Middle School Recommendations

By Jerilyn Watson
Broadcast: November 27, 2003

This is Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Education Report.
More than nine-million children in the United States attend public middle schools. Middle school is the level between 1)elementary and high school. The first one opened in nineteen-sixty to help ease crowding in existing schools.
Today thirty-thousand teachers, school officials, parents and others belong to the National Middle School Association. This independent group advises and represents schools. This month, the 2)association suggested ways to improve education for students between the ages of ten and fifteen. Its position statement is called "This We Believe: Successful Schools for Young Adolescents."
Sue¹ Swaim is executive² director of the association. Mizz Swaim says there are middle schools that are well on their way to providing the best possible education. But, she says, having some successful schools is not enough. She says all must do better, especially if the nation is to meet the goals of the education law called No Child Left Behind. President Bush signed this law last year. It requires greater testing in schools.
The National Middle School Association says schools should employ teachers who are trained especially to work with students in this age group. It says schools should offer 3)a number of teaching methods. And it says they should form teams of two to four teachers to work with a common group of students.
The association advises middle schools to get students actively³ involved in their learning. It says students learn best when they take part in the teaching process. Schools are also 4)urged to continually measure the progress of students. And they are told that 5)expectations for everyone in the school should be high.
The National Middle School Association also advises schools to create a mission statement. Such a statement describes the needs and goals of a school, and helps guide decisions. Middle schools are also urged to develop an inviting⁴ and safe environment. Students should feel supported.
Further, the association says all the adults in successful middle schools help advise and guide the students. It says successful schools work to get families involved. And these schools recognize that young people can learn more than adults often believe.
This VOA Special English Education Report was written by Jerilyn Watson. This is Steve Ember.

注释：
1) elementary [7eli5mentEri] adj.小学的，属于小学的
2) association [E7sEusi5eiFEn] n.协会
3) a number of  许多的
4) urge [E:dV] vt.奖励，鼓励
5) expectation [7ekspek5teiFEn] n.期待, 预料

1 sue   

vt.控告，起诉；vi.请求，追求，起诉

参考例句：

• If you don't pay me the money,I'll sue you.如果你不付给我钱，我就告你。
• The war criminals sue for peace.战犯求和。

2 executive   

adj.执行的，行政的；n.执行者，行政官，经理

参考例句：

• A good executive usually gets on well with people.一个好的高级管理人员通常与人们相处得很好。
• He is a man of great executive ability.他是个具有极高管理能力的人。

3 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

4 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。