Focus 2, Unit 5, Test Review

Read the texts. Match questions 1-5 with the people. Choose Saba, Kyle or Hayley.

Unusual schools

Saba, Bangladesh

I’m so lucky that I have a new school. I live in Bangladesh and we have big problems with the weather. During the rainy season there are a lot of floods, and my old classroom used to get full of water and for weeks I missed lessons. My new school is on a boat so even when the weather is bad we can still study. The boat sails along the river and picks up the children close to their homes. Once everyone is on the boat, our lessons start. It was quite funny at first to feel the room moving as you learnt Maths, Science and all the other subjects but I’ve got used to it now. I think it even helps me to concentrate. It’s not that different to a traditional classroom really. We have desks, a whiteboard and even computers.

Kyle, Australia

When I finished primary school, my parents decided I had to go to a different school to all my friends. I was unhappy at first, but I realise now it was a good decision. Lakeside Academy is very different to most schools. My other friends all have to go to the same compulsory lessons and do everything they are told to do. At Lakeside, each student has their own learning plan. At the start of each semester, every student has a meeting with their teacher and their parents to discuss their goals and what they want to focus on. We still have lessons, but we can choose the subjects that we are most interested in or that are most important for us to improve. All our classes are mixed-ability too so there is less competition, and we never have to learn things by heart. There are a few places like this in Australia, and I hope there will be more in the future.

Hayley, Wales

My sister and I don’t go to school anymore. The journey used to take over an hour and we were so exhausted when we got to school that we couldn’tkeep up with the other students. Our parents decided that it would be better for us to learn at home, so they are our teachers now. We each have our own schedule that our mother helped us to make. She teaches us Maths, English, History and French. Our father teaches us Science and Geography. We both get better grades now although we do have some extra lessons online and with a tutor who comes to our house. I like it because when we are good at a subject, we can learn more quickly. We don’t have to wait for other students to catch up. But I do miss my friends. I go to summer school every year to make friends and spend time with other teenagers, but it’s not the same as seeing your friends every day. At least I have my sister.

Question 1

Who…

sees positives and negatives about their school?

Read the texts. Match questions 1-5 with the people. Choose Saba, Kyle or Hayley.

Unusual schools

Saba, Bangladesh

I’m so lucky that I have a new school. I live in Bangladesh and we have big problems with the weather. During the rainy season there are a lot of floods, and my old classroom used to get full of water and for weeks I missed lessons. My new school is on a boat so even when the weather is bad we can still study. The boat sails along the river and picks up the children close to their homes. Once everyone is on the boat, our lessons start. It was quite funny at first to feel the room moving as you learnt Maths, Science and all the other subjects but I’ve got used to it now. I think it even helps me to concentrate. It’s not that different to a traditional classroom really. We have desks, a whiteboard and even computers.

Kyle, Australia

When I finished primary school, my parents decided I had to go to a different school to all my friends. I was unhappy at first, but I realise now it was a good decision. Lakeside Academy is very different to most schools. My other friends all have to go to the same compulsory lessons and do everything they are told to do. At Lakeside, each student has their own learning plan. At the start of each semester, every student has a meeting with their teacher and their parents to discuss their goals and what they want to focus on. We still have lessons, but we can choose the subjects that we are most interested in or that are most important for us to improve. All our classes are mixed-ability too so there is less competition, and we never have to learn things by heart. There are a few places like this in Australia, and I hope there will be more in the future.

Hayley, Wales

My sister and I don’t go to school anymore. The journey used to take over an hour and we were so exhausted when we got to school that we couldn’tkeep up with the other students. Our parents decided that it would be better for us to learn at home, so they are our teachers now. We each have our own schedule that our mother helped us to make. She teaches us Maths, English, History and French. Our father teaches us Science and Geography. We both get better grades now although we do have some extra lessons online and with a tutor who comes to our house. I like it because when we are good at a subject, we can learn more quickly. We don’t have to wait for other students to catch up. But I do miss my friends. I go to summer school every year to make friends and spend time with other teenagers, but it’s not the same as seeing your friends every day. At least I have my sister.

Question 2

Who...

would like more people to study the same way as them?

Read the texts. Match questions 1-5 with the people. Choose Saba, Kyle or Hayley.

Unusual schools

Saba, Bangladesh

I’m so lucky that I have a new school. I live in Bangladesh and we have big problems with the weather. During the rainy season there are a lot of floods, and my old classroom used to get full of water and for weeks I missed lessons. My new school is on a boat so even when the weather is bad we can still study. The boat sails along the river and picks up the children close to their homes. Once everyone is on the boat, our lessons start. It was quite funny at first to feel the room moving as you learnt Maths, Science and all the other subjects but I’ve got used to it now. I think it even helps me to concentrate. It’s not that different to a traditional classroom really. We have desks, a whiteboard and even computers.

Kyle, Australia

When I finished primary school, my parents decided I had to go to a different school to all my friends. I was unhappy at first, but I realise now it was a good decision. Lakeside Academy is very different to most schools. My other friends all have to go to the same compulsory lessons and do everything they are told to do. At Lakeside, each student has their own learning plan. At the start of each semester, every student has a meeting with their teacher and their parents to discuss their goals and what they want to focus on. We still have lessons, but we can choose the subjects that we are most interested in or that are most important for us to improve. All our classes are mixed-ability too so there is less competition, and we never have to learn things by heart. There are a few places like this in Australia, and I hope there will be more in the future.

Hayley, Wales

My sister and I don’t go to school anymore. The journey used to take over an hour and we were so exhausted when we got to school that we couldn’tkeep up with the other students. Our parents decided that it would be better for us to learn at home, so they are our teachers now. We each have our own schedule that our mother helped us to make. She teaches us Maths, English, History and French. Our father teaches us Science and Geography. We both get better grades now although we do have some extra lessons online and with a tutor who comes to our house. I like it because when we are good at a subject, we can learn more quickly. We don’t have to wait for other students to catch up. But I do miss my friends. I go to summer school every year to make friends and spend time with other teenagers, but it’s not the same as seeing your friends every day. At least I have my sister.

Question 3

Who...

found their school strange in the beginning?