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• Jose Heredia

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EL

SISTEMA

EDUCATIVO

EN

EL

ÁMBITO

ANGLOSAJÓN

O. INTRODUCTION 1.EDUCATION IN BRITAIN. GENERAL OVERVIEW 2. EDUCATIONAL STAGES IN DETAIL 3. PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE UK 4. EDUCATION IN ENGLAND COMPARED TO OTHER ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES 5. CONCLUSION 6. BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. INTRODUCTION The word education is derived from the Latin educare meaning "to raise", "to bring up", "to train", "to rear". In recent times the myth has arisen of its derivation from a different verb: educere, meaning "to lead out" or "to lead forth"; however the English word from this verb is "eduction": drawing out. This false etymology is used to bolster one of the theories behind the function of education—to develop innate abilities and expand horizons. It is widely accepted that the process of education begins at birth and continues throughout life. Some believe that education begins even earlier than this, as evidenced by some parents' playing music or

reading to the baby in the hope it will influence the child's development. Education is often used to refer solely to formal education. However, it covers a range of experiences, from formal learning to the building of understanding through day to day experiences. At least since Rousseau's time, the philosophy of education has been linked

to

theories

of

developmental

psychology

and

human

development. Education was the natural response of early civilizations to the struggle of surviving as a culture. Adults trained the young of their society in the knowledge and skills they would need to master and eventually pass on. The evolution of culture, and human beings as a species depended on this practice of transmitting knowledge. When cultures began to extend their knowledge beyond the basic skills of communicating, trading, gathering food, religious practices, etc, formal education, and schooling, eventually followed. Basic education today is considered those skills that are necessary to function in society. It would be a very interesting approach to study how this schooling developed all around the world, but because of time constraints we will only focus on our purpose of study: The educational system in Anglo-Saxon countries.

2. EDUCATION IN BRITAIN. GENERAL OVERVIEW More than 90 percent of pupils in the UK attend publicly-funded state schools. Approximately 8.5 million children attend one of the 30,000

schools in England and Wales; in Scotland, 830,000 children attend about

5,000

schools,

including

pre-schools

and

other

special

education schools; and Northern Ireland sends 350,000 children to 1,300 state schools. Primary schools usually include both girls and boys as pupils. Secondary schools may be either single-sex or coeducational. The relevant education departments in England, Scotland and Wales dispense funding for schools through a Local Education Authority (or Education Authority in Scotland). In Northern Ireland, schools are largely financed from public funds through five Education and Library Boards. By law, all children of compulsory school age (between 5 and 16) must receive a full-time education. The UK introduced a National Curriculum in 1992 and state schools are required to adhere to it until students reach age 14. However, independent or 'public' schools are not obliged to do so. The National Curriculum defines four 'key stages:' 

Key stage 1: up to age seven (Years 1 and 2). Non- core subjects are music, history, geography and art)



Key stage 2: age seven to eleven (Years 3, 4, 5 and 6)

Non- core subjects in key stage 1 and 2 are music, history, geography and art. 

Key stage 3: age eleven to fourteen (Years 7, 8 and 9). Students take the same non-core subjects plus moder foreign languages and citizenship.



Key stage 4: age fourteen to sixteen (Years 10 and 11 preparation

for

academic

and

equivalent

vocational

qualifications). It no longer includes music , history, geography or art but still includes modern languages and citizenship. National Curriculum core subjects are: English, mathematics and science; Welsh is a core subject in Welsh-speaking schools. Northern Ireland follows a similar framework; however, schools can develop additional curriculum elements to express their particular ethos and meet pupils' individual needs and circumstances.

The

curriculum also includes the Irish language in Irish speaking schools. After five years of secondary education, students take examinations in a range of subjects at the level of General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). The GCSE is a single-subject examination set and marked by independent examination boards. Students usually take up to ten (there is no upper or lower limit) GCSE examinations in different subjects, including mathematics and English language. After taking GCSEs, students may leave secondary schooling; alternatively, they may choose to continue their education at vocational or technical colleges, or they may take a higher level of secondary school examinations known as

AS-Levels after an

additional year of study. Following two years of study, students may take A-Level (short for Advanced Level) examinations, which are required for university entrance in the UK.

3. EDUCATIONAL STAGES IN DETAIL Elementary school The elementary school consists of the first seven years of school, that is, grades 1 through 5 or 6, as well as kindergarten , a preliminary

year of school before grade 1 (known in England and Wales as ' Reception '). Originally, however, it was studied after primary school in the 19th century, (some schools that have only the youngest students are called primary schools to this day). Secondary education In education in the United Kingdom, a grammar school is a secondary school attended by pupils aged 11 to 18 to which entry is controlled by means of an academically selective process consisting, largely or exclusively, of a written examination. After leaving a grammar school, as with any other secondary school, a student may go into further education at a college or university. To understand grammar schools in the UK, some history is needed. After World War II, the government reorganised the secondary schools into two basic types. Secondary moderns were intended for children who would be going into a trade and concentrated on the basics plus practical skills; grammar schools were intended for children who would be going on to higher education and concentrated on the classics, science, etc. This system lasted until the 1960s, at which point changes in the political climate led to the general acceptance that this was a discriminatory system which was not getting the best out of all children. This was partly because some authorities tended to prioritise their budgets on the grammar schools, damaging the education prospects of children attending secondary moderns. The decision was taken to switch to a single type of school designed to give every child a complete education. That is why this new type of school is called a comprehensive school. However the timetable of the changeover was left to the local authorities, some of whom were very resistant to the whole idea and thus dragged their feet for as

long as possible. The result is that there is now a mixture. Most authorities run a proper comprehensive system, a few run essentially the old system of secondary moderns and grammar schools (except the secondary moderns are now called "comprehensives"). One of the greatest attacks on the comprehensive system is that it leads, in essence, to selection on the grounds of wealth as the good schools are generally located in areas with expensive housing, so children from poor areas are denied the possibility of attending them. Conversely, there are many who think that the selection of children at 11 divides them into "successes" and "failures" at that age, and is therefore wrong. Higher education Nearly one third of students go to university. Undergraduate programs usually take 3 years to complete while Professional Degrees such as Medicine, Law, Teaching take 5 years. Afterwards students can choose between a Taught Master Degree which takes 1 year to complete or a Research Master Degree which lasts 2 years. Admission to do a research degree in the UK typically requires the sponsorship

of

a

professor

and

depends

upon

having

an

undergraduate degree, generally in a related subject. It is very difficult to obtain funding for postgraduate study in the UK. There are a few scholarships for master's courses, but these are rare and dependent on the course and class of undergraduate degree obtained. Most master's students are self-funded.

4. Public schools in the UK A public school, in common British usage, is a school which is usually prestigious and historic, which charges fees, does not arbitrarily restrict admissions, and is financed by bodies other than the state, commonly as a private charitable trust. Often but not always they are boarding schools. Confusingly to a non-native English speaker a public school is actually a private school! In British usage, a government-run school (which would be called a 'public school' in other areas, such as the United States ) is called a state school. Many of the independent schools in the UK do not refer to themselves as public schools. Many choose to use the term independent school. In part this is due to a sense that some 'minor' public schools have many of the social associations and traditions of public schools but without the quality of teaching and extracurricular activities. The term 'public' (first adopted by Eton) historically refers to the fact that the school was open to the paying public, as opposed to, a religious school that was only open to members of a certain church, and in contrast to private education at home (usually only practical for the very wealthy who could afford tutors). Public schools played an important role in the development of the Victorian social elite. Under a number of forward-looking headmasters leading public schools developed a curriculum based heavily on classics and physical activity for boys and young men of the upper and upper middle classes. They were schools for the gentlemanly elite of Victorian politics, armed forces and colonial government. Often successful businessmen would send their sons to public school as a mark of participation in the elite.

Public schools often relied heavily on the maintenance of discipline by older boys, both to reduce staffing costs and as preparation for military or public service. While under the best circumstances the Victorian public schools were superb examples of education, the reliance on corporal punishment and the prefect system could also make them awful. The classicsbased curriculum was criticised for not providing skills in sciences or engineering. The public school system influenced the school systems of the British empire to an extent. Recognisably 'public' schools can be found in many Commonwealth countries. Today most public schools are highly selective on academic grounds, as well as financial grounds (ability to pay high fees) and social grounds (often a family connection to the school is very desirable in admissions). There is also a slang peculiar or originating from public schools such as Eton or Westminster. Some examples would be: Bad egg = a nasty and unpleasant person Fag = a junior who acts as servant for a sixth –former God = a prefect or sixth former Good Egg = a trustworthy or reliable person Muzz = to read Newbie = new boy Shell = a boy in the youngest year

5. EDUCATION IN ENGLAND COMPARED TO OTHER ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES Education in England may differ from the system used elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Basically, there are two systems: one covering England, Wales and Northern Ireland and one covering Scotland. The two education systems have different emphases. Wales differs slightly from the system used in England. The key stage tests in Wales were, until 2000, the same as in England and were managed by the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority (SCAA). In 2000, the National Assembly for Wales took responsibility for these tests in Wales. Two sets of national examinations are held. The first set, the Standard Grade examinations, take place in the Fourth year of secondary school and show basic education level. The second set, the Higher examinations take place in the Fifth and Sixth years. A third level, Advanced Higher, is sometimes taken by students intending to study at an English university, or those wishing to pass straight into second year at a Scottish university, and covers the gap between the Scottish "Higher" level and the English "Advanced" level courses, although there is not always a one-to-one mapping. The Northern Irish system emphasises a greater depth of education compared to the English and Welsh systems. The majority of examinations sat, and education plans followed, in Northern Irish schools are set by the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment ( CCEA ). School holidays in Northern Ireland are also considerably different to the rest of the United Kingdom. Northern Irish schools generally only get 1 day off for the half term holiday (in February, May and October. Christmas holidays usually only consist of a week or so, the same

with the Easter vacation, compared to England two weeks. The major difference however is that Northern Irish summer holidays are considerably longer with the entirety of July and August off giving a nine week summer holiday.

5. EDUCATION IN USA From Hawaii to Delaware, from Alaska to Louisiana, each of the 50 states has its own laws regulating education. From state to state, some laws are similar while others are not. For example: 

All states require young people to attend school. The age limit varies, however. Most states require attendance up to age 16, some up to 18. Thus, every child in America receives at least 11 years of education. This is true regardless of a child's sex, race, religion, learning problems, physical handicaps, ability to speak English, citizenship, or status as an immigrant. (Although some members of Congress have advocated permitting the states to deny public education to children of illegal immigrants, such a proposal has not become law.)



Some states play a strong central role in the selection of learning

material

for

their

students.

For

example,

state

committees may decide which textbooks can be purchased with state funds. The United States does not have a national school system. Nor, with the exception of the military academies (for example, the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland), are there schools run by the federal government. But the government provides guidance and funding for federal educational programs in which both public and private schools take part, and the U.S. Department of Education oversees these programs. The curriculum varies widely in quality and rigidity; for example, some states consider 70 (on a 100-point scale)

to be a passing grade, while others consider it to be as low as 60 or as high as 75. The following are the typical minimum course sequences that one must take in order to obtain a high school diploma: 

Science (biology, chemistry, and physics)



Mathematics (usually three years minimum, including algebra, geometry, algebra II, and/or precalculus/trigonometry)



English (four years)



Social Science (various history, government, and economics courses, always including American history)



Physical education (at least one year)

Many states require a "Health" course in which students learn anatomy, nutrition, and first aid; the basic concepts of sexuality and birth control; and why to avoid substances like illegal drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol. In addition to required courses -- for example, a year of American history, two years of literature, etc. -- secondary schools, like colleges, typically offer electives. Popular electives include performing arts, driver's education, cooking, and "shop" (use of tools, carpentry, and repair of machinery). Almost 90 percent of American students below the college level attend public elementary and secondary schools, which do not charge tuition but rely on local and state taxes for funding. Traditionally, elementary school includes kindergarten through the eighth grade. In some places, however, elementary school ends after the sixth grade, and students attend middle school, or junior high

school,

from

grades

seven

through

nine.

Similarly,

secondary school, or high school, traditionally comprises grades nine through twelve, but in some places begins at the tenth grade.

Most of the students who do not attend public elementary and secondary schools attend private schools, for which their families pay tuition. Four out of five private schools are run by religious groups. In these schools religious instruction is part of the curriculum, which also includes the traditional academic courses. There is also a small but

growing

number

of

parents

who

educate

their

children

themselves, a practice known as home schooling. In American parlance, a college is a four-year institution of higher learning that offers courses in related subjects. A liberal arts college, for

example,

offers

courses

in

literature,

languages,

history,

philosophy, and the sciences, while a business college offers courses in

accounting,

investment,

and

marketing.

Many

colleges

are

independent and award bachelor's degrees to those completing a program of instruction that typically takes four years. But colleges can also be components of universities. A large university typically comprises several colleges, graduate programs in various fields, one or more professional schools (for example, a law school or a medical school), and one or more research facilities. (Americans often use the word "college" as shorthand for either a college or a university.) Unlike public elementary and secondary schools, public colleges and universities usually charge tuition. However, the amount often is much lower than that charged by comparable private institutions, which do not receive the same level of public support. Many students attend college -- whether public or private -- with the benefit of federal loans that must be repaid after graduation. There is no clear distinction between the quality of education provided at public and private colleges or institutions. The public universities of California and Virginia, for example, are generally rated on a par with the Ivy League, an association of eight prestigious private schools in the north-eastern United States. This does not

mean that all institutions are equal, however. A student who has graduated from a highly regarded college may have a distinct advantage as he or she seeks employment. Thus, competition to get into the more renowned schools can be intense. In addition to the challenge to be excellent, American schools have been facing novel problems. They must cope with an influx of immigrant children, many of whom speak little or no English. They must respond to demands that the curriculum reflect the various cultures of all children. Schools must make sure that students develop basic skills for the job market, and they must consider the needs of non traditional students, such as teen-age mothers. Schools are addressing these problems in ways that reflect the diversity of the U.S. educational system. They are hiring or training large numbers of teachers of English as a second language and, in some communities, setting up bilingual schools. They are opening up the traditional European-centered curriculum to embrace material from African, Asian, and other cultures. 6. CONCLUSION It's no secret that the US educational system doesn't do a very good job. Like clockwork, studies show that America's school kids lag behind their peers in pretty much every industrialized nation. We hear shocking statistics about the percentage of high-school seniors who can't find the US on an unmarked map of the world or who don't know who Abraham Lincoln was. So as we can see problems in finding the most suitable educational system for our children and teenagers is a common problem to all nations. Some are more successful than others. Spanish governments

are continuously launching new reforms for our educational system but still having difficulties in finding the most appropriate one. If our ss think that they have nothing in common with their English counterparts, studying their educational system they can realize how similar both institutions are which can be a point of motivation towards the subject of English as a foreign language. Furthermore they can develop critical attitudes comparing both systems and trying to find the ways to improve their own educational system making proposals. Aspects of Britain and USA Magazine Think in English www.eurycides.com www.encarta.com