Summer born kids 夏天出生的孩子
夏天出生的孩子是不是由于英国入学年龄的规定而处于学习上的弱势？政府已经对很多家长提出的担心做出积极回应。
课文内容
词汇: Education 教育
The first year of school can be stressful – not for the kids, but for the parents!
开学的第一年可能会很有压力——不是对孩子，而是对父母!
They want their little ones to do well at school and some pushy parents will already be thinking about how they can get their child to the top of the class.
他们希望自己的孩子在学校表现出色，一些有进取心的父母已经在考虑如何让他们的孩子成为班级的尖子生。
But some parents are concerned about the rules for when children should start school.
但是一些家长对孩子应该什么时候开始上学的规定感到担忧。
The School Admissions Code for England says that children must join the reception class the September after their fourth birthday.
《英格兰学校招生条例》规定，孩子们必须在四岁生日后的9月份参加接待班。
But here is the problem: A four year old who is born in August could be in the same class as someone who was born in October of the previous year! Both of them were four years old in September.
但问题来了:一个8月出生的4岁孩子可能和上一年10月出生的孩子在同一个班级!今年9月，他们俩都满4岁了。
The older child will probably do better in class tests. He or she is almost a year older! This can affect the confidence of the younger child.
大一点的孩子在班级考试中可能会做得更好。他或她几乎大一岁!这会影响年幼孩子的自信心。
Now England's schools minister, Nick Gibbs says that the rules should be changed. In an open letter to councils, schools and parents he says, "Parents know their children best".
And he said that some parents "feel forced to send their child to school before they are ready".
现在，英国教育部长尼克·吉布斯表示，这些规定应该改变。在一封致议会、学校和家长的公开信中，他说:“父母最了解他们的孩子。”他还说，一些家长“在孩子还没准备好就被迫送他们去上学”。
He proposes that children that are born during the summer can join the class when they are four or wait until they are five.
他建议，夏天出生的孩子可以在四岁或五岁时加入这个班。
Dr. David Whitebread, an educationalist from Cambridge University says that the UK has a summer-born effect because children start school so young.
剑桥大学的教育学家大卫·怀特布莱德博士说，英国有一种“夏季出生效应”，因为孩子们上学太早了。
"In countries with these later starting ages, there is a very much reduced summer-born effect or none at all", he said.
他说:“在起步年龄较晚的国家，夏季出生的影响非常小，或者根本没有影响。”
词汇表
stressful 有压力的，精神紧张的
pushy 争强好胜的
the top of the class 班级的尖子
concerned 担心，担忧
rules 规定
admissions 招生
reception 小班，学前班
to do better 表现更好
confidence 自信
open letter 公开信
forced 被迫
propose 提议
educationalist 教育学家
reduced 减少
测验与练习
1. 阅读课文并回答问题。
1. In England how old are children when they start school?
2. Are summer-born children usually the youngest in the class?
3. Why are some parents concerned about the age of their child?
4. How would you describe the "summer-born effect"?
5. Do kids in other countries start school later?
6. What is a name for a specialist in education?
7. Push is a verb. Make it an adjective.
2. 请你在不参考课文的情况下完成下列练习。从每个表格中选择一个意思合适的单词填入句子的空格处。
1. I am interested __________learning other languages.
in with on for
2. Doing exams can be ______________.
stress stressed stressful unstressed
3. I study English __________.
some day someday everyday every day
4. The university's _____________ policy is complicated.
admissions permissions commissions submissions
5. How will this __________my grades?
effect affect effective effects
答案
1. 阅读课文并回答问题。
1. In England how old are children when they start school?
Four years old.
2. Are summer-born children usually the youngest in the class?
Yes, because a child born in the other seasons will be turning five during the school year.
3. Why are parents concerned about the age of their child?
They are worried that the child might not be ready for school.
4. How would you describe the "summer-born effect"?
Summer-born children sometimes do worse on tests than older students.
5. Do kids in other countries start school later?
Yes, in some countries the starting age is much older?
6. What is a name for a specialist in education?
Educationalist
7. Push is a verb. Make it an adjective.
Pushy
2. 请你在不参考课文的情况下完成下列练习。从每个表格中选择一个意思合适的单词填入句子的空格处。
1. I am interested in learning other languages.
2. Doing exams can be stressful.
3. I study English every day.
4. The university's admissions policy is complicated.
5. How will this affect my grades?
文章来源BBC，侵权上，本文仅用于英语学习。
