Text a. Higher education and teacher training in great britain

Nowadays teacher training in Great Britain is realized at universities, polytechnics and colleges of higher education.[45] Students working for their first degree at university are called undergraduates. When they take their degree we say that they graduate and then they are called graduates. If they continue studying at university after they have graduated, they are called post-graduates. In general, the first degree of Bachelor is given to students who pass examinations at the end of three or four years of study.

Further study or research is required at the mode-n universities for the first post-graduate degree of Master, and at all British universities for that of Doctor.

In Britain full-time university students (students who spend all their time studying and have no other employment), have three terms of about ten weeks in each year.[46]

University teaching combines lectures given by professors, readers or lecturers,[47] practical classes (in scientific subjects) and small group teaching in seminars or tutorials.

The course of study for intending teachers is based upon compulsory and optional subjects.

The Programme usually consists of three core components: School-based experience, Subject studies and Education studies.[48]

Theory of Education is one of the main subjects. At the end of the first or second year students are to make their choice as to the age-range of children they wish to prepare to teach.

Junior students go into schools for one day each week, watching experienced teachers at work. They take part in the life of the school, help with games, societies or play productions.

Senior students spend fifteen weeks on teaching practice. They learn the use of different educational aids, audio-visual facilities, observe lessons and take an active part in discussing them with a supervisor (tutor) on school practice.

Examinations are held at the end of each term. Final examinations (or finals) are taken at the end of the course.

(See: Tibbits E. L. Exercises in Reading Comprehension. Longman, 1974)

TEXT B. DIALOGUE

A n n : Hullo, Steve. Have you got a minute?

S t e v e : Sure, yes. What can I do for you?

A.: I've read a number of books on the British system of higher education but I can't make head or tail of it.

S.: Mm... no wonder. What's the problem?

A.: Quite a lot of problems. What I want to discuss is the difference between a university and a college.

S.: It's like this, you see... The programme is different. At a university it is much wider. Great attention is paid to scientific subjects.

A: It sounds as though most people prefer a university.

S.: Well... that rather depends.

A.: Speaking about universities I'm not quite clear about tutorials there. What is a tutorial exactly?

S.: Oh, it's when students discuss topics with a tutor in very small groups — usually there are not more than three or four students and sometimes only one.

A.: I see... And coming back to colleges... I'm still not terribly sure what a residential college is.

S.: Erm... It's a college with a hall of residence[49] on the same grounds as the principal building. In fact all the students live in hall.

A: Really? and what about the teaching staff?

S.: Actually the majority of the teaching staff live there too. But there are also quite a lot of non-residential colleges.

A: And you studied at university?

S.: Yes...

A.: I'd like to find myself in that university. What was it like?

S.: Well... a big grey building surrounded by trees.

A: Beautiful?

S.: Nothing very remarkable. Of course there were lecture halls, classrooms and a number of laboratories.

A: Any facilities for sport and P.E.[50]

S.: Let me see... Yes... A gymnasium with changing rooms and showers, a tennis court... What else... A playing field for netball and football...

A.: I believe students spend a lot of time together, don't they?

S.: Definitely. We had students' societies and clubs.

A.: Am I right to believe that they are for those interested in drama and music?

S.: Quite... and also politics, modern languages, literature, science and athletics.

A: Ah... that's worth knowing.

S.: And what I'd like to add is that students themselves organize all those clubs and societies. There is usually a Students' Council or Union.

A.: Well Steve. Thanks very much. You've been most helpful.