Vocabulary: Education

Today we will learn some vocabulary and some useful phrases about things related to education.

Useful school expressions

“I go to primary school, high school, university...”

“Voy a la escuela primaria, el instituto, la universidad…”

“I have English, mathematics, science...”

“Tengo inglés, matemáticas, ciencia...”

“What school did you go to?”

“¿A qué colegio vas?”

“What qualifications have you got?”

“¿Qué calificaciones tienes?”

“What year did you graduate?”

“¿Qué año te graduaste?”

Useful vocabulary about education

- Education: (Educación)

The process of teaching or learning in a school or college, or the knowledge that you get from this.

- Educational system: (Sistema educativo)

Educational systems are established to provide education and training, often for children and the young.

"The educational system in most underdeveloped countries needs to be reformed."

- Educational goals: (Objetivos educacionales)

Each country identifies the educational goals to be achieved by its educational system.

- Educational background: (Formación académica)

Past experience in education.

“To become an engineer in Electronics you need to have a scientific educational background.”

- School year: (Año escolar)

The school year starts in September and ends in June.

- School uniform: (Uniforme escolar)

It is obligatory that students wear school uniforms in some schools.

- Private lessons: (Clases particulares)

Some students need private lessons to keep up with their mates in learning some school subjects.

- Private school: (Colegio privado)

A school providing education that the children's parents pay for directly.

- University graduate: (Graduado universitario)

 A person who holds a college or university degree.

- University degree: (Título universitario)

An academic title given by a college or university to a student who has completed a course of study. You go to university to get a university degree.

"Bachelor of Arts degree."

- Learning needs: (Necesidades de aprendizaje)

Learners should identify their learning needs in order to get the appropriate learning.

- Learning strategies: (Estrategias de aprendizaje)

Learning strategies (or study skills) are techniques used to proceed in your own learning.

- Learning goals: (Objetivos de aprendizaje)

Learning goals are the target behaviour a learner attains through his learning experience.

- Illiteracy: (Analfabetismo)

Someone who is illiterate cannot read or write. Adult illiteracy is a major concern for any development. There are more than 800 million adults that cannot read or write.

- Adult education: (Educación para adultos)

Adult education is the practice of teaching and educating adults. It has become common in many countries. It takes on many forms, ranging from formal class-based learning to self-directed learning. Adult education usually takes place in the evening.

- Formal education: (Enseñanza formal)

Formal education results from a program of instruction in an educational institution leading to a qualification or certification.

- Informal education: (Enseñanza informal)

Informal education occurs in daily work, leisure or family.

- Non-formal education: (Enseñanza no académica)

A non-formal education results from a program but it is not usually evaluated and doesn't lead to certification.

- Basic Education: (Enseñanza básica)

Basic education refers to the whole range of educational activities taking place in various settings (formal, non-formal and informal), that aim to meet basic learning needs. According to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED), basic education comprises primary education (first stage of basic education) and lower secondary education (second stage). In countries (developing countries in particular), Basic Education often includes also pre-primary education and/or adult literacy programs. Universal basic education is regarded as a priority for developing countries

"Every citizen should acquire at least a basic education to be able to read and write."

- Primary Education: (Educación primaria)

Primary (or elementary) education consists of the first years of formal, structured education. In general, primary education consists of six or seven years of schooling starting at the age of 5 or 6, although this varies between, and sometimes within, countries.

- Secondary Education: (Educación secundaria)

Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Except in countries where only primary or basic education is compulsory, secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university.

- Higher education: (Enseñanza superior)

Higher education, also called tertiary, third stage, or post secondary education, is the non-compulsory educational level that follows the completion of a school providing a secondary education, such as a high school, secondary school. Tertiary education is normally taken to include undergraduate and postgraduate education, as well as vocational education and training. Colleges and universities are the main institutions that provide tertiary education. Collectively, these are sometimes known as tertiary institutions. Tertiary education generally results in the receipt of certificates, diplomas, or academic degrees.

- Attendance: (Asistencia)

The fact of going regularly to school, university, etc.

“It is a parent's responsibility to ensure children's regular attendance at school.”

- Class schedule/timetable: (Horario de clase)

A plan of activities or events and when they will happen. It is called schedule in American English and timetable in British English.

“The first lesson on the timetable for Monday morning is history.”

- Dormitory (US) or Hall of residence (UK): (Residencia de estudiantes)

A large building in or near a college or university where students live.

- To Enrol (UK) / Enroll (US): (Inscribirse)

If you enrol at a school or other institution, or if someone enrols you there, you put your name on the official list of its students or members

*Enrol at: “Andrew cannot enrol at his local school because the class is full.”

*Enrol someone in/on something: “Isabelle enrolled her brother in a training programme for engineers.”

- Freshman (US) or Fresher (UK): (Estudiante de primer año/ Novato)

A student in their first year at university.

 “He's a freshman at Harvard.”

“Greg and Jody met in their freshman year at college and married soon after they graduated.”

- Graduation: (Graduación)

The act of receiving a degree or other qualification after finishing your studies at a college or university. It is also the graduation ceremony.

“After graduation she worked as a research chemist.”

- Recess (US) or Break (UK): (Recreo)

A period between school lessons when students can eat, rest, or play.

- Principal (US) or Headmaster/Headmistress (UK): (Director/a)

The person who is in charge of a school. A more usual word is headteacher.

- Boarding School: (Colegio interno/ internado)

A type of school where students live as well as study.

"During my first few weeks at boarding school I missed my parents a lot."

- To Cheat: (Hacer trampa)

To act in a dishonest way to get what you want.

"The student cheated by writing the answers on his hand and looking at them during the test."

- Co-educational: (Colegio mixto)

A school that has both male and female students. A school just for boys or girls is called a single-sex school.

"I think co-educational schools help students to form better relationships with members of the opposite sex in later life."

- Coursework: (Curso)

 Coursework is the work done by students that contributes towards their overall grade, but which is assessed separately from their final exams. Coursework can, for example, take the form of experimental work, or may involve research. It can comprise of dissertations, reports or essays.

"I get nervous when I take a test. I prefer to do coursework because I have a long time to do it and I can do it at my own pace."

- To fail: (Suspender)

 It means that you did not pass your test. You did not get the necessary grade or score. Failure is the noun form.

"40% of students failed the test. The other 60% passed."

- Qualification: (Calificación)

 A qualification is the official proof that you have successfully completed a course or that you have the necessary skills.

"What academic qualifications do you have? Do you have a degree?"

- Retake: (Repetir)

As a verb retake means to take an exam you failed in the past for a second time. As a noun retakes mean the exams which are held again for students who did not pass them the first time around.

"Retakes will be held in February for all those students who did not get 40% on the last test."

"Don't worry you will be able to retake this exam if you don't pass."

- To revise (UK) or review (US): (Repasar)

It means to study before a test. Revision is the noun form.

"I'm going to stay in tonight and revise for Monday's test."

- Semester (US) / Term (UK): (Semestre/ Cuatrimestre)

Both of these words are used to mean the periods of the school year. The school year is usually divided into three terms / semesters: Spring, Autumn and Winter.

"At this school each semester is 12 weeks long."

School subjects

These are the lessons that students typically study in high school (US) or secondary school (UK). Some of them are:

- Business Studies: (Estudios empresariales) Here you learn about how the business world works.

- Drama: (Teatro) A class where you can try acting and learn about the theatre.

- Economics: (Economía) Here we learn about how trade, industry and money is organised in the world.

- Geography: (Geografía) The study of the world's land, rivers, mountains, weather and how it all works.

- History: (Historia) The study of the past and how past events shaped our world.

- Mathematics (also Math in USA; Maths in UK): (Matemáticas) The study of numbers, shapes and spaces.

- Physical Education: (Educación física) Learning how to play sports and getting some exercise.

- Religious Education / Studies: (Religión) The study of belief systems and God.

- Science: (Ciencias) Usually this subject is taught in three fields:

* Biology: (Biología) The study of living things like plants, animals and humans.

* Chemistry: (Química) The study of different substances and how they interact.

* Physics: (Física) The study of matter and energy and how they affect each other.