The Reading / Listening - Education - Level 5

Finland wants more than always being top of the world's education tables. It is planning to reform its education system to better prepare students for the digital age. A key part of this is to put more emphasis on digital and workplace skills. An example of this would be to use 3D printers in history classes for students to make models of ancient buildings. There will also be vocational training in real-life work settings. Students' performance would be judged by both a teacher and by an official from the company helping the student.

One teacher explained why a change was necessary. She said school is usually divided into subjects and facts that students must learn. She said real life is not like that because our brain is not divided into topics. She added that students needed to think in a broader way. They must think about the problems in the world, like migration, the economy, the post-truth era. She questioned whether today's children get the tools to deal with such an inter-cultural world. She warned it would be a big mistake to let children believe that the world is simple, and that all they need is facts.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Education - Level 4 or  Education - Level 6

Sources
  • http://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finland-news/domestic/14731-finland-s-vocational-education-reform-an-example-to-follow.html
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39889523
  • http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/finn-fun


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. always being
  2. the world's education
  3. It is planning to reform
  4. prepare students
  5. a key
  6. digital and workplace
  7. models of ancient
  8. vocational
  1. skills
  2. for the digital age
  3. training
  4. tables
  5. buildings
  6. its education system
  7. top
  8. part of this

Paragraph 2

  1. explained why a change
  2. school is usually divided
  3. She said real life is not
  4. problems in the world,
  5. She questioned whether today's children
  6. such an inter-
  7. She warned it would be
  8. all they need is
  1. like that
  2. a big mistake
  3. get the tools
  4. facts
  5. cultural world
  6. like migration
  7. was necessary
  8. into subjects

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Finland wants (1) ___________________ being top of the world's education tables. It is planning (2) ___________________ education system to better prepare students for the digital age. A (3) ___________________ this is to put more emphasis on digital and workplace skills. An example of this would (4) ___________________ printers in history classes for students to make models of ancient buildings. There (5) ___________________ vocational training in real-life work settings. Students' performance would be judged by both a teacher (6) ___________________ from the company helping the student.

One teacher explained (7) ___________________ was necessary. She said school is usually divided into (8) ___________________ that students must learn. She said real (9) ___________________ that because our brain is not divided into topics. She added that students needed (10) ___________________ broader way. They must think about the problems in the world, like migration, the economy, the post-truth era. She questioned whether today's children (11) ___________________ deal with such an inter-cultural world. She warned it would be a big mistake to let children believe that the world is simple, (12) ___________________ need is facts.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Finlandwantsmorethanalwaysbeingtopoftheworld'seducationtables
.Itisplanningtoreformitseducationsystemtobetterpreparestudentsf
orthedigitalage.Akeypartofthisistoputmoreemphasisondigitalandw
orkplaceskills.Anexampleofthiswouldbetouse3Dprintersinhistorycla
ssesforstudentstomakemodelsofancientbuildings.Therewillalsobev
ocationaltraininginreal-lifeworksettings.Students'performancew
ouldbejudgedbybothateacherandbyanofficialfromthecompanyhelpi
ngthestudent.Oneteacherexplainedwhyachangewasnecessary.She
saidschoolisusuallydividedintosubjectsandfactsthatstudentsmustle
arn.Shesaidreallifeisnotlikethatbecauseourbrainisnotdividedintotop
ics.Sheaddedthatstudentsneededtothinkinabroaderway.Theymustt
hinkabouttheproblemsintheworld,likemigration,theeconomy,thepo
st-truthera.Shequestionedwhethertoday'schildrengetthetoolstodea
lwithsuchaninterculturalworld.Shewarneditwouldbeabigmistaketol
etchildrenbelievethattheworldissimple,andthatalltheyneedisfacts.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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