【一起听英语】军人与老师

你听说过军人退役后当老师的吗？专家认为军人更适合当老师，也更会成为好的老师，真是这样吗？

Rob: Hello, I'm Rob…

Cath: And I'm Cath.

Rob: And this is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. Today we're talking

about teachers and how one school is planning to only use people who were in

the armed forces to work there.

Cath: The Armed Forces. We mean the army, the navy and the air force.

Rob: Yes, that's right. It's thought that former soldiers could make excellent teachers.

Well let's see how much you learnt at school because I've got today's question

for you.

Cath: OK.

Rob: According to Government figures, approximately how many school pupils are

there in England? Is it:

 6.1 million

 7.1 million, or

 8.1 million

Cath: I have no idea but I am going to go for the one in the middle, 7.1 million.

Rob: OK, well, we'll see if you're right at the end of the programme. Now let's talk

more about this idea to use only former soldiers as teachers at a free school in

Manchester. 

6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011

Page 2 of 6

Cath: A free school. Free schools are part of the British government's reforms in

education. They allow local parents, teachers or charities to establish – or set

up - their own schools.

Rob: And The Phoenix 1 Free School wants to use former soldiers as teachers because

they have a lot of life experience. Literally 2, they have experienced life.

Cath: That's true but does that mean they'll make ideal teachers?

Rob: This is the concern. They will not be qualified 3 teachers.

Cath: So by not being qualified it means they will not have trained to be teachers.

Rob: Yes. But let's hear from Tom Burkard who is on the committee for the new

school. He thinks that's not an issue. Listen out for another word he uses that

means qualified:

Tom Burkard, member of the committee for the Phoenix Free School

The reason for this is simply based on three major American studies that have been done in

the last few years. They found that teachers who have little or no training perform just as well

as those who are fully 4 certified 5. The test results of their pupils – there is no statistically 6

significant differences.

Rob: So Tom Burkard is not concerned that these teachers are not fully certified –

or qualified. He says 3 different American studies show unqualified teachers

perform just as well.

Cath: And their performance – or their good work – is proved by the fact that there is

statistically no difference in the test results of the pupils.

Rob: Statistically means the numbers or figures – the numbers or figures show there

is no difference.

Cath: So does this imply that maybe teachers don't need training? 

6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011

Page 3 of 6

Rob: Well as a trained teacher myself, I think you do need to learn how to teach.

And I'm not the only one. There are other critics of the idea.

Cath: So a critic, here, is somebody who is against the idea.

Rob: Mary Bousted is a critic. She's from the Association of Teachers and Lecturers.

She thinks teacher training is necessary. What does she think teachers need to

learn?

Mary Bousted, Assosiation of Teachers and Lecturers

The idea that you can simply take the skills and abilities you've learnt in war or on the parade

ground or through army manoeuvres, and those can be translated undigested into teaching

without any further training is ridiculous. You need to learn about different approaches to

teaching and learning and need to learn the research theories about new approaches

particularly international approaches.

Cath: So Mary Bousted says the skills and abilities learnt in war can't be translated

undigested into teaching. Rob, what does she mean by undigested?

Rob: She's talking about transferring skills to the classroom without any thought or

without adapting them for children. She thinks the idea is ridiculous!

Cath: Ridiculous! That's a good word. It means silly or absurd. Mary Bousted thinks

teachers need to learn about different approaches to teaching and learning.

Rob: So she doesn't want these soldiers skipping teacher training courses.

Cath: Skipping means missing or avoiding. But Rob, isn't this school breaking the

law?

Rob: No it's not. According to Tom Burkard, this plan is legal. Here he is again

using the phrase 'free to'. What are they free to do? 

6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011

Page 4 of 6

Tom Burkard, member of the committee for the Phoenix Free School

All free schools are free to employ people who don't have teaching qualifications. The only

teacher you have to have who is qualified is the special needs co-ordinator. We're not asking

for any special exemption 7 in this. We're just following what the Department of Education is

saying right here.

Rob: Free Schools are 'free to' employ unqualified teachers. They are allowed to by

law.

Cath: And he's doesn't want to be treated specially 8. That's what he means when he

says we're not asking for any special exemption.

Rob: It's the Department of Education that says Free Schools can recruit unqualified

teachers.

Cath: Well it's an interesting and very controversial idea. I suppose parents don't have

to send their children to this school?

Rob: Yes that's true. But I'm afraid, Cath, you had no choice in trying to answer

today's question!

Cath: OK.

Rob: I asked you According to Government figures, approximately how many

school pupils are there in England?

6.1 million

7.1 million, or

 8.1 million

Cath: I thought 7.1 million but I don't really know! 

6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011

Page 5 of 6

Rob: And you are absolutely wrong because the actual answer is 8.1 million pupils

in England.

Cath: That's a lot. No wonder I can't get on the bus in the morning!

Rob: OK, well we're almost at the end of the programme, so Cath could you please

remind us of some of the vocabulary we've heard in today's programme?

Cath: Of course! We had:

armed forces

reforms

qualified

certified

statistically

critics

undigested

ridiculous

approaches

exemption

Rob: Thanks Cath. See you next time!

Both: Bye!