EDUCATION REPORT - Year-round School

EDUCATION REPORT - Year-round School
By Nancy Steinbach

Broadcast: Thursday, June 24, 2004

This is Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Education Report.

Many American schools have closed for the summer. Most children in the United¹ States have a summer holiday of almost three months. This traditional school schedule was designed long ago when many Americans lived on farms. Children were needed at home during the summer to help their families with the crops and animals. Schools later continued the tradition, mostly because it was difficult to hold classes in the hot summer weather.

American schools began to experiment with changing this system in the early nineteen-hundreds. One idea was for children to attend school all year round. But the idea did not become popular until about twenty-five years ago. Studies done at the time showed that American students were not performing as well as students in other countries.

Students who attend year-round schools in the United States do not go to class every day of the year. They spend the same number of days in class as other students. But the time is organized differently. For example, some students attend school five days a week for nine weeks. Then they have three weeks off before going back to school for another nine weeks. In the summer they have about five weeks of holiday.

Supporters² of year-round schooling³ say it improves student learning⁴. They say students in the traditional system often forget what they have learned⁵ during a long summer holiday. They say schools can offer special classes during the short holidays for students who need extra help. They also say it saves money because the school buildings are used throughout⁶ the year.

People opposed⁸ to year-round schooling say the research has not proved that it improves learning. Families report problems organizing activities and travel when children in different schools have different holidays. Some parents want their children to have an extended⁹ summer away from the pressures of school. People who operate summer camps for children oppose⁷ the idea. So do businesses that employ teenagers in the summer.

The National Association¹⁰ for Year-Round Education says that more than two-million American children, out of a total of fifty-two million, now attend school year-round. It says forty-seven American states have some schools that operate year-round.

This VOA Special English Education Report was written by Nancy Steinbach. This is Steve Ember.

1 united   

adj.和谐的；团结的；联合的，统一的

参考例句：

• The whole nation is closely united.全国人民紧密团结。
• The two men were united by community of interests.共同的利益使两个人结合在一起。

2 supporters   

n.支持者，拥护者，赞助者( supporter的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a battalion of supporters 由支持者组成的队伍
• Thousands of supporters converged on London for the rally. 成千上万的支持者从四面八方汇聚伦敦举行集会。

3 schooling   

n.教育；正规学校教育

参考例句：

• A child's access to schooling varies greatly from area to area.孩子获得学校教育的机会因地区不同而大相径庭。
• Backward children need a special kind of schooling.天赋差的孩子需要特殊的教育。

4 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

5 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。

6 throughout   

adv.到处，自始至终；prep.遍及，贯穿

参考例句：

• These magazines are sold at bookstores throughout the country.这些杂志在全国各地书店均有发售。
• Guilin is known throughout the world for its scenery.桂林以山水著称于世。

7 oppose   

vt.反对，以…对抗，抗争；vi.反对

参考例句：

• The government called on the workers to oppose waste.政府号召工人反对浪费。
• The old man can't bear anyone in the family to oppose him.这位老人决不能容忍家里有人违抗他。

8 opposed   

vt.和…起冲突；和敌军起冲突；反抗，抗拒；相对：放在某事物对面以对比或平衡vi.对抗，对立adj.强烈反对某事物的；（表示对比）而，相对于；相反的；敌对的

参考例句：

• The development was bitterly opposed by the local community. 这一开发项目遭到了当地社区的愤怒抵制。
• We hold diametrically opposed views. 我们的观点大相径庭。

9 extended   

adj.延伸的；伸展的；延长的；扩大的v.延伸(extend的过去式和过去分词)；伸展；延长

参考例句：

• an extended lunch hour 延长了的午餐时间
• France has greatly extended its influence in world affairs. 在世界事务中，法国的影响已大大地扩大了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 association   

n.联盟，协会，社团；交往，联合；联想

参考例句：

• Our long association with your company has brought great benefits.我方和贵公司的长期合作带来了巨大的利益。
• I broke away from the association ten years ago.我10年前就脱离了那个团体。