新奇事件簿 考试磨灭学生好奇心

Making schoolchildren take tests is harming students’ interest in science, as well as having a negative impact¹ on kids’ natural curiosity². This is the conclusion of a British university report into science teaching³ and testing in primary schools. Researchers from Durham University warned that too many schools were teaching science just so students could pass tests. There is a lot of pressure for students to get to better schools. The experts said there was very little real science teaching going on that encouraged studentsto find out things for themselves. Learning⁴ by doing, experimenting and seeing should be at the heart of all physics, chemistry and biology lessons. The Durham University team found the opposite; that there was little hands-on, practical work taking place in Britain’s schools.

考试磨灭学生对科学的热情，降低学生对科学的好奇心。这是某英国大学对小学“科学教学与考试”的研究结果。来自杜伦大学的研究人员警告称，许多学生的教学目的只是为了通过考试。对于进入一流学府，学生备受压力。有专家指出，真正能够激励学生自我探索的教学少之又少。对于物理、化学、生物，实验观察才是核心。杜伦大学研究团队发现这恰恰相反，在英国学校，学生动手实践的机会微乎其微。

Lead researcher Professor Peter Tymms said it was important to develop new approaches to primary school science. He compared today’s teaching with that of the past sixty years and found that testing was harming children’s natural desire to ask questions about science. We suspect that the current national approach to science in primary schools is not impacting⁵ on children’s scientific thought and curiosity as much as is possible, he said. Professor Tymms made it clear what schools and science teachers need to focus on, saying: “The purpose of science in primary schools should be to foster⁶ a sense of curiosity and positive attitudes in the young child. It should also guide the child in solving problems to do with the physical, natural and human worlds.”

研究主任皮特·蒂姆认为，我们应该对小学的教育方法进行改变，这至关重要。他将当今的教育方法与过去六十年前进行比较，发现考试磨灭了儿童对科学答疑解惑的欲望。他认为，国内的小学教育并没有尽可能激发学生对科学的创想和好奇心。蒂姆教授指出了学校和老师的教学重点，他认为：“小学的科学教育应该达到激发好奇心，从小建立积极态度的目的。并能够指导学生利用外部世界解决问题。

1 impact   

n.冲击，碰撞；影响；vt.装紧，压紧

参考例句：

• The computer had made a great impact on modern life.计算机对现代生活产生了巨大的影响.
• How will the war impact on such a poet?战争对这样一个诗人会产生什么影响？

2 curiosity   

n.好奇心，新奇的事物，珍品

参考例句：

• He gave in to curiosity and opened my letter.他抑制不住好奇心，拆开了我的信。
• The children are dying of curiosity to see what's in the parcel.孩子们出于好奇，迫不及待地想看看包裹中是什么东西。

3 teaching   

n.教学，执教，任教，讲授；(复数)教诲

参考例句：

• We all agree in adopting the new teaching method. 我们一致同意采取新的教学方法。
• He created a new system of teaching foreign languages.他创造了一种新的外语教学体系。

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 impacting   

[医]撞击（的），碰撞（的）

参考例句：

• The canine is impacting on the incisor. 犬牙和门牙挤压在一起。
• The formal going-concern warning is impacting GM's relationship with some creditors. 审计师发出的这个“继续运营”正式警告对通用汽车与一些债权人的关系产生了影响。

6 foster   

vt.收养，培养，促进；adj.收养的，收养孩子的

参考例句：

• Nowadays young couple sometimes foster.现今年轻夫妇有时领养别人的孩子。
• The captain did his best to foster a sense of unity among the new recruits.队长尽力培养新成员之间的团结精神。