EDUCATION REPORT - Shorter School Week

EDUCATION REPORT - Shorter School Week
By Nancy Steinbach

Broadcast: Thursday, July 01, 2004

This is Faith Lapidus with the VOA Special English Education Report.

Last week, the Education Report discussed schools that operate all year round with shorter holidays in the summer. This week, we report about another public school change, a shorter school week.

In most of the United¹ States, students attend class for five days each week -- Monday through Friday. Schools are required to hold classes for about one-hundred-eighty days a year. Recently, schools in some areas of the country have begun investigating² the idea of holding classes for four days a week. Classes would meet either Monday through Thursday, or Tuesday through Friday. Some schools in twelve American states are now using that schedule.

The students still have the same number of total hours in class as before. But they attend school for a longer time on each of the four days. In the western state of Colorado, schools on the four-day week hold classes for seven-and-one-half hours a day for one-hundred-forty-four-days. Traditional schools meet for six hours a day for one-hundred-eighty days.

Many schools on a four-day schedule offer special programs for students or teachers, trips or sports competitions on the fifth day. Officials say this gives students even more time in class than on the traditional schedule. Students do not have to miss school to go to the events. Students can also go to doctors or other appointments on the fifth day.

The main reason for shortening³ the school week is an economic one. Small school systems say they can save money by not providing meals or transportation⁴ for students on the fifth day. And they say research shows that students are not harmed by the shorter week.

Opponents⁵ of the four-day school week say the research is not clear on this. They say the four-day week has not been shown to improve students' learning⁶. And they say that three days off from school each week is too long a time away from class.

Financial pressures seem to be leading to a shorter school week in many parts of the world as well. Japan and Israel are changing from a six-day school week to a five-day schedule. South Korea⁷ will make the change next year. And some areas of Canada have already shortened⁸ their school week from five days to four.

This VOA Special English Education Report was written by Nancy Steinbach. This is Faith Lapidus.

1 united   

adj.和谐的；团结的；联合的，统一的

参考例句：

• The whole nation is closely united.全国人民紧密团结。
• The two men were united by community of interests.共同的利益使两个人结合在一起。

2 investigating   

v.调查( investigate的现在分词 )；审查；侦查；研究

参考例句：

• Police are investigating the theft of computers from the company's offices. 警方正在调查这家公司办公室里的计算机失窃案。
• The police are investigating fraudulent claims for fire damage. 警方正在调查伪造的火灾索赔。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 shortening   

n.缩针，简写；酥油/雪白奶油v.弄短，缩短( shorten的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Instead, sarcomere shortening occurs when the thin filaments'slide" by the thick filaments. 此外，肌节的缩短发生于细肌丝沿粗肌丝“滑行”之际。 来自辞典例句
• Use peanut or safflower oil or solid vegetable shortening for frying. 用花生或红花油，或者食用油来起酥。 来自互联网

4 transportation   

n.运输，运输系统，运输工具

参考例句：

• The transportation of goods by air costs a lot.航空运输货物花费很高。
• He finally solved the difficulty of transportation.他终于解决了运输的困难。

5 opponents   

n.对手，敌手( opponent的名词复数 )；反对者

参考例句：

• Somehow he always manages to outwit his opponents. 他反正总能设法智胜对手。
• to use strong-arm tactics against your political opponents 用强制手段对付政敌

6 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。

7 Korea   

n.朝鲜(亚洲)

参考例句：

• Korea lies to the east of China.韩国位于中国东面。
• Korea and China are separated by only the Yalu River.朝鲜和中国只隔一条鸭绿江。

8 shortened   

v.弄短，缩短( shorten的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She shortened the skirt by an inch. 她把裙子缩短了一英寸。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Vacations have lengthened and the work week has shortened. 假期延长，工作周就缩短了。 来自辞典例句