Role-play. Read carefully through this outline of the problem, making sure that you understand it

Group work.

Look at the list below of the possible aims of education. In column A put a number 0–5 according to the importance attached to these aims at the school you went to. In column B put a number 0–5 according to what you think the ideal school’s priorities should be. When you have finished, compare your conclusions as a class.

Aims of Education	A	B
Helping to develop personality and character
Helping you to do as well as possible
Showing you how to get on with other people
Teaching you about what is going on in the world today
Keeping you occupied
Teaching you how to read and write well
Helping you to get as good a job as possible
Helping you with things you will need to know when you leave school (for example about running a home and managing money)
Making school a pleasant place to be in

The problem

Woodville School has a new principal called Taylor. Unlike the previous principal, who was very traditional, Taylor is young and wants to change a lot of things. Taylor calls a parent/teacher meeting to put forward his/her ideas and to decide on the new school policies. At the meeting, the parents and teachers must collectively decide which proposals should be accepted and which rejected.

The Characters

Here are the characters. Read through the description of each of them. Can you imagine that you are that person? Suggest what he/she may be saying. Try to use the appropriate language exponents from the Speech Functions Bank.

The principal: Mr/Ms Taylor

The principal has progressive attitudes towards education and wants to abolish uniforms, homework, examinations and compulsory sport at the school! Не/she also wants to abolish Latin and introduce more relevant subjects such as Current Affairs and Consumerism. He/she will ask for more suggestions along these lines at the meeting.

The Humanities teacher: Mr/Ms Smith

Не/she teaches English, History and Latin and thinks that the new principal is too radical. Не/she agrees that uniforms, and compulsory sport should be abolished – but thinks that homework and examinations should be maintained, especially as the students have to sit for public external examinations in order to get into higher institutions and apprenticeships.

The Science teacher: Mr/Ms Bell

Не/she supports some of the principal’s ideas about education but thinks that a moderate amount of homework should be given. Also, in order to prevent competitiveness among the students, a cheap and simply uniform should be kept. Bell used to teach Domestic Science/Carpentry before coming to Woodville School and would like to see the introduction of these kinds of subjects.

Parent 1: Mr/Ms Baxter

Не/she has more traditional ideas about education, supports the continued teaching of Latin as a valuable mental discipline, and is generally suspicious of the principal’s progressive ideas. Mr/Ms Baxter will consider moving his/her child to a different school if the principal's proposals are agreed to at the parent/teacher meeting.

Parent 2: Mr/Ms Logan

Не/she has moderate or liberal ideas about education but is very much against the introduction of fashionable subjects such as Consumerism into the school syllabus.

Parent 3: Mr/Ms Harris

Не/she has very progressive ideas about education and thinks that the older pupils (15–17-year-olds) should only spend two or three days at school each week – the rest of their time being spent outside in the community!

Assemble into your discussion groups and by discussing the problem, try to work out a way to solve it. Afterwards give an account of the outcome of the meeting. You may like to elect a group representative for this before you begin.

Дата добавления: 2017-01-14