Group Discussion. Give your own views on the problems below and speak against your opponents.Give your own views on the problems below and speak against your opponents. Topic 1. Mixed-ability grouping in the classroom Talking points: Mixed-ability group — the usual basis of classroom organization in Russia. Results. Mixed-ability grouping — a controversial innovation for the English, having occurred partly as a reaction against streaming. Introduction of mixed-ability groups in English primary schools (the dominant form of organization), the first and second years of secondary schooling (relatively unproblematic), later years of secondary school (cautious and tentative). N 4. Considerations relating to preparing pupils for public examinations— a major obstacle to the introduction of mixed-ability groupings in senior years of secondary school in England, 5. Mixed-ability grouping means harder work for teachers. English teachers' possible reactions. The ways to solve the problem used by Russian teachers. 6. Advantages and disadvantages of mixed-ability groups. Topic 2. Is school a place for the imparting of knowledge (understood as certain material to memorize) or a place for the creation and development of a child's personality? Talking points: 1. Children before school. Do they have opportunities to learn? Are they eager to find and figure things out? Inquisitive? Confident? Persistent? Independent? Have they achieved a degree of success without any formal instruction in school to help them solve the mystery of the language? 2. Learning— a passive or an active process on the part of a pupil? Don't teachers often make children feel that they are inadequate, worthless, unworthy, fit only to take other people's orders, a blank sheet for other people to write on? Isn't what we say about respect for the child in school usually opposed to what teachers do? 3. "To be wrong, uncertain and confused— is a crime; right answers are what the school wants" — the motto of certain (if not many) schools. Do children in such schools or classes acquire some undesirable habits? Do they not learn to dodge, bluff, fake, cheat, to be lazy, to be bored, to work with a small part of their mind, to escape from the reality around them into daydreams and fantasies? Topic 3. Pupils' norms of behaviour (The document given below was produced by the Deputy Head of a large comprehensive school for discussion at a special staff meeting.) Talking points: 1. Pupils should enter classrooms and sit down with books and pens ready for teacher to arrive unless the room has a notice on the door indicating that pupils should not enter until the teacher arrives. 2. a) Pupils should stand when teacher enters classroom (not compulsory for fourth and fifth years), b) Pupils should stop talking as soon as the teacher enters the class. 3. Anyone arriving after the teacher has started the lesson should wait at the front of the class until the teacher has asked for explanation.
4. Jackets should be removed as soon as the pupils have entered the classroom. 5. Anyone bringing a message to a class should wait at the front until asked by the teacher to speak. Only written notes should be accepted. 6. When the teacher is addressing the class nobody should raise his hand but not call out. Any pupil wishing to answer a question or attract the teacher's attention should raise his hand but not call out. 1. Chewing should not be allowed since it prevents articulate speech and singing. 2. At the end of lessons pupils should not make any move to pack up or leave until teacher has given permission and the class should all sit quietly when they have packed until dismissed by teacher but teachers should not abuse this rule by detaining pupils so causing them to be late for their next lesson or, at the end of the day, a school bus. Unit Four SPEECH PATTERNS 1. He pointed without looking... Mr. Finch poured himself out some more tea, without asking me. And without waiting for her answer he turned and left us. 2. She hated it more than ever. He felt better than ever. Paul works harder than ever. I love her more than ever. 3. Why would anyone write about school? Why would I do a thing like that? Why would she go to them? They dislike each other. 4. The man isn't smart enough. She was lucky enough to get a job on television. She's pretty enough to twist any man round her little finger. He was kind enough to ask the same question every day.
My father knows as much as my teacher. He likes swimming almost as much as his brother. He worked as hard as the rest of the group. 6. Tommy screamed with laughter. The audience shrieked with laughter. She squealed with excitement. Katie flushed with pleasure. 7. How weak she must have been! What a comfort you must have been to your mother! How he must have loved her in the beginning!
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