Questões

Text 2:

What makes a school good? (Part II)

Another reason the schools may be so successful is the teachers. Teachers in Finland are seen as very important. They are well respected and the field of education is considered to be a science, with its own methodology, theory and principles. Every teacher studies for five years before they can teach. This is in contrast with the status of education in many other countries. Perhaps this explains why it's actually rather difficult to get a job as a teacher in Finland, as well as the reason that it's such a popular job.

In order to get students' opinions about what makes a school 'good', I visited my local school playground to do a little informal research. The thirteen-year-olds I spoke to were interested to hear about the Finnish schools. I asked them if they thought British schools were too strict and whether they thought more students would go to university if things were changed. Fay, one of the best students in her year, said she didn't think British students would benefit from a school that was too easy-going. She felt her teachers weren't strict enough, and that was why few students in her school went on to higher education.

So it seems that the Finnish education system has come up with a 'formula' that works successfully in that country. Their example can serve as a model for other countries, but each country will have to work hard to put together an education system that will meet the needs of its people.

Taken from: Chapman, Joanne. Laser B1 +. Teacher's book. Macmillan, 2008.

Many different factors affect the time it takes. These include your child’s age, first language, their reason for BLANK I English and their teachers. You can help your child learn quickly by BLANK II them lots of opportunities to use English. It helps to have real reasons for BLANK III a language, rather than just BLANK IV grammar.

Yes. At early ages, girls tend to develop language more quickly. Remember that it’s OK for children to develop at different speeds. It will be more similar by secondary school age. However, by this stage children might think that languages are ‘more of a girl thing’. Attitudes to learning can have a big impact on educational success so it’s important to find ways to encourage your child and help them enjoy their learning.

Yes, there are differences.

Primary school children are learning their first and second languages at the same time. It’s really important to support both languages. Children with a strong foundation in their first language will find it easier to learn a second language. Encourage your child to play, sing and read in both their first and second languages. Remember to plan separate times to focus on each language. If you say something in English and then in another language, your child will automatically listen for their stronger language and ‘tune out’ the other language.

Teenagers are interested in exploring their personalities and identities. This creates lots of opportunities to use popular culture, films, TV, music and video games. Teenagers also enjoy challenging authority, which provides opportunities for debates and discussion.

Multilingual children learn at a young age that they can express their ideas in more than one way. This helps their thought process and makes them better, more flexible, learners. Research has found that children who speak more than one language do better in school, and have better memories and problem-solving skills.

Watch your child playing. What do they enjoy doing? Puzzles and problem-solving? Physical play and sports? Word games? Writing stories? Creative play? Try doing these types of activities in English and make a note of what your child responds to best. Alternatively, ask your child to create in English their own one-week ‘dream timetable of activities’. Let them choose how to present it. For example, they could act it out, prepare a written fact file, make a video, draw pictures, go on a treasure hunt or make a scrap book.

Source: https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/learning-english/parents-and-children/how-to-support-your-child/howchildren-learn-languages/. Accessed on 01/22/25

Imagine feeling overwhelmed and in need of someone to talk to, but no one is available. You have no idea what to do, who to talk to and what to say. Chatbot AI is your new best friend. Essentially, it can take over basic human interaction and problems, answering even the most absurd questions. An artificial intelligence chatbot provides support and guidance. But there are some aspects that AI can not replace, things like having a physical person in front of you. Still, you feel a bit better knowing you have some support. The 1980s were referred to as the rapid “AI boom.” Joseph Weizenbaum, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, developed the first chatbot to simulate an entertaining human conversation. He envisioned it as taking on the persona of a psychotherapist. Its original purpose was “to make machines use language, form abstractions and concepts, solve the kinds of problems now reserved for humans and improve themselves.” Ideally, a user would input a message on an electric typewriter linked to a mainframe, and shortly after, the “psychotherapist” would respond. Decades later, in 2017, chatbots finally became recognized as a stable form of communication. Because of continuous innovations in technology, chatbots have been created as a type of artificial intelligence application that poses as a sort of digital friend that you can lean on. 

“It has been said that teachers who have been teaching for twenty years may be divided into two categories: those with twenty years' experience and those with one year's experience repeated twenty times. In other words, sheer time on the job does not ensure fruitful experience and professional progress. (...) A teacher can and should advance in professional expertise and knowledge throughout his or her career, and such advances do not depend on formal courses or external input. You have within your own teaching routine the main tools for personal progress: your own experience and your reflections on it, interaction with other teachers in your institution. Teacher development takes place when teachers, working as individuals or in a group, consciously take advantage of such resources to forward their own professional learning. Ongoing teacher development is important not only for your own sense of progress and professional advancement; in some situations it may even make a crucial difference between survival and dropping out.” (A Course in Language Teaching, by Penny Ur, p. 317/18. Adapted)

Long hailed as a melting pot of cultures, America is home to millions of immigrants – whether their ancestors sailed across on the Mayflower or they moved to the country last week. Research by the National Center for Educational Statisticsfound that one-third of U.S. students are considered racial or ethnic minorities, a number that is set to increase to more than half by 2050. In this changing educational landscape, teachers are challenged with creating inclusive classrooms where students of all backgrounds feel represented and welcomed. For teachers with a classroom full of students of different backgrounds, the responsibility to connect with them goes beyond simply knowing where they’re from, or what their favorite subjects are. These teachers must strive to understand their students in a more holistic way, incorporating their cultural traditions into lessons and activities, so students feel understood, comfortable, and focused on learning. Culture is a broad term, and one that is not easily summed up. In her book Culture Learning: The Fifth Dimension on the Language Classroom, author Louise Damen defined culture as the “learned and shared human patterns or models for living; day-to-day living patterns that pervade all aspects of human social interaction. Culture is mankind’s primary adaptive mechanism”. Individuals from varied nationalities, ethnicities, and races all bring cultural traditions to their interactions, and it’s up to teachers to recognize, celebrate and share these different perspectives. Using different activities and games in multicultural classrooms is an excellent way to foster inclusivity and encourage students to share their heritage. It’s also a beneficial way for teachers to involve students in different styles of study to immerse them in their learning. Sharing about oneself within the confines of an activity is often much easier than being asked open-ended questions and put “on the spot”. These activities can then provide a safe space for dialogue and serve as an entryway into more in-depth interactions.

(Available: https://www.accreditedschoolsonline.org. Adapted.)