Educational system in Russia

Russians have always shown a great concern for education. The right to education is stated in the Constitution of the Russian Federation. It’s ensured by compulsory secondary schools, vocational schools and higher educational establishments. It is also ensured by the development of extramural and evening courses and the system of state scholarships and grants.

Education in Russia is compulsory up to the 9th form inclusive. The stages of compulsory schooling in Russia are: primary education for ages 6-7 to 9-10 inclusive; and senior school for ages 10-11 to 12-13 inclusive, and secondary school for ages 13-14 to 14-15 inclusive. If a pupil of secondary school wishes to go on in higher education, he or she must stay at school for two more years. Primary and secondary school together comprise 11 years of study. After finishing the 9th form one can go on to a vocational school which offer programmes of academic subjects and a programme of training in a technical field, or a profession.

After finishing the 11th form of a secondary school, a lyceum or a gymnasium one can go into higher education. Higher education institution, that is institutes or universities, offer a 5-years programme of academic subjects for undergraduates in a variety of fields.

Higher educational establishments are headed by Rectors. Protectors are in charge of academic and scientific work. Some institutes or universities has a number of faculties. The system of higher and secondary education in Russia is going trough a transitional period. The main objectives of the reforms are: to decentralize the higher education system, to develop a new financial mechanism, to give more academic freedom to faculties and students. All secondary schools, institutes and universities until recently have been funded by the state. Now, there is quite a number of private fee-paying primary and secondary schools, some universities have fee-paying departments.

EXERCISES:

1. Practice in pronunciation of the following words:

concern, Russian Federation, compulsory, vocational, establishment, extramural, scholarship, inclusive, senior, comprise, technical field, lyceum, gymnasium, applicants, competitive, variety, scientific, specializing, decentralize, financial, mechanism, departments.

2 .Give Russian equivalents to the following words and word combinations:

School, a great concern, right to education, higher educational establishments, extramural and evening courses, senior school, comprise 11 years of study, a lyceum or a gymnasium, all applicants, take competitive exam, establishments are headed by, academic and scientific work, transitional period, to decentralize, private fee-paying primary.

3. Give English equivalents to the following words and phrases:

Право на образование, конституция Российской Федерации, профессионально-технические школы, учреждения высшего образования, заочные и вечерние курсы, до девятого класса включительно, вместе включают 11 лет обучения, все абитуриенты, возглавляются ректорами, переходный период, новый финансовый механизм, финансироваться государством, частные школы.

4. Find the right word order:

1) right, to, the, is, constitution, federation, education, stated, in, Russian,

2) in, Russia, education, up, the, 9^th, compulsory, to, form, is, inclusive.

3) school, comprise, together, secondary, of, primary, and, 11 years, study.

4) Rectors, educational, by, establishments, are, headed, higher.

5) schools, all, secondary, by, universities, recently, until, institutes, and, have, funded, the, been, state.

6) number, of, now, is, quite, a, and, fee-paying, secondary, fee-paying, primary, schools, universities, private, have, there, some, departments.

5. Give the answers to the following:

1. Where isthe right to education stated?

2. Education in Russia is compulsory up to the 9th form inclusive, isn’t it?

3. What are the stages of compulsory schooling in Russia?

4. Howmany doprimary and secondary school together comprise?

5. Are higher educational establishments headed by Rectors?

6. What have been funded by the state until recently?

7. Now, there is quite a number of private fee-paying primary and secondary schools, some universities have fee-paying departments, isn’t there?

6. Insert the missing words:

1. Russians have always shown a great concern for …

2. The right to education is stated in …

3. Education in Russia is compulsory up to …

4. Primary and secondary school together comprise …

5. After finishing the 11th form of a secondary school, a lyceum or a gymnasium one can …

6. Higher educational establishments are headed …

7. The system of higher and secondary education in Russia is going …

7. Make up short monologues using the following words and word combinations:

the right to education, higher educational establishments, extramural and evening courses, senior school, the stages of compulsory schooling, competitive exam, private fee-paying primary and secondary schools.

LESSON 7

1. Read and translate the text.

Active Vocabulary:

1. independent life - независимая жизнь

2. to comprise - включать

3. to choose a profession - выбирать профессию

4. source of funding – источник финансирования

5. to be admitted into - быть принятым в

6. to achieve a success - достигать успеха

7. to gain reputations –завоевать репутацию

Higher Education in the USA

Finishing school is the beginning of an independent life for millions of school graduates. Many roads are open before them. But it is not an easy thing to choose a profession out of more than the 2000 existing in the world.

Out of the more than three million students who graduate from high school each year, about one million go on for “higher education”. Simply by being admitted into one of the most respected universities in the United States, a high school graduate achieves a degree of success. A college at a leading university might receive applications from two percent of these high school graduates, and then accept only one out of every ten who apply.

The system of higher education in the United States is complex. It comprises four categories of institution. The university may contain:

- several colleges for undergraduate students;

- the four-year undergraduate institution – the – college;

- the technical training institution;

- the two-year, or community college.

Any of these institutions, in any category, might be either public or private, depending on the source of its funding. Many universities and colleges, both public and private, have gained reputations for providing their students with a higher quality of education. In the United States it is generally recognized that there are more and less desirable institutions. The more desirable institutions are generally more costly to attend. Still, many Americans are not satisfied with the condition of higher education in their country. Perhaps the most widespread complaint has to do with the college curriculum as a whole and with the wide range of electives in particular. The National Institute of Education (NIE) issued a report, “Involvement in Learning”. In its report, the NIE concluded that the college curriculum has become “excessively vocational and work-related”. The report also warned that college education may no longer be developing in students “the shared values and knowledge”.

American higher education is changing, as it has throughout its history. In fact, the next charge in American education may be a trend for people to continue their education in college – for a lifetime.

EXERCISES:

1.Read the following words paying attention to the pronunciation:

Independent, existing, admitted, achieves, percent, accept, comprises, ranging, variety, source, gained, reputations, particularly, majority, satisfactory, advantages, employment, curriculum, knowledge.

2. Give Russian equivalents to the following words and word combinations:

an independent life, the most respected universities, a degree of success, a wide variety of, the source of funding, gained reputations, the great majority, quite satisfactory, more and less desirable institutions, the condition of higher education, the college curriculum.

3. Give English equivalents to the following words and phrases:

Окончание школы, независимая жизнь, более чем из 2000 существующих, самый преуспевающий, система включает 4 категории, может содержать, продолжительностью от 6 месяцев до 2 лет, источник финансирования, завоевать репутацию, преобладающее большинство, не удовлетворены состоянием, учебная программа.

4. Fill in the blanks with articles if necessary:

1. Finishing school is … beginning of … independent life for millions of school graduates.

2. But it is not … easy thing to choose … profession out of more than …2000 existing in …world.

3. …system of higher education in … United States is complex.

4. Still, many Americans are not satisfied with … condition of higher education in their country.

5. In fact, … next charge in American education may be … trend for people to continue their education in college – for … lifetime.

5. Write the basic forms of all the irregular verbs in the text:

6. Ask all types of questions:

1. Finishing school is the beginning of an independent life for millions of school graduates.

2. But it is not an easy thing to choose a profession out of more than the 2000 existing in the world.

3. A college can accept only one out of every ten who apply.

4. The system of higher education in the United States comprises four categories of institution.

5. The great majority of these institutions are generally regarded as quite satisfactory.

6. The more desirable institutions are more costly to attend.

7. Many Americans are not satisfied with the condition of higher education in their country.

7. Underline the suffixes and state their meaning:

independent, profession, education, applications, technical, duration, majority, generally, satisfactory, desirable, employment, American, National, involvement, vocational, traditionally, direction.

Translate into Russian.

The American system of education differs from ours in its freedom and personal approach. There are electives – subjects one choose freely for the semester. They make up only part of the total number; there are required courses also. American professors take their job as a teacher more seriously; they are serious, honest teachers, taking their work as a duty. American teachers value the student’s viewpoint as his or her essential right – “an inalienable right”. It is the right to express their thoughts, to fulfill their potential, to feel themselves equal to the teacher – not in age or experience, but in mental capabilities.

LESSON 8

1. Read and translate the text.

Active Vocabulary:

1. lot – судьба, участь

2. female - женский пол

3. intense - напряженный

4. persistent - настойчивый, стойкий

5. male - мужской пол

6. self-conscious - застенчивый, сознательный

7. fall ill - заболеть

8. afford - позволять

9. rage - ярость, гнев