READING
Exercise 10. Read the text, try to focus on its essential facts and choose the most
suitable heading given below for each paragraph.
1) What Is Education?
2) Formal Education
3) General Education
4) Informal Education
5) Vocational Education
6) Different Kinds of Formal Education
DIFFERENT TYPES OF EDUCATION
Education includes different kinds of learning experiences. In its broadest
sense, education is the ways in which people learn skills, gain knowledge and
understanding about the world and themselves. A useful scheme for discuss-
ing education is to divide these ways of learning into two types: informal and
formal.
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Informal education involves people in learning during their daily life. For
example, children learn their language simply when they listen to others and try
to speak themselves. In the same informal manner, they learn to dress them-
selves, to eat with good manners, to ride a bicycle, or to make a telephone call.
Education is also informal when people try to get information or to learn skills
on their own initiative without a teacher. They may visit a book shop, library
or museum. They may watch TV or listen to the radio. A lot of documentary
and educational films and programmes can be watched in the Internet. People
do not have to take tests or exams getting informal education.
The learners get formal education at different kinds of schools, colleges,
universities. In most countries, people enter a system of formal education dur-
ing their early childhood. In this type of education, people who are in charge
of education decide what to teach. Then learners are studying these things with
the teachers’ help. Learners should come to school regularly and on time and
try to work at about the same speed as their classmates. Learners have to take
tests and exams. At the end of their learning, learners may earn a diploma,
a certificate, or a degree as a mark of their success over the years.
The school systems of all modern nations provide both general and voca-
tional education. Most countries also offer special education programmes for
gifted and for physically or mentally handicapped children. Adult education
programmes are provided for people who wish to take up their education after
leaving school. Most countries are spending a large amount of time and money
for formal education of their citizens.
The aim of general education is to make children intelligent, responsible,
well-informed citizens. It is designed to transmit a common cultural heritage
rather than to develop trained specialists. Almost all elementary education is
general education. In every country, primary school pupils are being taught
skills they will use throughout their life, such as reading, writing, and arith-
metic. They also receive instruction in different subjects, such as geography,
history, etc. In most countries almost all young people continue their general
education in secondary schools.
The aim of vocational education is primarily to prepare students for
a job. Some secondary schools specialize in vocational programmes. Techni-
cal schools are vocational secondary schools, where students are being taught
more technical subjects, such as carpentry, metalwork, and electronics. Tech-
nical school students take some general education courses and vocational
training. Universities and separate professional schools are preparing students
for careers in such fields as agriculture, architecture, business, engineering,
law, medicine, music, teaching, etc.
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