МИНИСТЕРСТВО НАУКИ И ВЫСШЕГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ РФ
ФЕДЕРАЛЬНОЕ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОЕ БЮДЖЕТНОЕ
ОБРАЗОВАТЕЛЬНОЕ УЧРЕЖДЕНИЕ
ВЫСШЕГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ
«ВОРОНЕЖСКИЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ
УНИВЕРСИТЕТ»
STUDENTS’ LIFE IN THE MODERN WORLD
PART 1. ACADEMIC LIFE
Учебно-методическое пособие
Составители:
О.В. Тихомирова, Е.С. Селезнева
Воронеж
Издательский дом ВГУ
2019
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СОДЕРЖАНИЕ
Пояснительная записка…………..………….……….………..……….4
Unit 1
Student’s life…………………..…..………………..……………..……..5
Unit 2
Foreign educational institutions. Academic year………..………..…….11
Unit 3
Online learning……………………………………..…………....……..18
Библиографический список…………..………..…………..……...….24
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C. Before you read the article discuss the following:
1. What abilities and skills do you need to have in order to study at
university?
2. What skills are most important for successful study? Why?
D. Read the article. Do you agree with the top five skills listed by the
author? Why?
Five 21st Century Skills Students Need to Master Today
College is demanding; there are essay and assignment deadlines to juggle,
exams to study for, summer internships to find, and a graduate job to pursue. The
transition from college student to young professional can be equally tough.
So, what are the top five skills you need to be working on to get you through
college life and out the other side to employment with ease?
Clue: If you are only concentrating on your college work, you may not be
working on all the right skills you need for a great job after graduation.
1. Communication
The ability to communicate with others is vital. It’s not just about being able
to voice your own opinions and arguments; equally important is the ability to
read and understand others.
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There’s a theory that over 90 percent of communication is non-verbal, which
means people largely get their message across through body language and
tone of voice, rather than the actual words they choose to use.
People spend lots of time chatting with peers. This kind of talk is informal and
unstructured. Most feel more comfortable talking with individuals from a similar
generation and background.
However, when meeting with college tutors, attending interviews for
employment and further down the line in professional work, more formal
dialogue is required.
For this reason, it’s vital to work on your interpersonal communication skills –
to hone your ability to read others by taking the time to listen, watch and
converse with people from all walks of life. This is a particularly important part
of interview preparation.
Part-time or voluntary work can offer you opportunities for improving your
communication skills.
2. Writing
Perhaps you thought learning to write was for grade-schoolers? Not so at all.
Thanks to the internet, there’s never been a greater demand for the written
word. Every day, people write through direct messaging, email and social media;
they read blogs and online news.
Although much of what is read and written may have gone online, this
doesn’t mean quality has been compromised. Students still need to turn in firstrate
essays and reports, and people are all keen that whatever they write on social
media gives a good impression.
Outside in the post-college world of work, email is a dominant form of
communication, detailed business proposals and scientific reports are still being
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written, and companies need to be able to market their products and services
through quality web content, blog posts and succinct social media. In fact,
according to the most recent NACE survey, 4 out of 5 employers see good
written communication as a vital skill.
Without a doubt, you need to be able to write well. You may not want to be a
journalist or novelist, but whatever your goals, you absolutely do need to be able
to get your point across through the written word.
It can be simple to improve written English skills. The most straightforward
way to learn to write in a more advanced way is to read. By reading the kind of
styles you wish to emulate, you can observe the structures, the style, the formality
and the vocabulary used.
3. Critical Thinking
People today live in an age wherein they are continually bombarded with
information via the internet and their smartphones; never before have they had to
contend with such a volume of media passing by their eyes.
However, their ability to evaluate this vast quantity of information and
form their own arguments is often lacking.
Unfortunately, the way in which people were taught in high school meant that
they were expected to regurgitate a required response to pass tests. This often
means that people find it difficult to analyze the swathes the information they
receive at college level, where greater understanding and depth of knowledge is
required.
It is vital for students to think critically enough to identify and evaluate
different arguments and see that there may be bias, misinformation or alternative
ways of looking at the subject in anything they read or view. This will enable
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them to construct their own arguments and responses in written or oral
discussions.
In the graduate world, employers are increasingly looking for candidates who
can think critically, evaluate problems and provide alternative solutions, rather
than passing the buck.
4. Initiative
Initiative is a skill in demand from graduate employers.
This is because, in the world of work, students who willingly show initiative
demonstrate that they take responsibility for something. They know that if the
project they are working on does not produce good results, they are responsible
for that. They will therefore work hard to ensure the best outcomes.
For this reason, demonstrating initiative shows the beginnings of leadership
skills, too. Initiative is about taking decisions and ownership of a
situation. This person will not need to be micromanaged and can help engage
others.
To practice this skill in student life, look for opportunities where you can get a
handle on something that interests you and show you can make the most of
situations. It could be starting a micro-business, writing a blog, or taking an
active interest in student politics.
5. Teamwork
Finally, over 82 percent of employers questioned in the NACE survey say they
actively search for team players when sifting through résumés, and this figure has
been rising in recent years.
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Once in employment, very few people work autonomously. Their role and input
are nearly always part of a bigger picture, where colleagues are of equal value
and importance to the finished results.
However, as a college student where you are largely working alone on essays,
projects and assignments, it can be hard to gather much experience of teamwork
during your college years.
Potential employers need to see evidence of teamwork, so for a fullyrounded
résumé, you need to have something concrete that demonstrates you’ve
worked successfully alongside others.
Your contributions to sports teams, music and drama ensembles, political or
charity campaign groups can all show that you’re a team player, so make the
most of opportunities to take part in life outside of the classroom.
Comprehension
E. Read the article more carefully. Which of these statements are true?
Correct the false statements.
1.) More than a half of communication is non-verbal, which means people
largely get their message across through the actual words they choose to
use.
2.) Most employers do not appreciate good written communication as an
important skill.
3.) The ability to construct one’s own arguments and responses in written or
oral discussions is important to develop critical thinking.
4.) Initiative helps to make decisions and cope with difficult situations.
5.) Most of employers appreciate people who work autonomously rather than
in a team.
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