Choose the most suitable heading for each paragraph.
1) What is Education?
2) Formal Education.
3) Informal Education.
4) Different Kinds of Formal Education.
B. Make a précis of the text, using the following phrases.
1. The title of the text is…
2. The text is about… The text deals with…
3. The text covers such points as…
4. It should be underlined that…
5. In conclusion I should say that…
6. To my mind… In my opinion…
156
INFORMAL AND FORMAL EDUCATION
Education includes different kinds of learning experiences. In its
broadest sense, we consider education to be the ways in which people learn
skills, gain knowledge and understanding about the world and about themselves. One useful scheme for discussing education is to divide these ways
of learning into the two types: informal and formal.
Informal education involves people in learning during their daily life.
For example, children learn their language simply by hearing and by trying to speak themselves. In the same informal manner they learn to dress
themselves, to eat with good manners, to ride a bicycle or to make a telephone call. Education is also informal when people try to get information
or to learn skills on their own initiative without a teacher. To do so, they
may visit a book shop, library or museum. They may watch a television
show, look at a videotape or listen to a radio programme. They do not have
to pass tests or exams.
We consider formal education to be the instruction given at different kinds of schools, colleges, universities. In most countries people enter
a system of formal education during their early childhood. In this type of
education the people who are in charge of education decide what to teach.
Then learners study those things with the teachers at the head. Teachers expect learners to come to school regularly and on time, to work at about the
same speed as their classmates and to pass tests and exams. Learners have
to pass the exams to show how well they have progressed in their learning.
At the end of their learning learners may earn a diploma, a certificate or
a degree as a mark of their success over the years.
The school systems of all modern nations provide both general and
vocational education. Most countries also offer special education programmes for gifted or for physically or mentally handicapped children.
Adult education programmes are provided for people who wish to take up
their education after leaving school. Most countries spend a large amount
of time and money for formal education of their citizens.
