VOA慢速英语--美国疫情爆发期间的学校教育

he United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF, says school closings have affected¹ the education of more than 80 percent of students worldwide.

Robert Jenkins is the organization's Global Chief of Education. He said, "Based on lessons learned with the school closures in response to Ebola, the longer children stay away from school, the less likely they are to ever return."

Ebola is a highly infectious virus that has affected areas in Africa periodically over more than 40 years. The coronavirus crisis has spread to at least 175 countries affecting children around the world.

UNICEF says it is aiding 145 low- and middle-income countries with tools and money to help children continue their learning.

In the United States, most of the schools that closed their doors because of the COVID-19 outbreak said the closings would be temporary. But health officials warned that Americans may need to keep schools closed for many months.

Jon Pederson is dean of the University of South Carolina College of Education. He answered some questions about how this might affect the education of millions of children on the website The Conversation.

Will students learn anything while schools are closed?

Educators will have to find ways to help students want to learn. If a lesson plan does not excite students at school, then the lesson plan really will not work at home.

Teachers will have to be more creative and resourceful while classes are suspended. For example, in the U.S., they can take students on virtual classroom field trips to places like the National Aquarium² in Baltimore. They can see everything from wild bears in Alaska to classical music concerts through the Virtual School Activities website. Students can learn how to carry out science experiments at Fun Learning for Kids. In addition, the New York Public Library has more than 300,000 books that students can download for free.

Students with special needs can use Educational Technology and Mobile Learning.

Will students have to repeat a grade or not graduate as expected?

We do not know how long this crisis will last. The federal government has permitted states to cancel required standardized³ tests for the school year.

States and schools will have to decide if students should move on to the next grade or graduate. Not sending students to the next grade or not graduating seniors would affect all public schools, colleges and universities. It would also affect families and the workforce⁴.

When could lost time be made up?

There are measures that states and schools could take. For example, some schools could move to year-round schooling⁵, extend their current or upcoming academic year, or lengthen⁶ school days and cancel some holidays.

In places like El Paso, Texas; Romeoville, Illinois; and Bardstown, Kentucky, some schools already operate all year or had longer school years after hurricanes, floods or other disasters.

Whatever school leaders decide to do, it is going to cost more money. And it is not clear how officials will be able to pay for the new measures.

What good news is there?

Pederson believes that states, schools and teachers have to deal with problems quickly. Their action has reduced the possibility that extreme measures will be needed and that the education system will not fall behind.

He noted⁷ the example of one of the teachers he works with. He said professor Gloria Boutte always starts meetings with a traditional Masai greeting: "How are the children?"

Words in This Story

response –n. something done in reaction to something else

outbreak –n. the sudden start of the spread of disease or fighting

virtual –adj. taking place on the internet through computers

standardized test –n. a test that is given to all students in the same way and under the same conditions

graduating –adj. to receive a degree proving that a student has met all educational requirements to receive the honor

academic –adj. related to schooling, especially higher education

1 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

2 aquarium   

n.水族馆，养鱼池，玻璃缸

参考例句：

• The first time I saw seals was in an aquarium.我第一次看见海豹是在水族馆里。
• I'm going to the aquarium with my parents this Sunday.这个星期天，我要和父母一起到水族馆去。

3 standardized   

adj.标准化的

参考例句：

• We use standardized tests to measure scholastic achievement. 我们用标准化考试来衡量学生的学业成绩。
• The parts of an automobile are standardized. 汽车零件是标准化了的。

4 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

5 schooling   

n.教育；正规学校教育

参考例句：

• A child's access to schooling varies greatly from area to area.孩子获得学校教育的机会因地区不同而大相径庭。
• Backward children need a special kind of schooling.天赋差的孩子需要特殊的教育。

6 lengthen   

vt.使伸长，延长

参考例句：

• He asked the tailor to lengthen his coat.他请裁缝把他的外衣放长些。
• The teacher told her to lengthen her paper out.老师让她把论文加长。

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。