Education + Children + Family

curriculum

the full range of subjects offered by a school or group of schools. Example: The curriculum in private schools is sometimes wider than in state schools because they have more resources

pedagogical experts

experts in education and teaching. Example: I admire pedagogical experts who design effective learning methods for young children

syllabus

the content taught in a specific subject. Example: The geography syllabus at my school included volcanoes, earthquakes, and tidal waves

formal examination

an exam where students answer set written or spoken questions under regulated conditions. Example: University entrance often depends on performance in a formal examination

continuous assessment

a system of giving students marks for coursework or projects during a course rather than only through final exams. Example: Many students prefer continuous assessment because final exams can be stressful

academic achievement

the measurable performance of a student, such as marks or exam results. Example: Academic achievement is often used to compare schools

further education

education after leaving school at the minimum age. Example: Some governments encourage further education by supporting teenagers who continue to study

tertiary education/higher education

education at college or university level. Example: Many school leavers choose higher education to improve their career prospects

group work

study where students discuss and complete a project together. Example: Group work can help students develop communication skills

teacher-led lessons

traditional lessons where the teacher gives instruction and students usually take notes. Example: In some countries, lessons are still very teacher-led

autonomous learning

learning through independent study and research. Example: At university, students are expected to become autonomous learners

study skills

the skills needed to organise, use, and review study work effectively. Example: Good study skills can help students prepare for exams more efficiently

to synthesise sources

to use a variety of sources and combine them in one project. Example: Students should synthesise sources when writing a research essay

to cite sources

to acknowledge where information or ideas come from. Example: Students must cite sources to avoid plagiarism

to supplement

to add extra content or material. Example: The essay should be supplemented with more examples

to assimilate knowledge

to absorb and understand knowledge. Example: Reading widely helps students assimilate new knowledge

guided learning

learning under the supervision of a teacher. Example: Young children benefit from guided learning because they need clear direction

data-gathering

collecting information, usually in numerical form. Example: Researchers use data-gathering to understand how students learn

distance learning

learning through the internet or other remote methods rather than face-to-face. Example: Distance learning allows students in rural areas to study from home

self-study

studying using a course or materials without direct teacher involvement. Example: Self-study can be effective for motivated learners

to discriminate between sources

to decide whether one source is better or more reliable than another. Example: Students need to discriminate between sources when using the internet

to sift information

to examine information carefully and remove what is not useful. Example: Researchers have to sift information before selecting reliable evidence

to marshal facts

to organise facts in support of an idea. Example: In IELTS essays, candidates should marshal facts to support their arguments

an integral part of the syllabus

an essential or central part of a course. Example: Nutrition is an integral part of food science

to work/study under supervision

to work or study under the direction of a responsible person. Example: At university, students sometimes conduct research under supervision

foster parents

people who have children living in their family for a fixed period with official agreement. Example: Foster parents play an important role in supporting vulnerable children

guardians

people who are legally appointed to protect a child’s interests when parents are absent. Example: A guardian may be appointed if a child’s parents die

role models

people whom children respect and see as good examples. Example: Teachers can be important role models for young people

ground rules

basic rules that control how people behave in a situation. Example: Parents should establish ground rules for children’s screen time

conventions

traditions or social norms that most people follow. Example: It is a convention in some cultures for grandparents to live with their children

codes of conduct

rules that people agree to follow in a particular situation. Example: Schools should have clear codes of conduct for students

bullying

the act of attacking, threatening, or intimidating other children. Example: Bullying can seriously damage a child’s confidence

truancy

the act of staying away from school without permission. Example: Truancy is often linked to poor academic performance

delinquency

minor crime or bad behaviour, often by young people. Example: Juvenile delinquency is a serious problem in some urban areas

abduction

the crime of taking someone away illegally by force. Example: Child abduction is a major concern for many parents

peer pressure

pressure from people in the same group to behave in a certain way. Example: Many teenagers start smoking because of peer pressure

a dual-income family

a family in which both parents work and earn money. Example: The dual-income family has become common in many modern societies

breadwinner

the person who earns most or all of the money in a family. Example: In some families, one parent is still the main breadwinner

child-minding

informal care for children when parents are busy or working. Example: Working parents often need help with child-minding

after-school childcare

care for children after the school day has finished. Example: Many families rely on after-school childcare because both parents work

viable

practical and possible to achieve. Example: It is not viable to expect every child to achieve perfect exam results

peers

people in the same age group or social group as yourself. Example: Many teenagers are strongly influenced by their peers

bonding

the development of close emotional connections between people. Example: Family meals can encourage bonding between parents and children

patterns of behaviour

regular ways of acting or doing things. Example: Children often copy patterns of behaviour from their parents

well brought-up/to bring up children

raised and educated according to particular moral or social values. Example: She was well brought-up and always treated others respectfully

to cover a lot of ground

to deal with a lot of information, facts, or topics. Example: The history lecture covered a lot of ground today

to tailor teaching styles/strategies

to adapt teaching methods for a particular purpose, group, or situation. Example: Teachers should tailor their teaching strategies to students with different abilities

a high-flyer

someone who has the ability and ambition to be very successful. Example: The teacher often gives extra tasks to academic high-flyers

transmission of knowledge

the process of passing knowledge from one person to another. Example: Face-to-face interaction can make the transmission of knowledge more effective

interactive learning

a method of learning in which students actively participate through questions, discussions, tasks, or feedback. Example: Interactive learning helps students develop problem-solving skills

to bombard someone with something

to keep sending or giving someone a lot of something, especially information. Example: Students are often bombarded with online materials before exams

to have a good grasp of something

to understand something well. Example: Children can have a good grasp of a new language if they start early

to make the grade

(idiom) to reach the necessary standard or succeed. Example: Students cannot make the grade if they rely only on luck

to be out of one’s depth

(idiom) to be unable to understand or deal with something because it is too difficult. Example: Some students feel out of their depth in advanced maths classes

to work your way through university

(idiom) to have a job while studying at university in order to pay for your education. Example: He had to work his way through university because his family could not afford the tuition fees

to take a year out

to spend a year away from formal study, often to work, travel, or gain experience. Example: Taking a year out before university can help students develop independence

top-tier institutions

leading or highly prestigious educational institutions. Example: Governments often invest large sums of money in top-tier institutions

to deliver a lecture

to give a lecture. Example: It is now possible to deliver a lecture online to hundreds of students

streaming in schools

the practice of dividing students into groups according to ability. Example: Streaming in schools can help teachers design suitable lessons

extra-curricular activities

activities that are not part of the normal school or university course. Example: Universities offer extra-curricular activities such as sport, music, and drama

to fall behind with your studies

to make slower progress than expected in your studies. Example: Students who miss many classes may fall behind with their studies

to drop out of college

to leave college before completing your course. Example: Some students drop out of college because of financial pressure

to pay off a student loan

to repay money borrowed to pay for college or university education. Example: Many graduates need several years to pay off a student loan

to impose discipline

to make students obey rules. Example: Teachers sometimes need to impose discipline to maintain an effective classroom

to disrupt lessons

to interrupt lessons and make normal teaching difficult. Example: Students who disrupt lessons can affect the learning of the whole class

to give feedback

to give comments, advice, or corrections to help someone improve. Example: Teachers should give feedback so that students understand their mistakes

face-to-face learning

learning that takes place in a classroom with direct interaction between students and teachers. Example: Face-to-face learning encourages classroom interaction

to sit an exam

to take an exam. Example: Many students feel more motivated when they have to sit an exam at the end of a course

a virtual classroom

an online learning environment where students and teachers can communicate and use learning materials. Example: A virtual classroom can make education more accessible

a dysfunctional family

a family in which relationships are bad or unhealthy. Example: Children from a dysfunctional family may have behavioural problems at school

to end in divorce

to end a marriage legally. Example: It is increasingly common for marriages to end in divorce

a divorce settlement

an agreement about the division of money, property, and responsibilities when a marriage ends. Example: The negotiation of a divorce settlement can be long and expensive

a form/method of contraception

a method used to prevent pregnancy. Example: Modern forms of contraception have helped reduce birth rates

formative years

the period of a person’s life, usually childhood, that strongly influences their later development. Example: Early childhood is an important part of a child’s formative years

to shape a child’s personality/values

to influence the development of a child’s personality or values. Example: Parents shape their children’s values through the example they set

child custody

the legal right or responsibility to look after a child, especially after divorce. Example: Child custody cases are increasingly common in the law courts

birth control

the use of methods to prevent pregnancy. Example: Birth control has contributed to lower birth rates in many developed countries

to have an abortion/to terminate a pregnancy

to end a pregnancy intentionally through a medical procedure. Example: Many people argue that women should have the right to have an abortion

a family planning clinic

a clinic that gives advice and help on controlling the number and timing of children. Example: Governments should support family planning clinics

to pay child support

to make regular payments to help with the expenses of looking after children after divorce or separation. Example: One parent may have to pay child support until the children become adults

a single-parent household

a family in which one parent takes care of their child or children without a partner. Example: Single-parent households are no longer considered unusual

working mothers

women who have a job and also take care of their children. Example: Working mothers often have to balance the demands of home and work

to enter adult life

to reach the stage of life when a young person becomes independent and takes adult responsibilities. Example: Good parenting prepares young people to enter adult life confidently

generation gap

a difference in opinions, values, or understanding between younger and older generations. Example: They bridged the generation gap by watching old and new movies together

shapers of a nation’s tomorrow

young people who will influence or determine the future of a country. Example: Children should be protected and educated because they are the shapers of a nation’s tomorrow

an extended family

a family group that includes parents, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and other relatives. Example: In the past, the extended family provided support when members were ill

a nuclear family

a family consisting of two parents and their children. Example: The nuclear family has become the most common family structure in many countries

negative influences on individual families

harmful effects on separate family units. Example: Negative influences on individual families could be reduced with more government support

parental involvement

the act of parents taking part in their children’s education or activities. Example: Parental involvement helps parents support their children’s learning

to dissolve a marriage

to officially end a marriage. Example: Some couples are unwilling to dissolve their marriage for the sake of the children

to start a family later in life

to have children at an older age than people traditionally did. Example: Many couples start a family later in life so that they can focus on their careers first

to support a family

to earn enough money to provide for a family. Example: Young people often delay marriage because they cannot support a family

to be overprotective

to be too worried about someone’s safety, especially a child’s safety. Example: Overprotective parents may make their children too dependent

to bring up children/offspring

to raise and care for children. Example: They are bringing up their children in a strict household

embarking on parenthood

starting the experience or role of being a parent. Example: They will be embarking on parenthood when their new baby is born

a family gathering

a meeting of family members for a particular purpose or occasion. Example: Family gatherings are common during special occasions

rote-learning

learning by repetition and memorising items. Example: Rote-learning can help students remember basic facts

through rose-tinted spectacles

seeing a situation as better than it really was. Example: Many people remember their university years through rose-tinted spectacles

out of your comfort zone

being in a situation that you are not familiar with and that makes you feel nervous. Example: Studying abroad can push students out of their comfort zone

counselling

professional help with personal or psychological problems. Example: Some students need counselling when they feel overwhelmed