The first American who tolda British he was a vet heard all about his dog before he put him straight! Whoops! You call them veterinarians I believe.

An Eddy Izzard sketch which takes a humorous look at some of the differences between American and British English. 

"American vs. British English" the tongue match

 

UK vs US English

British are also NOT stupid - WITH SUBTITLES

The Resident / Why People Hate The USA

How to be English.How to "make" a cup of tea

Sting - Englishman In New York

"Englishman In New York"

I don't drink coffee I take tea my dear
I like my toast done on one side
And you can hear it in my accent when I talk
I'm an Englishman in New York

See me walking down Fifth Avenue
A walking cane here at my side
I take it everywhere I walk
I'm an Englishman in New York

I'm an alien I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
I'm an alien I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York

If, "Manners maketh man" as someone said
Then he's the hero of the day
It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
Be yourself no matter what they say

I'm an alien I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
I'm an alien I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York

Modesty, propriety can lead to notoriety
You could end up as the only one
Gentleness, sobriety are rare in this society
At night a candle's brighter than the sun

Takes more than combat gear to make a man
Takes more than a license for a gun
Confront your enemies, avoid them when you can
A gentleman will walk but never run

If, "Manners maketh man" as someone said
Then he's the hero of the day
It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
Be yourself no matter what they say

I'm an alien I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
I'm an alien I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York

USA VS ENGLAND

THE BRITISH AND AMERICAN EDUCATION SYSTEM

Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten.

B. F. Skinner (1904 - 1990), New Scientist, May 21, 1964

THE BRITISH AND AMERICAN EDUCATION SYSTEM
It is interesting to compare some English-speaking countries education system with ours.This is a long and extended but interesting explanation to tell you about British and American Education .

EDUCATION STAGES
Day –Care (babies)
Nursery schools/pre-schools/kindergarten(under 6)
Grammar school/Primary school/Elementary school( in UK the law says that you must ensure your child is in fulltime education starting in the term after his fifth birthday. “rising fives" means the term before compulsory school age. In some areas that age is when most children start school. But it depends on where you live. In  North America this stage of education is usually known as elementary education. It goes from the 1st grade to the 6th grade)
The transition to secondary school or high school is somewhat arbitrary, but it generally occurs at about eleven or twelve years of age. Some educational systems have separate middle schools with the transition to the final stage of education taking place at around the age of fourteen.
Middle school  (sometimes called junior high school)(the age depends if it is in Great Britain or the USA)
Secondary School (Br) High School(Am)(If  you finish these studies successfully you get the Leaving certificate(Br) ,but first you need to pass the A levels exams .In America you need to pass the  SAT Reasoning Test in order to enter to college.
College/University
 4 years+masters+PHD(you are undergraduate).When you graduate you may get the B.A(Bachelor of Arts) or B.S (Bachelor of science)
The difference between a college and a university is that a college just offers a collection of degrees in one specific area, while a university is a collection of colleges. When you go to a university you are going to be graduating from one of their colleges, such as the business college. As to which is better, it depends on what you want. Single colleges tend to be smaller while universities are bigger, but universities are better known.
Be aware that there is a very distinct difference in terminology between the USA and the rest of the world. In the US, there is very little difference academically between a "college" and a "university". In the U.S. the terms are synonymous; other countries use "college" to refer to some secondary schools, but "university" is always used to mean an institution of tertiary education and higher learning. Universities are usually larger and often contain multiple "colleges" within them. However, some of the top-ranked schools in the US have a name including "college" (ex. Dartmouth College). In other parts of the English-speaking world, the term "university" equates to the US use of "college" and the term "college" refers more to a trade or vocational school. Depends on the country you are in. In the UK, a university can award its own degrees and has a charter giving it various guarantees of independence. A college usually depends on a fully-fledged university validating its degrees, or may even be part of a university, as in Oxford or Cambridge colleges. Or a college may be little to do with degree-level education at all, such as a Further Education college. Also don't forget Community Colleges. In that usage a college is very different than a University because a community college can't offer a 4 year degree (ie a B.A. or a B.S.). Community colleges can offer trade and technical certifications and training as well as the first 2 years of a four year program but they are unable to grant bachelor degrees.
In Canada a University is an education institution that can grant degrees. (BA, BSc, MA, PHd, etc). Colleges can grant certificates or diplomas, but not degrees.
BRITISH EDUCATION SYSTEM
Junior School or Primary School
Year 3, age 7 to 8
Year 4, age 8 to 9
Year 5, age 9 to 10
Year 6, age 10 to 11 (Eleven plus exams in some areas of England, Key Stage 2 National Curriculum Tests)
Secondary Education
Middle School, High School or Secondary School
Year 7, old First Form, age 11 to 12
Year 8, old Second Form, age 12 to 13
Year 9, old Third Form, age 13 to 14 (Key Stage 3 National Curriculum Tests, known as SATs (Standard Assessment Tests))
Upper School or Secondary School
Year 10, old Fourth Form, age 14 to 15
Year 11, old Fifth Form, age 15 to 16 (old O Level examinations, modern GCSE examinations)
Upper School, Secondary School, or Sixth Form College
Year 12 or Lower Sixth, age 16 to 17 (AS-level examinations)
Year 13 or Upper Sixth, age 17 to 18 (A2-level examinations. Both AS-levels and A2-levels count towards A-levels .)
In some regions of England, pupils attend a Lower (Primary) School before going to, a Middle School between 8 and 12 or, more commonly 9 and 13, and then a High School or Upper School. Other, more vocational qualifications offered including GNVQs and BTECs .
NORTH AMERICAN EDUCATION SYSTEM
Basically, the USA education system comprises of 12 grades of study over 12 calendar years of primary and secondary education before graduating and becoming eligible for college admission. After pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, there are five years in  primary school. After completing five grades, the student will enter 'secondary school' to get the 'high school diploma' after successful completion of twelve grades.
The U.S. uses ordinal numbers for naming grades, unlike Canada and Australia where cardinal numbers are preferred. Thus, Americans are more likely to say "First Grade" rather than "Grade One". Typical ages and grade groupings in public and private schools may be found through the U.S. Department of Education. Many different variations exist across the country.
                     Level/Grade and       Typical age (at end of the school year)
               PRESCHOOL
 Under 6
Pre-Kindergarten
 3-4
                  Kindergarten
 4-6
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

1st grade    6-7
2nd grade    7-8
3rd grade    8-9
4th grade    9-10
5th grade    10-11
MIDDLE SCHOOL

6th grade    11-12
7th grade    12-13
8th grade    13-14
HIGH SCHOOL

9th grade (freshman)    14-15
10th grade (sophomore)    15-16
11th grade (junior)    16-17
12th grade (senior)    17-18
POST SECONDARY EDUCATION   
 Tertiary education (college or University)    Ages vary (usually four years,
referred to as Freshman,
Sophomore, Junior and
Senior years)
 Vocational education    Ages vary
Graduate education   
Adult education
Graduate education  
Those who complete high school and would like to attend college or university must attend 'undergraduate' school. These are schools that offer either a two-year degree or a four-year degree in a specific course of study. The course of study is called the 'major', which comprises of the main or special subjects.
The next level of education system in the US is 'graduate school'. After getting the undergraduate degree, the education can be continued for next two levels. The first one is, studying to get 'master's degree' as an extended specialized study of the subject taken up in the under graduation course. It is of two years duration. The next level is to pursue PhD that leads to a doctorate degree. The minimum duration for this is about three years and may vary up to even seven to eight years depending upon the specialized and chosen topic and the ability of students in presenting their thesis. Study abroad students who aspire to go to any part of USA for further studies are advised to have clear idea about the education system of the country.

V ocational Education and Training (VET), also called Career and Technical Education (CTE), prepares learners for jobs that are based in manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic and totally related to a specific trade, occupation or vocation .It is sometimes referred to as technical education, as the learner directly develops expertise in a particular group of techniques or technology.(This takes place in professional or vocational schools or technical colleges).

Adult education is the practice of teaching and educating adults. This often happens in the workplace, through 'extension' or 'continuing education' courses at secondary schools, at a college or university. Other learning places include folk high schools, community colleges, and lifelong learning centers. The practice is also often referred to as 'Training and Development'. It has also been referred to as andragogy (to distinguish it from pedagogy). A difference is made between vocational education, mostly undertaken in workplaces and frequently related to upskilling, and non-formal adult education including learning skills or learning for personal development.
EXTRA INFORMATION
Be careful with the term public schools in Great Britain. Unlike in America or in  some other countries public schools are not schools financed by the State, they are privately funded.They follow a British Educational tradition. This usage is synonymous with preparatory schools in the USA, although in British English preparatory school has a different meaning.(so when you translate it into Spanish don´t use the word escuela pública but privada.In the British Education system we would use the word state schools for Escuela pública.
Boarding schools-  A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils not only study, but also live during term time, with their fellow students and possibly teachers. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board", that is, food and lodging. Most boarding schools also have day students who are local residents or children of faculty.( in Spanish internado)
Coeducational schools versus single-sex schools.
Coeducational schools -the system of education in which both men and women attend the same institution or classes. The opposite would be single-sex schools.
a Preparatory or prep school in North America is a private secondary school, typically charging high fees, designed to prepare students aged 14–18 for higher education at a university or college .
A Preparatory or prep school in the UK  is a private school designed to prepare pupils under 13 for entry into the fee-required public schools that are the equivalent of the college/university prep schools in North America.
A grammar school is one of those originally schools teaching classical languages but more recently academically-oriented types of secondary school.
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude.  Some 90% of British pupils are educated at comprehensive schools.
Here you are some videos to watch: 

BA Psychology at Richmond University

Eric Prydz vs. Floyd - Proper Education

We don't need no education
We dont need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teacher leave them kids alone
Hey! Teacher! Leave them kids alone!
All in all it's just another brick in the wall.
(All in all you're just) another brick in the wall.

We don't need no education
We dont need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teacher leave them kids alone
Hey! Teacher! Leave them kids alone!
All in all it's just another brick in the wall.
(All in all you're just) another brick in the wall.

We don't need no education
We dont need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teacher leave them kids alone
Hey! Teacher! Leave them kids alone!
All in all it's just another brick in the wall.
(All in all you're just) another brick in the wall.

We don't need no education
We dont need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teacher leave them kids alone
Hey! Teacher! Leave them kids alone!
All in all it's just another brick in the wall.
(All in all you're just) another brick in the wall.

We don't need no education...
Even if it is a bit overnationalistic( too American) and there is a bit of propaganda in the end I find the next video  interesting because of the transcriptions in English and the topic dealt.

 



This one compares the British Education system with some others.Sorry for the quality, it is a homemade video  but the content is worthwhile.