Inside Out

Education issues WORKSHEET A

Sara
I’m a teacher of French and Spanish, and I think foreign languages are one of the
areas where it’s good to be creative. Young people need to learn foreign languages by
speaking them and doing fun activities like role-plays instead of just doing written
exercises. Of course there is some hard work in learning a language, like trying to
remember all those verbs, but I think it’s a good idea to try to make classroom
activities as enjoyable as possible.

Nick
I left school four years ago, and looking back, one thing I’d say about the education
system is that there are too many exams. Instead of being able to enjoy learning about
something, you’re always worried about when the next test is, what questions are
going to be in it, and whether or not you’re going to pass. I also think there should be
fewer compulsory subjects. I had to study physics until I was 16 but I never had any
interest in it, and I’ve now forgotten everything I learned. It feels like it was a waste
of time.

Robert
As a teacher for more than thirty years, I think these days there’s too much emphasis
on letting young people ‘express themselves’ in the classroom, and not enough
emphasis on discipline. Most of my colleagues have problems with pupils who are
always messing around in lessons. These kids don’t respect the teachers or the other
pupils, and we shouldn’t have to put up with them – it should be easier to suspend or
expel them if they don’t behave.

Diane
These days you see so many young people who can’t seem to write anything, not even
a short email, without lots of spelling and punctuation mistakes. When I was at school
the education system used to concentrate on reading, writing and maths – and
sometimes, as a parent of young children myself, I worry that we’ve now moved too
far away from that.

This page has been downloaded from www.insideout.net.

It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. Copyright © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2008.
 Inside Out
Education issues WORKSHEET B

Complete the crossword below. If all the words are correct, a subject that is
compulsory in most schools around the world will read from top to bottom.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

1. Diane says she sees lots of ___________ in young people’s writing.

2. Sara thinks it’s impossible to learn a ___________ without some hard work.
3. Sara thinks it’s good for teachers of foreign languages to be ___________.
4. Robert says most of his colleagues have problems with pupils who don’t
___________ in lessons.
5. Nick thinks he had to do too many ___________ when he was at school.
6. Nick gives physics as an example of a subject that was ___________ at his
school.
7. Diane thinks reading, writing and maths are very ___________.
8. Sara gives role-plays as an example of a possible ___________ in foreign-
language lessons.
9. Robert feels that ___________ is not emphasised enough in the classroom.
10. Diane thinks lots of young people have bad ___________.
11. Nick thinks there are some problems with the education ___________.

This page has been downloaded from www.insideout.net.

It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. Copyright © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2008.
 Inside Out
Education issues WORKSHEET C

Now fill in the gaps to complete the text.

Sara
I’m a teacher of French and Spanish, and I think foreign languages are one of the
(1) ar _ _ s where it’s good to be creative. Young people need to learn foreign
languages by (2) s _ _ _ k _ _ g them and doing (3) _ _ n activities like role-plays
instead of just doing written exercises. Of course there is some hard work in learning
a language, like trying to remember all those (4) v _ r _ _, but I think it’s a good idea
to try to make classroom activities as (5) enj _ _ a _ l _ as possible.

Nick
I (6) _ _ ft school four years ago, and looking back, one thing I’d say about the
education system is that there are too many (7) _ _ ams. Instead of being able to enjoy
learning about something, you’re always (8) w _ _ _ ied about when the next test is,
what questions are going to be in it, and whether or not you’re going to (9) _ _ ss.
I also think there should be (10) f _ _ er compulsory (11) s _ _ je _ t _. I had to study
physics until I was 16 but I never had any interest in it, and I’ve now forgotten
everything I learned. It feels like it was a (12) w _ s _ e of time.

Robert
As a teacher for more than thirty years, I think these days there’s too much emphasis
on letting young people ‘express themselves’ in the (13) c _ _ _ _ r _ _ m, and not
enough emphasis on discipline. Most of my (14) coll _ _ _ ues have problems with
pupils who are always (15) m _ ss _ _ _ around in lessons. These kids don’t
(16) r _ s _ e _ t the teachers or the other pupils, and we shouldn’t have to (17) p _ _
up with them – it should be easier to suspend or expel them if they don’t behave.

Diane
These days you see so many young people who can’t seem to write anything, not even
a short email, without lots of (18) sp _ _ l _n _ and punctuation mistakes.
When I was at school the education system used to (19) conc _ _ tra _ _ on reading,
writing and maths – and sometimes, as a (20) pa _ _ n _ of young children myself, I
worry that we’ve now moved too far away from that.

This page has been downloaded from www.insideout.net.

It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. Copyright © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2008.