英美文化之美国文化一.ppt

American Education Education is “like a big window opening,” according to the English novelist Mary Webb. Americans are proud of the fact that the window of knowledge is never slammed shut for and of the nation’s citizens. All American children are offered twelve years of free public education, and most good students can get financial help to continue their studies for many more years. Adults who wish to attend school also find many opportunities. 美国教育制度和大多数其它国家教育制度的一个主要不同点，是美国的教育为社会上每一个人而办，不是专为少数人而设。美国法律规定，任何学龄儿童均应进入学校就读，并提供十二年义务（免费）的中小学教育，当然进入私立学校就读的话，便要缴付相当昂贵的学费。 有些公立中学，也录取外国学生就读，并会发给留学生签证，但这些外国留学生，却要缴交学费，情况与其它进入私立中学的学生大致相同。 美国的教育制度，整体上可分为四个阶段，那就是：(i)学前教育 (pre-school education); (ii)初等教育(elementary education); (iii)中等教育(secondary education); (iv)高等教育(higher education) 。从学前教育、初等教育到中等教育，都是属于大学前(pre-college)的教育，包括保育学校 (nursery school)及幼儿园(kindergarten)、小学、初中 (junior high school)及高中(high school)。 1.Early Childhood Education 2.Grammar School and High School初级学校和高中 3.Colleges and Universities 1.Early Childhood Education In most areas, free public school education begins with kindergarten classes for five-year-olds. Nearly three million American children attend kindergarten each year. For many, kindergarten is their first school experience. But some are introduced to the classroom situation at a much younger age, either through nursery schools托儿所;育幼院or day care centers日托服务中心. Nursery schools accept children from three to five years old for half-day session ranging from twice a week to five days a week. Nursery schools usually charge tuition, though some are subsidized给与补助金或奖助金and some offer scholarships. Day care centers provide care for pre-school children of working mothers who need a place to leave their children all day, five days a week. Some day care centers accept pre-school children from infancy on. The children have lunches and snacks at the center and spend the entire day there. 2.Grammar School and High School初级学校和高中 Main contents Twelve grade