Questões

The Role of Museums in Education

Museums provide knowledge and inspiration, while also connecting communities. At a time of economic recovery, and in the run-up to the Olympics, they are more important than ever. Museums and galleries deliver world-class public services which offer individuals and families free and inspiring places to visit and things to do. Museums attract audiences from home and abroad. Museums provide the places and resources to which people turn for information and learning. They care for the legacy of the past while creating a legacy for the future.

Museums are uniquely egalitarian spaces. Whether you are rich, poor, or uniquely-abled, the museum door is always an open welcome. A sense of history and beauty, gifts from our cultural heritage, inspires the ordinary soul into extraordinary possibilities. They bind communities together, giving them heart, hope and resilience. They make a vital contribution to international relations and play a unique role in fostering international cultural exchange. If life was just about earning to eat, we'd be depleted and tired. Museums bring to life the opportunity to experience meaning beyond the mundane. Museums make the soul sing!

The most visible and expected offerings of a museum are its exhibitions. Exhibitions tell stories through objects. In a world where virtual experiences are ever increasing, museums provide tangible encounters with real objects.

What does looking at a crystal clear specimen of beryl, a vertebrate fossil emerging from its plaster jacket, or the flag that flew over Inge Lehman's seismological observatory provide in an educational sense? Some professionals maintain that the visceral reaction of wonder, awe or curiosity – the affective response of the viewer – is the enduring legacy of a museum visit. It opens the door to the visitor's mind, engaging them in a discipline that perhaps failed to interest them through other means, and might inspire them to learn more. Furthermore, the social context of a museum visit, where exploration occurs in a friendly atmosphere without the pressure of tests and grades, helps keep that door open.

Curators and educators also aspire to engage the rational mind of the viewer. A mineral collected in the field and displayed in the museum is out of its original context, but thoughtful juxtaposition of the mineral with other objects helps the visitor make new connections. Exhibit labels or a knowledgeable docent leading a tour not only inform directly, but also guide visitors in making their own observations of the object. Hands-on displays combined with objects can provide forceful connections – an “aha!” experience for the visitor. Alan J. Friedman, the former director of the New York Hall of Science, recounts a watershed experience during a 1970 museum visit in which a model telescope that the could touch and adjust brought to life the meaning of the antique telescope.

Museums are the world's great learning resource – they introduce new subjects, bring them alive and give them meaning. Learning in museums improves confidence and attainment: it also opens us to the views of our fellow citizens. Museum collections and the knowledge of museum professionals inspire learning. As the world around us changes, museums and galleries promote awareness of the critical questions of place, humanity, science and innovation.

Adaptado dos sites: http://tle.geoscienceworld.org/cgi/reprint/26/10/1322.pdf e http://www.nationalmuseums.org.uk/media/documents/what_we_do_documents/museums_deliver_full.pdf, pp. 3-4

Text 1

Structure of education in Singapore

The complete control and management of Singapore’s education is in the hands of the Ministry of Education (MOE). With continuous endeavour from MOE, today Singapore can be considered to have a strong and well-reputed education system. As per recent study Singapore is ranked fourth in terms of World’s Best Education System.

The preschools are run by the private sector, including religious bodies, community foundations, business groups, etc. However, every preschool need to register itself with the Singapore Ministry of Education before being functional.

After completion of 6 years of primary education, students have to appear for a Primary School Leaving Exam (PSLE). All those students who passed the exam are admitted in a secondary level course, which is usually completed in 4-5 years. It is similar to attending seventh grade through tenth grade in the American education system.

After completion of the secondary education, the students need to appear in Singaporean GCE ‘O’ Level exam. Based on the merit in that exam, students proceed to pre-university education, which is similar to attending eleventh grade and twelfth grade as per the American education system. At this level students can opt for a wide range of subjects from varied academic areas covering Humanities, Arts and Languages, Sciences and Mathematics streams.

www.singaporeeducation.info/Education-System/ Structure-of-Education

Text for the questions from 38 to 50.

Sound Advice for Language Learners

1 A recent issue of a language learning magazine has

consulted a number of experts in the field of second

language acquisition. Their advice may prove invaluable for

4 those considering a language course. Ask yourself some

basic questions, they suggest. Did you enjoy studying

languages at school, for example? Can you really afford the

7 time to learn a language?

First and foremost, you have to be realistic in your

goals. If you fail to set achievable aims you are likely to give

10 up. Besides, it is worth knowing that the most expensive

courses are not necessarily the best. You should also bear in

mind that the quicker you learn a language the more quickly

13 you forget it. Sue Miller, a French teacher, attempted to

teach herself German by enrolling on a crash course.

Already fluent in three languages, her chances of making

16 progress were high. Two years on she hardly remembers

anything. “I should have chosen a regular course in order to

have more time for practice and consolidation.”

19 Sue’s comment is certainly a good piece of advice.

Internet: <www.flo‐joe.uk> (adapted).