English

Key unit competence: To use language learnt in the context of education.

4.1 Speaking and listening: Education

4.1.1 Speaking and listening activity

Discuss your plans for your future education. ‘Educational aspirations’ are what you would like to become in the future. Use ‘when’-clauses in your discussion.

For example:
  • When I have finished S3, I want to carry on with the senior secondary phase of my education.
  • When I am 18, I want to pass my examinations in order to continue my education.
  • When I have finished my training, I want to become …

Write down your educational aspirations. Use these notes to share with the class.

4.2 Language structure: Adjective clauses with when

An adjective (or adjectival or relative) clause with when has the following:
• It will always start with a relative adverb (when), which indicates time.
• It will always have a subject and a verb.
• It will always tell you something about the noun.

For example:
 • I am looking forward to the day when I write my final examination. (when modifies day)
 • He is planning for the time when he finishes school.

 • She is looking forward to a promising career when she completes her tertiary education.

4.2.1 Speaking and writing practice

1. a) Say the examples in the language structure section and in the Speaking and

          listening activity 4.1.1 aloud.

      This will allow you to get a sense of the rhythm of the sentences.
    b) Repeat them until you are comfortable with the sentences.
    c) Write three more sentences in the same format. Repeat them aloud.

4.2.2 Writing practice

1. Complete the sentences with when-clauses.
  a) I always remember the day ______.
  b) This is the day _______.
  c) Tuesday is the day ________.
  d) The year 2020 is the year ________.
  e) That was the day _________.

4.2.3 Writing practice

1. Complete the when-clauses.
   a) He is looking forward to the day ________ finishes school.
   b) That will be the day ________ go for an interview.
   c) This is the year ________ decide on my future.
   d) That will be the year ________ finishes her studies.
   e) That was the year ________ went to college.

4.2.4 Writing practice

1. Complete the sentences, inserting a when-clause, or the main clause.
   a) ________ when Isaro passes her final school examination.
   b) That will be the year ________.
   c) This is the day ________.
   d) ________ when I decide on my future.
   e) July will be the month ________.

4.3 Vocabulary

4.3.1 Reading and writing practice

1. Work in pairs and study the words listed in the table. Look at the pronunciation of each word. Fill in the blank spaces.

2. Write these words in your vocabulary book. Use them in sentences to illustrate their meaning.

4.3.2 Writing practice

1. Complete the sentences with words from the vocabulary table in the Reading and writing practice 4.3.1.
   a) Although he has good ________ he does not have any experience.
   b) Mutesi is going to a nursing ________ to obtain a nursing qualification.
   c) To get anywhere in life you have to ________ hard and pass exams.
   d) At the end of the year we have to pass an ________ to move up to the next level of education.
   e) If you want to be a doctor or a lawyer you have to go to ________.

4.3.3 Writing practice

4.3.4 Reading and writing activity

1. Read the text.

The new curriculum in Rwanda provides a maximum of three years’ pre-primary education, six years primary education (P1–P6) three years secondary education (ordinary or lower secondary level, S1–S3). It then allows for another three years secondary education (advanced or upper secondary level, S4–S6). It also offers a further four years for a Bachelor’s Degree. From P4 the language of instruction is English.
The lower secondary phase (S1–3) prepares learners for the upper secondary streams. These include general academic, primary teacher training or technical secondary school. This level also provides access to the vocational education and training centres (VETCs) for early employment.

The upper secondary level (S4–6) provides for entrance into various fields of study, including those offered at universities.

2. Now do the following:
   a) Draw a diagram to describe the education system in Rwanda.
   b) Write five sentences about the education system in Rwanda.
For example:
   • You go to primary school when you are six.
   • You go to secondary school when you are 12.
   • After secondary school you can go to technical college.

Homework
Interview your family members about their education. Write down notes on their responses.

4.3.5 Listening and writing activity

1. Talk about your family’s education.
For example: My father went to primary school. My cousin went to technical college.

    My aunt did not go to school at all.
2. Think about whether more children are going to school nowadays than in the past.
3. Listen to the text in which someone talks about the education of their family members, focusing on the past simple tense.
4. Now answer the questions on your own (individually) in writing.
   a) Why does Mugabo think that access to education has improved?
   b) Why do you think girls were seldom sent to school when Mugabo’s grandfather was young?

   c) What did Grandfather learn at school?
   d) Do you think Grandfather studied mathematics?
   e) Why is Mugabo’s family proud of their grandmother?
   f) What does it mean to be ‘illiterate’?
   g) What are the disadvantages of being illiterate?
   h) Did Mugabo’s parents, uncles and aunts have more education than their parents? Explain your answer.
   i) Do you think Mugabo’s cousin, Keza, will be able to fulfil her dream of becoming a doctor?

       Explain your answer.
   j) What does Mugabo want to do?

4.4 Language structure: Past simple tense

You have already learnt about the past simple tense. Study the notes to refresh your memory.
  • Most verbs are changed to past tense by adding -ed at the end of the verb.
For example: Mugabo visited his grandparents last week.
  • A list of the most common irregular past tense verbs can be found in Unit 1 on page 6.
  • You use the past simple tense to talk about:
  • something that happened in the past.
For example: He started school when he was six. He was at school for four years.
  • something that happened again and again in the past.
For example: When I was a boy I walked two kilometres to school every day.

  • You use did with the infinitive to form a question in the past tense.
For example: When did you start school? Where did Grandfather go
to school?
  • You use did not with the infinitive to form a negative in the past tense.
For example: His grandmother did not go to school. He did not leave school after P6.

4.4.1 Speaking and listening practice

Read the paragraph aloud, paying particular attention to the past tense verbs.

Grandfather says he spent four years at school. At least he learnt to read and write, but not very well. He also learnt a bit about numbers and how to add and subtract. Grandmother did not go to school at all. When she got married to Grandfather she was still very young and she was illiterate. She was able to attend an adult literacy programme when her children were grown up. Now she can read the newspaper slowly and she can sign her name and write a shopping list. We are very proud of her.

4.4.2 Writing practice

1. Complete the text by filling in the correct form of the verb in red.

Mutesi a) find a different history of education in her family. Her grandfather b) be one of the few children of his time who c) go to secondary school. He d) spend three years at secondary school and then he e) go home to help with the farming. He f) be very interested in learning new things. He g) go on short courses to increase his farming skills. He soon h) become the most capable farmer in the region. Although he i) be still young, other farmers
j) come to ask his advice.

4.4.3 Writing practice

1. Give the correct form of the verb in brackets in each sentence.
  a) John (not go) to S4.
  b) Instead he (go) to a technical and vocational centre.
  c) He (want) to go to university?
  d) No, he (decide) he would do better as a technician.
  e) Mutesi (want) to be a nurse.
  f) She (not know) what to do to become one.
  g) She (go) to the career guidance teacher to ask for advice.
  h) John (believe) that ICT (be) the best option for him.
  i) Isaro (think) she would like to become a TV announcer.

4.4.4 Writing practice

1. Complete the text by filling in the correct form of the verb in red.

Our careers teacher a) begin to tell us about our options for further studies. She b) teach us to think out of the box. There were many new options for careers that had not c) exist before. We d) understand her purpose. She e) want us to think beyond the traditional careers in teaching and nursing. She said parents f) spend a great deal of money to give their children a good education. She g) encourage us to talk to different people. There h) be wonderful opportunities for in-service training available for those who i) be prepared to work hard. She j) inspire us to start thinking creatively about our future.

4.4.5 Writing activity

1. Think about the interviews that you did with your family members about their education.
2. Plan to write three paragraphs on the education of your family members.

Use a spider diagram like the one below, a mind-map or simply columns to indicate how you are going to structure your text.

3. Write out the three paragraphs about the education of your family members.
4. First edit your work yourself and then exchange notebooks with a partner for further editing.

     Hand your writing in for formal assessment.

4.5 Sounds and spelling

Here are some more examples of the various pronunciations of /e/.

1. Practise saying these words aloud.
2. Look up the words you do not know in a dictionary.

Write them down with their pronunciation and meaning.

Homework
How many five-letter words can you find in this block? The words are arranged vertically, horizontally and diagonally. Make a list of the words you find. There are 22 words in total.

4.5.1 Speaking and writing activity

1. You are going to listen to a talk. First, discuss these questions.
   a) What is an academic career?
   b) What skill is very important for any young person who wants to follow an academic career?
   c) What is a PhD? Perhaps you will find it in your dictionary. If you do not know, ask your teacher.

2. Now listen to your teacher, who is pretending to be a visiting academic.
3. Answer the following questions after you have listened to the talk.
    a) Was there a library at the primary school the visitor attended?
   b) What, according to the visitor, can you do to improve your English?
   c) What other advantage did her reading have?
   d) What is a bursary?
   e) Which students are lucky enough to get bursaries?
   f) How was the visitor able to study at a university in the UK?
   g) What is a scholarship?
   h) Why did the visitor return to Rwanda?

  i) What hope did the visitor express?
  j) Would you like to become an academic? Why?

4.6 Language structure: Would like to, Have to and In order to

Would like to is a polite way of expressing a desire to do something. It is always followed by to + infinitive (base form of the verb).
For example:

• I would like to study at university. (present simple tense)
• He said he would like to study at university. (past simple tense – note that the format does not change)

Have to/has to/had to (modal verbs) mean the same as must. These words are always followed by the infinitive.
For example:
  • Isaro has to work much harder than she is doing at present.
  • I have to study tonight because I have to write a test tomorrow.

In order to is used like a preposition. It is always followed by the infinitive.
For example:
• In order to pass, he has to work hard./He has to work hard in order to pass.
• In order to perform well, she has to put in more effort./She has to put in more effort in order to perform well.

4.6.1 Speaking practice

1. Work in pairs. Say these sentences aloud to get used to using the phrases.
   a) Ngabo had to study much more because he had performed poorly in the previous examination.
   b) The teacher told Shema that he would have to work much harder.
   c) Keza said she would like to go to university to study English.
   d) Her teacher told her that she would have to read more English to improve her language skills.
   e) He is taking extra lessons in order to improve his reading.

4.6.2 Writing practice

1. Use would, have to, has to, had to or in order to + infinitive to complete the sentences.
   a) Akaliza said she ________ to university, but she did not know if her marks were good enough.
   b) Mutanguha said he ______ much harder because he was not performing well.
   c) I ______ this examination if I want to continue to S3.
  d) ______ his English marks, Mutanguha enrolled for extra classes.
  e) Ingabire ______ harder if she wants to improve her marks.

4.6.4 Writing practice

1. Write five sentences of your own. Use has to/have to/had to/would like to/in order to in each of the sentences.
2. Exchange books with a partner and mark each other’s work. Talk about the sentences that you do not agree with.

Homework
Think carefully about what you would like to achieve in your life.
Write five sentences about:

1. What type of job would you like to do one day?
2. Why? Is it the best-paid job you can think of, or do you really have a passion for it?

Or are you choosing it because you think it is all you will be able to do?

3. Do you intend to leave school after S3, or do you want to continue up to S6? Why?
4. Do you need to go to university or another higher education institution to qualify for the job you want to do?
5. How long will it take you to qualify?

4.6.5 Reading and writing activity

Develop the habit of researching new words that you come across when reading texts.
1. Talk about the homework task on the type of job you would like to do one day.

Tell one another about your ideas and compare notes.
  • Do you want to go to university? Or do you want to find a job directly after finishing school?
  • Are there other options for further study except university?
2. Now read the text about jobs and the qualifications they require.

Further studies in Rwanda

There are many opportunities for further study in Rwanda.

For many careers you have to have certain qualifications.
In order to be a doctor you have to study for a degree in medicine. It takes about six years in order to become a general practitioner.

For some of the specialised areas you might have to study abroad.

In order to become a nurse you have to study for a nursing diploma at a school of nursing.

There are eight schools of nursing in Rwanda, one dental school, and one school of public health.

There are also five government schools of nursing and midwifery.
It is also possible to get a nursing degree from university.

In order to become a lawyer or an accountant, you also have to go to university.

Secondary school teachers have to study for a university degree after S6.

Primary school teachers have to have a teacher’s diploma from one of the 13 teacher training colleges in order

to teach in the country’s primary schools.

Several countries offer scholarships for African students to further their post-graduate studies overseas.

There are enough opportunities for hard-working and motivated students.
Centres for Vocational Education and Training teach a number of interesting skills that enable people to be employed and to start their own businesses. They offer courses for those who wish to become plumbers, electricians, chefs and motor mechanics. They also offer entrepreneurship courses.
Learners who want to return to the family farm to continue producing food can improve their skills. Agricultural organisations offer numerous short courses, from technical and management to irrigation and fertilization.

3. Now answer the questions.
    a) How long does it take to become a medical doctor?
    b) Can doctors specialise in heart surgery in Rwanda?
    c) Can post-graduate students in Rwanda afford to study overseas?
    d) Where do you need to study if you want to become a nurse?
    e) Where do you have to go to become a secondary school teacher?
    f) Name four courses that you could study at a Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training.
    g) How can young farmers improve their farming skills?
    h) Have any of the fields of study mentioned above captured your interest as a possibility for future studies? Explain your answer.
4. Exchange notebooks for peer assessment of your answers.

       The University of Rwanda, College of Business and Economics

4.6.6 Speaking and listening activity

Drawing on the information you have received, discuss your job aspirations and the qualifications they require.

Think carefully about what you want to do. Talk to your group members about where you might study after finishing school.

Focus on using in order to be and have to when you speak.
For example: I would like to go to a vocational and technical centre in order to become a chef.

What would you like to do after secondary school?

Homework
Ask your career guidance teacher for information about further studies
in Rwanda. Draw up a table of tertiary institutions and what you can study there.

4.7 Language structure: Conditionals

There are various kinds of conditionals. The first one is called the zero conditional.

This is used to refer to general truths.

4.7.1 Writing practice

1. Complete the sentences correctly.
   a) If you had done your homework ________.
   b) If he had read English for half an hour every day ________.
   c) If you had looked after your textbooks ________.
   d) If your English was better ________.
   e) If you went to bed earlier ________.

4.7.2 Writing practice

1. Provide the correct conditional in the sentences.
   a) ________ the crops grow well.
   b) ________ the sun comes up.
   c) ________ you will pass at the end of the year.
   d) ________ you will be able to study further.
   e) ________ you would be able to find a job.

 4.7.3 Writing practice

1. Complete the sentences.
a) If you were not late for school every day ________.
b) If he had spent more time on his studies ________.
c) ________ she would have won a bursary.
d) If you had done more research on careers ________.
e) If you had completed your further studies ________.

 4.7.4 Writing activity

1. Prepare to write a text about education and job aspirations, paying attention to would like to.
2. Decide how you are going to plan the text. Use a spider diagram (like the one on the left) or a mind-map. You could also draw a column for each paragraph and write the related ideas in each column.
3. Exchange notebooks with a partner to look at your planning and comment on it. Improve your planning if necessary.
4. Write the text and edit it.
5. Exchange notebooks with a partner and edit each other’s writing.
6. Do any corrections suggested by your partner, if you agree. Hand in the text for formal assessment.

 Checklist of learning
In this unit you learnt to:

• describe educational aspirations
• describe the education of family members and friends
• describe the qualifications required for jobs
• write about education and job aspirations.

4.8 Unit assessment

This section can be used for formal assessment or for revision.
1. Write three sentences about your ideas for your future education. Use when-clauses. [3]

2. Use two of the words below in sentences of your own to show that you understand their meaning:

                     [2]  

3. Answer each of the questions in a full sentence.
a) How many years do learners usually spend in primary school (if they do not have to repeat a year)?
b) How long is the ordinary or lower secondary course?
c) How long does it take one to complete a Bachelor’s Degree at university?          [3]

4. Write two sentences about your family’s education. [2]5. Give the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
a) Last year they (start) secondary school.
b) They (be) nervous about starting a new school.
c) Some of them (go) to boarding school.
d) They (learn) to take responsibility for their own work.
e) The teachers (keep) them very busy during their first term. [5]

6. Do the planning for a three-paragraph text on the education
of your family. Use a spider diagram or a mind-map. You do
not have to write the text, just do the planning. [5]7. Write five sentences about your plans for the future, after leaving school. [10]

8. Complete these sentences correctly.
a) If you want to study further, ________.
b) If he had worked harder, ________.
c) ________ she would have finished school by now.
d) ________ she would not have been late for school.
e) If Mutesi had not lost her textbook, ________. [5]

9. Read the text and then answer the questions that follow.

Shema was getting tired of studying and reading every day.

He had to get up early every morning to walk to school and by the time he got home in the afternoon he was exhausted.

He was really drained from having to spend a few hours on homework every day.

Shema was afraid to complain to his parents, but one day his uncle Ntwari came to visit.

They sat outside under a tree while waiting for Shema’s father to come home from work.

“Uncle Ntwari, I am getting so tired of studying every day. Every day I have a pile of homework to do.

I do not know how I am going to keep going for many years to come.”

Uncle Ntwari did not answer immediately. He drank some water from the mug his sister had brought and then he cleared his throat.

“Shema, I can understand that. School is not easy and it is a lot of work. But what are your options?

Do you want to be one of the unemployed like me? If you choose not to be educated, that is what
will happen.”

   a) Why was Shema getting tired of studying?
   b) Why did he not speak to his parents about his problem?
   c) Why do you think Uncle Ntwari was unemployed?
   d) What does it mean to have options?
   e) What would your advice to Shema be?             [5]                                                             Total marks: 40