Mark Twain (1835-1910) American writer and humorist
1. Use the words in the box to complete the opinions below.
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1. ‘Education is not about developing your ________ but about learning facts.’
2. ‘Frequent examinations are a much more reliable and useful way of measuring performance than continuous ________.’
3. ‘________ is an excellent idea because it enables students with a similar ability to work at the same pace.’
4. ‘The most important aspect of education is the ________, or subjects which are taught.’
5. ‘Private education creates ________ and encourages inequality in society, which is absolutely disgusting.’
6. ‘Coping someone else’s ideas, ________, cheating in exams, and buying qualifications is sometimes necessary.’
7. ‘It’s easier to get good grades nowadays because education is ________. Qualifications are worth less than in the past.’
2. Which opinions do you agree or disagree with? Discuss your ideas with a partner.
3. In pairs talk about: your country’s education system your own educational experiences
4. Which of the following are important to learn at school do you think? important dates in history e.g. battles the names of capital cities times tables e.g. 4 х 7 = 28 scientific formulae e.g. E=mc2 spelling mental arithmetic e.g. adding up numbers in your head poems and excerpts from literature
5. What techniques do you have for learning any of these? Tell a partner.
6. What do you understand by the term ‘rote learning’? Scan the article to check your answer.
Google generation has no need for rote learning
Memorising facts and figures is a waste of time for most school children because such information is readily available a mere mouse click away, a leading commentator has said. The existence of Google, Wikipedia and online libraries means that there is no