Using the Chalkboard

266. As already mentioned (in unit 127), chalkboard is now replacing blackboard. However, the full form is not often used in the classroom; simply board is quite clear enough in most cases. Here are some examples of usage:

a. Everybody look at the board.

b. John, please come out and write that sentence on the
board.

е. Mary, will you do the exercise on the board, please.

d. Now I'm going to put (up)lwrite the answers on the
board.

e. / want you to copy the sentences from the board.

f. Clean the board, please, John.

g. Rub the last word out. It's wrong.

h. Have you all finished copying the poem? Can I rub it off?

In English schools the board is cleaned either with a spe­cial board rubber, consisting of a piece of thick felt fixed to a piece of wood, or a duster. Sponges are not usual.

Note that teachers call pupils to the board only if they are to write something on it. Otherwise they ask them to come to the front (see unit 264).

Homework

267. The meaning of homework and related words is explained in units 303-306. Here we give examples of usage in the class­room.

At the end of a lesson the teacher may set the class home­work. (In English schools homework is set not after every les-on but only according to the homework timetable.) The follow­ing sentences can be used when setting reading homework:

a. For homework you are to read chapter ten.

b. Finish reading the story for homework/at home.

е. Please read up to page 50 for homework/at home.

Similarly with learning homework:

d. / want you to learn this poem (by heart) for homework.

e. For homework you are to learn the vocabulary on
page 45.

A teacher setting written homework may say, for example:

f.— For (your) homework I want you to do the transla­tion on page 87.

g.— You are to finish this exercise for homework. h.— Your homework is (to do) exercise 4 on page 19.

As explained in unit 303, the word homework tends to be avoided in colleges and universities. Here such sentences as the following are preferred:

i. For

next time/week you are to read/prepare up

to page 75. the next class Monday

j. / want you to translate this passage by next Tuesday.

268. If reading or learning homework was set at the end of the previous lesson, the teacher begins by testing the pupils on it. One may also say that he gives the class a test on their homework.

He may say, for example:

or ... on the vocabulary you were/had to learn for homework. ... on the passage/chapter you were/had to read at home.

A test may be oral or written; in the case of tests on home­work it is usually a series of questions designed to find out whether the work has been done, and done properly. Oral questions are addressed to the whole class and then answered by different pupils. (In English schools it is not customary to call on one pupil to reproduce a passage read at home.)

In some cases teachers use to ask about/on instead of to test.

e.g. — First I'm going to ask you (some questions) about/on the chapter you were to read for homework.

This is a less formal way of expressing oneself, but the ef­fect may be exactly the same as a test. It is simply a matter of personal style.

In the case of learning homework, the teacher may say: — Now I want you to recite the poem you learnt for homework (not read, which means from a written or printed text).

If a class or group of students have been asked to find out about some subject, or to prepare a talk, the teacher may say, for example:

have you found out about ...? can you tell us about ...? can you say about ...?

tell us about ... talk to us about ... give us your ideas about/on ...

Note that marks are not usually given for oral work in class.

269. In the case of written homework done in rough (see unit 233) mark, correct or go through are used, for example:

— First we'll mark/correct/go through the homework. or ... the exercise/translation you did for homework.

(For the distinctions between these verbs, see units 346-348.) If the teacher wants the pupils/students to suggest answers, he can say, for example:

— Susan, what

for

or Read out your (first) sentence/answer, please.

or Give me your answer to number one.

or How did you translate the first/next sentence?

He may then ask the class:

— Do you all agree with that?

give (me) a better answer I translation? improve on that?

or Have you all got that/the same?

Note that a pupil who has not brought his book to the les­son should say:

— I've forgotten (to bring) my book.
or — I've left my book at home.

but not: *— I've forgotten my book at home.

If the homework has already been marked by the teacher, he can say to one of the pupils/students:

— Give out the homework books, please, (see unit 216)
and then to the class:

— Now

go over the homework.

or Now we II go over the exercise/translation you did for home­work.

What has been said about written homework can be ap­plied to students too when the situation calls for it, although, as explained in unit 303, the word homework itself tends to be avoided in universities and colleges.

270. Note that it is not usual in England for teachers to ask the class what they had to do for homework, since this may give the impression that the teacher has forgotten what he set, and thus provide an opportunity for argument. However, if Soviet teachers want to ask this question, the correct forms are:

— What did I give/set you for homework?

— What was your homework?

— What did you have to do for homework?

Teachers sometimes ask their pupils:

— How did you get on with your homework?

meaning: Did you find it 'easy or difficult? Did you manage to do it? Did it take you long?

If a pupil/student has not done what was set, he may say:

I haven't done the/my homework. I'm not prepared.

— Гт sorry. I haven t prepared this chapter.

— Г т afraid I didn't have time to learn the vocabulary.

Ready means physically ready, that is, sitting quietly in one's place with everything one needs for the lesson.

If a pupil/student seems to be unprepared, or badly pre­pared, the teacher can ask, for example:

— Have you prepared this text/chapter?

or — How long did you spend on your homework?

Leaving the Class

271. Many teachers in England do not take formal leave of
their classes. They bring their lesson to an obvious conclusion,
sometimes with a remark such as:

— That's all for today.

or a reference to the next lesson, then collect their books together and go. University teachers rarely take leave of their students after lectures, although they do so more often when there is a smaller group, saying, for example, "See you next week".

If Soviet teachers want to use some form of leave-taking the possibilities are:

— Good-bye, or — See you next week.

or — You may/can go now. (unless the class is staying in the заще room)

XI. VARIOUS FORMS OF TEACHING

IN ENGLAND

272. lesson

This is a general word used mainly, although not exclu­sively, in schools.

e.g. a. English schoolchildren usually have six or seven lessons a day, five days a week.

The type of lesson can be specifed, as follows:

English/French/history lesson, etc.

Note that this is preferable to lesson in English/French! history, which is rarely used in England.

grammar lesson— lesson spent on grammar

oral lesson— lesson spent on some kind of oral work

Date: 2016-04-22; view: 884