Laboratory Work №3

LIVE AND LEARN

MP3 AUDIO 3.3

1. In your opinion, what are the reasons students stay away from school? Think about boredom, influence of friends, problems at school, family problems. What problems can truancy cause a student?
There are a lot of reasons students stay away from school. First of all, it may be connected with boring lessons at school. When a child isn’t interested in studying, it’s difficult to convince him to attend all lessons. Another reason is problems at school, problems with classmates or teachers. If a child faces with difficulties during lessons and breaks, if he has a lot of quarrels with classmates, he will play truants in order to avoid these situations.

2. You are going to listen to the interview with headmaster of East Crompton Comprehensive School Dr. Charles Greenway. For questions 1-7 choose the correct answer (A, B or C).

1     Dr Greenway implies that some children who play truant
A   do so in order to earn money.
B    behave badly in public.
C   are never punished.
2    Why do some parents take their children on holiday during term time?
A   Because it's peak season.
B   To spend time together as a family.
C   To save money.
3    Why is it difficult for schools to convince students to attend regularly?
A   Parents set a bad example for them. 
B   There is no good reason to attend.
C   Some teachers behave irresponsibly.
4    How has the government reacted to truancy?
A   They have been trying to stop it for years. 
B   They are only just beginning to help.
C   They think it is too late to do anything.
5    Why are the government having talks with travel agents?
A   To convince them to offer parents cheap holidays.
B    To make sure that children don't play truant.
C   To get help from them in combating truancy.
6    What are the aims of 'behaviour improvement projects'?
A   To teach parents to be nwe responsible.
B   To teach students the lessons they have missed
C   To teach students to take school more serious
7    What does Dr Greenway say about the law against truancy?
A   The law is not strict enough.
B    Parents are not often prosecuted.
C    Many parents face criminal charges.

3. Which of the following things would be most effective in combating truancy? Rank them and give a short account describing your choice.

- 1) more interesting lessons – I think, if a child is interested in lessons, he won’t play truant. So, teacher should do their lessons more interesting and more cognitive.
- 2) teaching students to respect school – teachers at school should convince children that school is an essential part of their future life, and that children should get as much as they can in order to be responsible people.
- 3) more responsible parenting – teachers can’t combat truancy themselves, parents should help them. But not all parents think so, they should be more responsible for well-being of their children.
- 4) strict punishment – this moment is also connected with more responsible parents. If a child play truant, parents should find the ways to punish a child.
- 5) police involvement – I think, it’s the less effective way in combating truancy, as children at school are too little to face with police.