Education

UNIT  3  EDUCATION

 

In this section you will hear and take notes on a two-part lecture given by Dr. Mary Frosch, a teacher and advisor at an all girls’ school. The title of the lecture is The Benefits of Single-Sex Education for Girls. Dr. Frosch will explain why girls seem to learn better when boys are not around.

 

 

BEFORE THE LECTURE

BUILDING BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE ON THE TOPIC

1

Read the following report about research done in coeducational classrooms.

 

Various studies carried out in coeducational schools have shown that in many of these classrooms teachers interact differently with boys and girls. To begin with, it is clear that there are many more teacher-student interactions with male students - in other words, boys get more attention from their teachers. This could be because, in general, boys are more aggressive. One study reported that boys are eight times more likely than girls to call out answers in class.

Another way that teachers treat the sexes differently in coed settings is that they tend to give boys more demanding academic challenges than girls. Boys are expected to be problem solvers, to think for themselves, and to explain their answers. Girls, on the other hand, are often just corrected if they make mistakes and are encouraged to be quiet and well behaved. They are rarely asked follow-up questions and are called on for answers much less frequently than boys.

 

Answer the following questions with a partner.

1.What does the term coeducational mean? Check a dictionary if necessary.

2.According to the passage, what are the differences between the ways girls and boys are reated in coeducational classes?

3.Are boys and girls treated differently by teachers in coeducational schools that you have attended? If so, how?

 

NOTE TAKING: USING SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS

When you are taking notes during a lecture, you have to write down a lot of information very quickly. Instead of writing out each word separately, you should develop the habit of using symbols and abbreviations. You may want to change some of the symbols and abbreviations below to ones that are easier for you to remember and use. You will probably also want to invent some of your own, depending on the content of the lecture you are attending. When you invent symbols and abbreviations, it is important to review your notes as soon as possible after the lecture while their meanings are still fresh in your mind. Symbols Here are some symbols that are commonly used in English. Many of them come from the field of mathematics. & (and) = (is the same as, means, equals)         … (and so on, etc.) ≠ (is different from, doesn’t mean) rent from, doesn't mean) @ (at) < (is less than)   ↓ (go down, decrease)        > (is more than) + (plus, in addition to, and) “ (ditto, as said before, similarly) # (number)     → (causes, leads to, results in) $ (dollars) % (percent) Abbreviations In addition to using symbols, good note takers abbreviate long words or words that are frequently used. Here are a few standard abbreviations that are commonly used in English. Notice that some are based on Latin words. Ex. or e.g. (for example; “e.g.” is from the Latin exempli gratia) w/ (with) w/out  (without) etc. (and other similar things, from the Latin etcetera) a.m. (before noon, from the Latin ante meridiem) p.m. (after noon, from the Latin post meridiem) gov’t (government) ed. (education) Prof. (Professor) Dr. (Doctor) usu. (usually) sb (somebody, someone) sth (something) Pro and Con pro (for, a Latin prefix meaning "in favor of”) con (against, an abbreviation of the Latin contra) When taking notes, these two words are useful. Many texts and lecturers talk about arguments for or against something, or the advantages and disadvantages of something. In such cases, it is easy to simply use the heading pro for arguments in favor of something or its advantages, and the heading con for arguments against something or its disadvantages. (The terms may be used in the plural as well: pros and cons.) It is also common for people to use these terms in conversation.

 

Study the symbols and abbreviations in the column on the left. Match them with their definitions in the column on the right. You might want to use some of these symbols and abbreviations in your notes for the lecture in this chapter.

 

	1 ______ ♂	a	single-sex education
	2 ______♀	b	coeducation, coeducational
	3 _____ed	с	between
	4 _____ben(s)	d	different
	5 _____s-s ed.	e	against, disadvantage
	6 _____ →	f	opportunities
	7 _____pro	g	recommend
	8 _____opps	h	and
	9___ . . . …	i	go up, increase
	10_____coed	j	girl
	11_____diff	к	for, in favor of
	12_____rec.	1	education, educational
	13_____&	m	causes, leads to, results in
	14_____con 15_____b/t 16_____ ↑	n o p	and so on, etc. benefit(s) boy

N     Use symbols and abbreviations to represent words and ideas

1. A whistleblower is someone who reports that his or her own company or business is doing something wrong or illegal. _________________________________________________________________
2. For example, Jeffrey Wigard and Cyntia Cooper are two executives who exposed corporate crimes.____________________________________________________

 

3.Between 1993 and 2002, the number of workplace theft cases involving women increase by 80.5 percent _____________________________________________________________________

 

LECTURE; PART ONE: Disadvantages and Advantages of Single-Sex Education for Girls

GUESSING VOCABULARY FROM CONTEXT

Match the vocabulary terms (1-7) with their definitions (a-g)

 

______ 1. I'm often asked to defend single-sex education.

______ 2. as if girls’ schools were on trial

______ 3. goes against the aims and the goals of feminists

______ 4. Single-sex schools do not provide a smooth transition into the adult world.

______ 5. Single-sex education values girls.

______ 6. It values girls' unique qualities.

______ 7. It helps girls develop self-confidence.

 

a unusual, special

b easy way

с the feeling that you can manage any situation

d being questioned in a court of law

e people who support women’s rights

f encourages and supports

g explain why I am in favor of

NOTE TAKING: USING SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS

Look at these notes on Part One of the lecture. Notice that these notes are formatted in columns. The Cons (disadvantages, reasons against) are in the first (left) column because these are the first aspects of the topic that Dr. Frosch presents. The Pros (advantages, reasons in favor of) are in the second (right) column. Putting your notes in columns labelled Pros and Cons is often an effective way to organize notes if a lecture is an argument for or against something, which this lecture is.

Dr. Mary Frosh: The Benefits of Single-Sex Education for Girls Part One: Disadvantages and Advantages of Single-Sex Education for Girls   Cons                                                                              Pros (Dr. F. pro s-s ed) old-fashioned –                                                -  __________________________________               ed. opps. diff. for ♀&♂                                      _________________________________   ______________________________      - _________________________________ ______________________________         _________________________________   _______________________________ _______________________________

LECTURE, PART TWO: Two Main Benefits of ALL Girls' Schools

 

GUESSING VOCABULARY FROM CONTEXT

Match the vocabulary terms (1-7) with their definitions (a-g)

 

______ 1. Girls can often concentrate on higher-level, abstract thinking.

______ 2. Girls also enjoy collaborative learning activities and so they work well in groups.

______ 3. Girls become more self-confident without the distraction of boys.

______ 4. If they do not understand a concept, they will ask for clarification.

______ 5. When girls are in the same classrooms as boys, they often lose their self-esteem.

______ 6. Girls typically sink back in their chairs and wait for the boys to quiet down.

______ 7. Perhaps they can change the “real” world into a place designed to accommodate both women and men.

a done with other people; joint      

b respect for themselves      

с explanations    

d make a place for         

e sit timidly      

f conceptual, theoretical    

g something that takes away your attention; disturbance

 

 

 

NOTE TAKING: USING YOUR NOTES TO WRITE A SUMMARY

 

Summarizing is an essential study skill. It means reducing a whole lecture (or part of a lecture) to a few sentences. A good summary shows that you have understood what the lecture is about and what the most important points are. It is a helpful record for you to review when you are studying for a test. During the lecture, take notes in whatever way works best for you. After the lecture, revise your notes as soon as possible by making sure they are in a clear format and by adding any missing information. Then use your notes to help you write your summary. Reread your notes and select the most important points that the lecturer made. Write a summary in which you explain the main points in your own words.

 

Following is a summary of Part Two of the lecture. Use your notes to complete the summary. You may need to put more than one word in some blanks. Then compare summaries with your partner. Do you have similar answers? You don’t have to use exactly the same words because summaries are in your own words.

The Benefits of Single-Sex Education for Girls

Part Two: Two Main Benefits of All Girls’  Schools

Single-sex education ________________________________________ girls' unique qualities and also helps girls develop _________________________________________.

  The unique qualities of girls include their ability to concentrate on __________________________________   thinking at an   __________________________ age than boys and their ability to _____________________________________________ for longer periods of time. They also enjoy working in groups and teams. Girls are not as competitive as boys, but they tend to be __________________________________.

Boys can be noisy and girls often react by becoming timid and losing their _____________________________. When they learn without the ______________________________________ of boys, girls feel confident in themselves, they enjoy being ______________________________________ ,  they help each other, and they freely ask for  ______________________________________________  if they don’t understand something. In single-sex schools, girls can develop deep confidence in themselves. This self-confidence prepares them to become adults.

 

 

Lecture Quiz

 

1. What is single-sex education?

 

2. Explain three of the main arguments against single-sex education.

 

 

3. What are some ways in which girls learn differently from boys?

 

4. How does a single-sex environment help girls to develop self-confidence?

 

 

5. How can the feeling of self-confidence help young women in the adult world?