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Learning a New Education System
In this unit you will build upon what you may already know about the American education system.
You will learn vocabulary and terminology used in the application and enrollment processes for college and university. This will help those of you planning to take credit classes in the future to make a smooth transition.
Finally, you will use what you know about the education system in your native country and what you have learned about the American system to write a paragraph explaining a few similarities and differences between the two. In your speaking and writing, you will work specifically on the grammar for making comparisons.
Learning objectives. By the end of this learning unit, you will be able to do the following:
- Identify key information in a lecture.
- Interpret key information from an authentic text using a variety of reading strategies (for example, comprehend vocabulary words and phrases using context clues, make inferences, skim, scan).
- Compose a well-organized, coherent paragraph comparing and contrasting two educational systems.
- Revise content, organization, grammar, and mechanics in your writing from feedback.
In order to achieve the learning goals above, complete the following assignments by following the steps below. If you have questions about any of the materials or if there is anything you do not understand at any point in the learning unit, please contact your instructor.
1. Listening and note-taking.
Learn about American education system by listening to a lecture and taking notes.
- Download this handout: American Education System. Answer as many questions as you can in Part I by writing short answers. Preview the note-taking form in Part II.
- Then watch the video lecture “American Education System” as many times as needed in order to identify the key information by taking notes from the lecture in Part II. The answers for Part I are provided at the end of the video. After you watch the video lecture and take notes, think about how this system is similar to and different from the education system in the country where you received the majority of your schooling before coming to United States.
2. Reading.
Now you will learn how to read a schedule of credit college classes.
- First, learn and practice some words commonly used for college application and enrollment with these College Words Flashcards. Select “Practice Mode” or play the games “Match Game” or “Waterfall Game.”
- Now download and print out this How to Read the College Schedule PDF file. (source: MiraCosta College Spring 2015 Credit Class Schedule page 4, accessed online). Read it over paying special attention to the definitions.
- Then watch this video with built-in questions, “Reading a College Class Schedule,” which will provide you with more practice using a class schedule to locate specific class information, and answer the questions within the tour.
Last, test your ability to interpret key information from MiraCosta College’s current class schedule by using various reading strategies. Take this 10-question, 10-point short-answer Reading a College Class Schedule quiz:
3. Let’s review and practice grammar!
When comparing and contrasting people, places, or things, we use comparative and superlative adjectives (describing words), and we use comparative and superlative adverbs to describe actions, among other things.
- Download this file: Comparative and Superlative Adjectives and Adverbs Notes. Print it out and take notes and fill out the table as you view this PowerPoint Slideshow (source: Fundamentals of English Grammar PowerPoint Supplements, Chapter 9 Comparisons, accessed online). Note: To view the PowerPoint file with animations, download it. If the file does not open, the computer you are using may not have PowerPoint installed. You can still view the file by downloading the Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer.
- Complete the following exercises in your textbook, Fundamentals of English Grammar Workbook: page 151 Practice 6, page 153 Practice 9, pages 164-165 Practices 27 and 28, page 168 Practice 33. Check your answers in the back of the book in the Answer Key pages 25 – 27.
- Check your comprehension with this 10-question Comparative and Superlative Forms quiz:
- Practice sentence writing and conversation. Download this file and follow the instructions: Comparative and Superlative Writing and Conversation.
4. Writing.
Now it is time to use what you have learned and practice your writing! Synthesize all you have learned by writing a comparison / contrast paragraph.
- Download and view this paragraph prompt: Comparison / Contrast Paragraph. Print it if you like. On this document or on a separate paper, make a Venn diagram (the two overlapped circles you see on the document). In the middle, write key words for similarities between the education systems in your native country and that of the USA. Now it is time to use what you have learned and practice your writing! On the left side, write key words for 2 – 3 features that are different in your native country’s education system. On the right side, write key words for 2 – 3 features that are different in the American education system.
- Read the requirements and the sample comparison / contrast paragraph on the paragraph prompt on page 3.
- Using the outline on page 2 of the comparison / contrast paragraph prompt document to guide you, compose the first draft of the education systems comparison / contrast paragraph. It is preferable that you use Microsoft Word (you can see this video for information on how to format your document).
- Submit your document to your teacher.
- Using your teacher’s comments and suggestions, revise and re-submit your second draft.
- Finally, you will receive your second draft with brief comments and editing marks for final revisions. These are the symbols that will help you understand what errors you need to correct in your paragraph: Editing Marks. The final version of your paragraph will be graded using this rubric: Comparison / Contrast Paragraph Rubric.
Remember: Writing is the last and most difficult skill to acquire and master in any language! See or email your teacher if you have questions or visit your school’s writing center.
Continue your learning with the Careers Webquest, What is a Good Career for Me?
“We came to America, either ourselves or in the persons of our ancestors, to better the ideals of men, to make them see finer things than they had seen before, to get rid of the things that divide and to make sure of the things that unite.”
-- Former U.S. President Woodrow Wilson
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