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What is the relationship with literacy and / or education. The modern economical conditions make literacy and education the most necessary element for citizens of the United States and other countries. Literacy and education lay in the basis of democracy and development. When people study abroad they get used to respect customs and traditions of other citizens as well as differences between countries and cultures. They also realize that different people have common values.
The United States dont have the unified national education program: there is a basic educational program and additional elective courses. Lets examine whether it doesnt bother receiving good educational level and literary skills for American students. Almost each primary school supposes to study the following subjects: mathematics and language (it includes reading, writing, literature and writing essays), grammar, natural sciences, social sciences (history, geography, civil law and economics), music, art, physical culture. Sometimes schools propose to choose the second language (except of English). All other subjects can be chosen as the elective course. Some schools are specialized on education in business, industry, foreign languages, etc.
A student, who wants to become a doctor, has to study in school oriented on learning natural sciences. However, the most popular elective courses in 1980 -s were physical culture, music, English grammar, driving, health care, household management, etc. The choice of elective courses witnessed that students didnt want to learn academic subjects. Possibility to choose elective courses corresponds to a number of ideals that are so important to Americans: The possibility to receive education that prepares a student to his life (doesnt matter whether he will get job in computers, office work, agriculture or industry); The possibility to realize his own interests (education of children, politics, foreign languages, etc); The possibility to discover and perfect his own skills (music, creative works, art, etc). American citizens considered school as a place where such possibilities are realized. In 1960 - 1970 -es students had free choice for elective courses.
From the beginning of 1980 -s parents and teachers started to re-examine this attitude towards free choice of elective courses. They considered that academic results (especially in literacy, mathematics and natural sciences) became worse. It was quite obvious. The results of tests in high school and results of entrance exams in colleges were low. Administration of colleges and managers of enterprises started to complain that high school graduates need additional knowledge of reading, mathematics and writing. The American government made a national census in 1980, where 99 % of American adults confirmed they have high writing and reading skills.
Nevertheless, some critical voices asserted that approximately 13 % of 17 year-old girls and boys are functionally illiterate. It means that they are not able to fulfill such ordinary actions as reading instructions, filling in papers, etc. At the center of the debate for greater accountability in education is the need for better literacy programs. According to a new 32 -nation study on educational achievement by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the United States scored in the middle of the pack because many of the best and worst readers in the world live here. And, according to the Paris-based organization's study, the gap between America's best readers and its worst is wider than in any other country. (Debbie O'Leary, 2004, p. 1) Americans consider that school guarantee that next generation grows informed, independent citizens. Does it mean that such educational system mistakes?
The education in the United States was obligatory. Secondary schools were to provide a basic academic foundation while postsecondary institutions would provide the more specific technical and occupational training. Community colleges, which experienced dramatic growth in the 1970 s, played an important role in this reform strategy. (Bayley, Th. , 1992, p. 2). Old dream about total literacy seems to be embodied into life.
Moreover, schools become centers for Americanization of foreigners and immigrants that come to America from different parts of the world. The only issue was taken very seriously: the problem of school program. The world changes and school programs must also change, - stated reformers. How they can be changed?
In the beginning of XX century some reformers proposed to high schools to make such modern subjects as history, natural sciences and writing obligatory. They also insisted that high school should have special elective courses. Philosopher John Dewey and Francis Wayland Parker didnt content themselves with proposals only. They considered that school should help to develop skills and talents of every child and educational material should be adapted to his born skills.
They didnt like formal methods of education and they considered that school should be a small model of society. Nowadays individual studies / courses at school are very important in the system of American education. In conclusion we can tell that elective courses and new educational system doesnt bother receiving good educational level and literary skills for American students. The schools face task not only to bring information to students attention but also to teach them how to ask question related to this information. The question-answering method of education became very popular.
The school authorities started to focus attention on quality of education. Americans started to take into consideration all difficulties American students face during their studies. In such a way, the education is strongly associated with literacy and we can assume that schools provide students with a shared cultural context and well-grounded position in their life. Taking into consideration all data, we can agree with Debbie O'Leary that while literacy is a word that is followed by a simple definition, it invokes a complex and sometimes controversial blend of theories and practices. A consistent finding in that research, agree faculty, is the need to combine strategies to meet the different needs of the individual child for every year of his or her educational lifetime. (O'Leary, Debbie, 2004, p. 1. ) Bibliography: Bailey, Thomas. (1992). SCHOOL/WORK: ECONOMIC CHANGE AND EDUCATIONAL REFORM.
Teachers College, Columbia University, National Center for Research in Vocational Education, University of California at Berkeley, 1995 University Avenue, Suite 375, Berkeley, CA 94704. Supported by The Office of Vocational and Adult Education U. S. Department of Education.
December, 1992 O'Leary, Debbie. (2004). School of Education leads the way in literacy research. Indiana University. Retrieved on February 7, 2005. web chalkboard / spring 2002 /literacy. html
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Research essay sample on Natural Sciences Foreign Languages
