全新版大学英语综合教程第二版课件Unit 8.ppt

Text A Fable of the Lazy Teenager Characteristics of American Education Formal education in the United States consists of elementary, secondary and higher education. Elementary and secondary education is free and compulsory. Some schools colleges and universities are public and others are private. Diversity is considered to be an outstanding characteristic of American education. As each state has the freedom to develop as extensive or limited a school system as it desires, and delegate its power over education to local districts to the extent it wishes, many variations can be found in the education system of the 50 states. The Principal Functions of Institution of Higher Education in American Education The system of higher education has three principal functions: teaching, research and public service.  Educational System in America The U.S. public school system is gigantic, with roughly $314 billion in annual expenditures, 5.4 million employees (2.7 million of which are teachers), and 46 million pupils. It also has many unique qualities that set it apart from school systems in other industrialized nations, such as local control, local funding, and a commitment to provide a kindergarten through 12th grade education to every student who enters the system. When it was created in the mid-19th century, the U.S. public school system was viewed as a means of improving society. This is one of the reasons the system has aimed to serve all pupils for 13 years, while other countries developed educational systems that removed underachieving students at younger ages. The inclusive nature of the U.S. school system has played a crucial role in unifying a nation of immigrants, transmitting national values and concepts, and offering—in theory, if not always in practice—the promise of equal opportunity through equal education. Part II Pre-questions: What is a fable? Would you please tell a fable you know to your classmates? What is your goal of the four year coll