12 Education: debates and issues

Question 1

Better-off

Answer 1

to have more money than you had in the past or more money than most other people
bullying

Question 2

Comprehensive school

Answer 2

a school in the UK for children of all abilities

Question 3

Curriculum reform

Answer 3

The process of making changes to the curriculum with the intent of making learning and teaching more meaningful and effective

Question 4

Depressing

Answer 4

causing a damaging reduction in economic activity

Question 5

Elitism

Answer 5

the belief that some things are only for a few people who have special qualities or abilities

Question 6

Equality of opportunity

Answer 6

the right to be treated without discrimination, especially on the grounds of one’s sex, race, or age

Question 7

Excel

Answer 7

to be extremely good at something

Question 8

Inherent in

Answer 8

existing in something as a permanent, essential, or characteristic attribute

Question 9

League tables

Answer 9

a list of the competitors in a league, showing their ranking according to performance in a particular season
a comparison of achievement or merit in a competitive area.

Question 10

Less well-off

Answer 10

have less money

Question 11

Lifelong/continuing education

Answer 11

education provided for adults after they have left the formal education system, consisting typically of short or part-time courses.

Question 12

Literacy

Answer 12

the ability to read and write

Question 13

Mature student

Answer 13

a student at a college or university who is older than the usual age

Question 14

Numeracy

Answer 14

ability to do basic mathematics

Question 15

One-to-one

Answer 15

involves two people talking directly, usually with one teaching or giving information to the other

Question 16

Perceives

Answer 16

to come to an opinion about something, or have a belief about something

Question 17

Peripatetic teacher

Answer 17

traveling schoolteachers

Question 18

Perpetuate

Answer 18

to cause something to continue

Question 19

Inequalities

Answer 19

the unfair situation in society when some people have more opportunities, money, etc. than other people

Question 20

PTA

Answer 20

parent-teacher association

Question 21

School governors

Answer 21

are responsible for overseeing the management side of a school

Question 22

Selective schooling

Answer 22

a school that admits students on the basis of some sort of selection criteria, usually academic.

Question 23

Special needs education

Answer 23

education for children with special needs that mean they need to be taught in a different way from other children

Question 24

Supply teacher

Answer 24

a teacher who replaces teachers who are absent from work

Question 25

The three Rs

Answer 25

used to refer to the basic areas of education: reading, writing, and mathematics

Question 26

Two-tier system

Answer 26

used to describe a system that is not the same for all groups of people, and gives more advantages to one group than to another group

Question 27

Well-endowed

Answer 27

having a lot of something, especially money or possessions