1st Class: Time: 2nd Class: Time: 3rd Class Time: Description: I love this class because… This is a really boring class. Etc. Description: Description: 4th Class: Time: 5th class: Time: 6th Class: Time: Description: Description: Description: Extra curriculum Activities     Description

 

 B. Practice: Comparing classes -Fill in the blanks with accordingly.

1. Both          and          are interesting.

2. Neither         nor           are very useful.

3. I love         .  On the other hand,  I           .

4. My          teacher is           .  On the other hand, my          teacher is         .

5. My          class is           . Likewise, my          class is           .

6. Unlike           ,            is great.

7. Write a few sentences with your own comparisons.

 

 C. Practice: Using the chart and the exercise above, students write a paragraph describing a typical day at school.  See Sally’s/Stanley’s monologue (below) as an example.

Athletics could include the following:

 

Fall	Winter	Spring
Boys Cross country	Bowling	Baseball
Girls Cross Country	Boys Basketball	Softball
Boys Golf	Girls Basketball	Track and field
Girls Golf	Swimming
Boys soccer	Wrestling
Girls soccer
Football (American style)
Girls Volleyball

 

 Reading/Listening Activity: Complete the chart.

Teacher reads to students. 1st time students just listen, 2nd reading students fill in the chart, 3rdreading students double check. When completed students fill out for Madagascar.

Educational system	In Japan	In the U.S	Add information about schools in Madagascar
School days	240	…(1)….
Number of daily school hours	…(2)….	…(3)….
Curriculum	…(4)…..	Varied course requirements

 

 Reading/Writing Activity: Students read the interview, and write a paragraph for each of the comparison question:

1. To what extent is the Japanese educational system superior American educational system?

2. What do you think of the Japanese educational system? Write a paragraph expressing your opinion.

3. Write a paragraph comparing and contrasting the Japanese education system to Madagascar’s education system.

 

Conversation: Terrel Bell, former US Secretary of Education describes his visit to classroom in Japan

Reporter: How does the quality of education in Japan compared with that in the U.S?

Bell: The Japanese educational system is superior to ours, if you measure quality by academic achievement in such area as literacy and command of mathematics and science.

Reporter: What was the atmosphere you found in Japanese schools?

Bell: There is much more emphasis on order and discipline. In both grade school and high school, everyone wears a uniform. Even though it was summer when I visited, I was able to attend classes, because Japanese children have 240 days of school, compared to 180 in the U.S.

The school day is longer, too-7 hours instead of 5½ or 6 hours here-and then the students come back  for a half  day on  Saturdays.  I talked to several fourth graders with a good command of English.

Then there is the single, national curriculum, instead of the varied course requirements we have,  and  students  move  along  in  along  at  very  fast  tough  pace.  Teachers don’t adjust instruction to fit each student. By golly, the student complies or else. The result is that students grow up learning to perform at the outer limit of their ability, which washes over into the workplace after they graduate.

Reporter: How about the drawbacks of the Japanese system?

Bell: The intense pressure is the main thing. If students don’t meet those very tough standards and don’t pass the national examination given after completing high school, it almost amounts to family shame. I wouldn’t want my 14-year-old son in that pressure cooker environment. But there is much we can learn from Japanese, without going to the extremes that they follow.

 

 

 

 

These documents are taken from the Terminales curriculum teacher's guide.

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