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Objectives and content of teaching English in 3-year secondary vocational schools in Slovakia (objectives_and_content_of_teaching_english_in_3-year_secondary_vocational_schools_in_slovakia.doc)

Objectives and content of teaching English in 3-year secondary vocational schools in Slovakia

Educational system in Slovakia consists of the following types of schools:

1. Primary schools        

2. Secondary schools

2.1. grammar schools (gymnasia of four-year or eight-year duration)
2.2. specialised schools and conservatoires
2.3. vocational schools and centres for practical education (SOU)
2.4. vocational schools for pupils who did not complete primary school prior to the end of the period of their compulsory  education

3. Special schools: primary, secondary, specialised and vocational schools

4. Schools for special-interest education: primary schools of arts5. Schools for national minorities

6. Higher education institutions- bachelor, master\'s and doctoral education

7. Facilities for further education        

(http://www.eracareers.sk/version_eng/index_en.php?l1=0&l2=0&l3=0pis&subject=4)

Secondary schools in Slovakia

    Secondary education is currently offered within three categories of institution: in grammar schools, secondary specialised schools and secondary vocational schools. These schools are established by administrative regions after receiving approval from the respective central body of the state administration and social partners. Schools may also be established by churches, private individuals, or communities. After graduation from primary school, secondary schools provide either complete secondary (general) education (grammar schools), or complete secondary vocational education, higher vocational education (secondary specialised schools), or secondary vocational education, or complete secondary vocational education(secondary vocational schools). Secondary education is provided free of charge. However, church or private schools may charge school fees.

(http://www.eracareers.sk/version_eng/index_en.php?l1=0&l2=0&l3=0pis&subject=4)

Secondary vocational schools

    Secondary vocational schools provide the complete secondary vocational education in 2-year and 3-year branches of study completed by a final examination. The 4-year study provides the complete secondary vocational education completed by a school-leaving examination. Secondary vocational schools ensure not only theoretical and practical parts of education but also extra-curricular education. (http://www.aeht.lu/code/educatio/slovakia.htm)

Teaching English in 3- year secondary vocational schools

     1. Function of teaching English language- is to reach the ability of students to use basic communicative skills which allow them to communicate in verbal form and to continue in later language studies.

     2. Objectives of teaching English language- there are three main objectives which function in teaching English:

a) Communicative goal - it means to reach the communicative competence of students in all four basic communicative skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) while the emphasis is put on the knowledge of solution of elementary model situations, communicative situations.

b) Informational objective- students acquire linguistic and non-linguistic information necessary for realisation of the communicative objective. They also learn about the life and institutions of English speaking countries.

c) Formative objective- deals with formation of qualities and skills which are necessary for useful function of graduates in later social life. It refers to the creativity in thought and phatic area, critical thinking, toleration with other people, respect for social values which were created by other nations, diligence, precision and persistency.

    3. Content of teaching English and its specification

The content of teaching English language includes well thought out and systematic formation and development of knowledge, skills and habits in those areas:

- Language means: phonetic and grammatical side of language, its vocabulary and grammar        

- Communicative skills: speech and it function in the process of communication- listening and speaking

- Information on culture: area studies of chosen English speaking countries

- General learning skills which enable students to learn effectively, be self-reliant in    acquiring, processing and preservation of information from English texts.

Communicative skills:

a) Listening- the aim is to be able to:

1. understand simple directions and instructions of the teacher and to react adequately

2. understand the content of conversation which is presented by well-known accent and which contains acquired grammar and vocabulary

3. understand the substance of short and measured exemplifications of original native form of language

b) Speaking- it is necessary to know:

1. greet, start and end the communication

2. introduce himself/ herself and another person

3. ask for information and give the information

4. ask questions and answer them        

5. speak fluently about certain given topic        

6. describe, characterise persons, objects, events, own experiences in a simple way

7. ask for something, express one's thanks, claim or refuse something, apologise, express approval or           disapproval, express own opinion

c) Reading- student have to bee capable to:

1. read and understand simple public signs and information

2. understand the content of a short text

3. get useful information from elementary printed materials

4. read adopted and simple original texts with general character which contain known grammar and vocabulary

5. work with dictionary

d) Writing- the necessity is to know:

1. copy printed or by hand written English texts

2. fill in a form with personal information

3. write postcard, congratulation, informal letter

4. write short information, report or annotation

Language means:

1. Pronunciation- it is expected, that student will have basic knowledge about the phonetic and phonologic side of English language: how to pronounce concrete segments, words and also use the word stress, rhythm of English sentence, sentence melody. It is useful to differ all these components from those we use is Slovak language.
2. Vocabulary- the aim is to learn 600 words and few basic idioms
3. Grammar- There is the criteria to acquire basic morphologic and syntactic phenomenons used to express certain grammatical case, relations, questions, negation, conditions, wishes, ability and disability and to have knowledge of less frequent phenomenons in various texts and textbooks.
4. Spelling- the objective is to acquire spelling of English words and its forms and to acquire basic principles of punctuation.

Concrete themes followed in teaching:

1. Social situations:

1. Family- my personality, relatives, age, status, employment, hobbies
2. School- our vocational school, classroom, schoolmates, teachers, future profession
3. Home- our house, flat, accommodation, our street, housing estate, town
4. Business- main sorts of business, public board, favourite food and drinks
5. Travelling- public transport means, travelling in our town
6. Man and nature- seasons, weather, favourite places to go/ travel to
7. Man and society- experiences, events, visits, friendship
8. Free time- days, months, time, sport, trips, hobbies
9. Healthcare- diseases, aches, feelings, good nourishment
10. Slovakia, my homeland- basic information about Slovakia: country, landmarks, peoples, customs
11. English speaking countries- elementary information

2. Standard situations:

1. Buying in a shop- ask for certain product, on its price, quality, communication by payment
2. Informing about certain object and how to get there
3. Buying travel ticket, informing about arrival and departure of the train, plane, bus
4. Buying a ticket to a some cultural performance
5. Communication at the doctor´s
6. Communication  in public canteen, restaurant

Teaching English in 4 - year secondary vocational schools

    The objectives and content of teaching English in 4- year secondary vocational schools in Slovakia is the same as in secondary technical schools and leads to passing the school leaving exams also called: “maturita”.

The objectives are the same as in 3-year secondary vocational schools:

1. Communicative goal
2. Informational objective
3. Formational objective

The content of teaching English language is to form, develop and intensify language skills, knowledge and habits. It includes:

1. Communicative skills
2. Language functions
3. Languages means
4. Themes

All of those are more specified and detailed as in 3- year vocational schools, because the aim is to pass school leaving exams in A or B- level.