Learn English with English, baby!

Join for FREE!

Social_nav_masthead_logged_in
 
No-Homework Policies
No-Homework Policies

Learn English meaning of ‘no-homework policies’

Date: Feb 20 2017

Themes: Family, Hobbies, School

Grammar: Contractions and Abbreviations

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

Children learn in many different ways. In the US, it is often normal for a kid to have homework to do after school. Homework is supposed to help children with managing their time. They can decide when to do homework and how much to do. However, many people are on the fence about the value of homework. They think there are other ways for kids to learn the basics.

Some schools are beginning to use no-homework policies. The idea is that kids will be able to enjoy more family time with their parents and siblings. During family time, children learn a lot. For example, they might read, cook, or play games during this time. Many people think that these experiences are much more valuable than homework.

Dominique loves the idea of a no-homework policy. Find out if she can make Andy change his opinion in today’s English lesson.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

Log in to Listen

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Dominique

Dominique

Andy_H

Andy_H

Dominique:  My little cousin goes to school where they have a no-homework policy.

Andy_H:  No-homework policy?

Dominique:  How amazing is that?

Andy_H:  Whoa, whoa… Hold on! Your cousin doesn’t get homework?

Dominique:  No! None.

Andy_H:  Doesn’t that worry you?

Dominique:  Not at all. I mean, the teacher’s in there to teach the kid while they’re in the classroom. So, if they’re not at home, who’s teaching them?

Andy_H:  Well… true, but isn’t a part of homework to learn the basics of having some kind of benefit from managing their time and also their ability to work on their own. I don’t know… I think I’m a little on the fence on this one.

Dominique:  What?! Imagine going to a university and not having any homework. I mean…

Andy_H:  OK, that would have been nice in a university. Does it help with family time?

Dominique:  Yeah! I mean, you come home. You get to have family time with your child and not have to worry about homework. As a parent, who wants to do homework? I don’t.

Andy_H:  You know, come to think of it, I don’t either.

Dominique:  I graduated a long time ago. No thank you!

Andy_H:  And I do dread having to try to teach my son math. I am not good at math.

Dominique:  Yeah, me neither.

Andy_H:  OK, well, no homework… let’s give it a shot.

 

Grammar Point

Go Super to learn "Contractions and Abbreviations" from this lesson Go Super!

Quizzes

Go Super to take Quiz Go Super!

 

Lesson MP3

Go Super to download full lesson MP3 Go Super!

The iTEP® test

  • Schedule an iTEP® test and take the official English Practice Test.

    Take Now >

Discussion

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

Dominque is excited to tell Andy about her cousin’s no-homework policy. At first, Andy is worried. He thinks that homework is very important for learning and teaching kids about managing their time. However, Dominique thinks that a teacher’s job ends in the classroom. When a kid goes home, they should do other activities, not homework.

Andy is on the fence after he hears this. He asks Dominique if a no-homework policy can help with family time. Dominque says, “Yes!” It’s great to spend time as a family and not have to worry about homework. Good parents often do homework with their children, and not having homework is a gift for the whole family. Andy agrees that it sounds like a good idea after all.

Do you do homework? What is your opinion of no-homework policies?

 

Comments

Log in to Comment

La Princesse de la vie

Egypt

I’m graduated now, but still need to do sheets and researches for my post-grad studies. I’m on the fence around no-homework policies, If I were in elementary school now, I would go for it blindly xD But I’m not xD So my idea about homework is applying what you learn at school while you’re at home, so you get better understanding and powerful practice to make sure you get the lesson very well. for instance maths, you need to work some problems out yourself and apply what you took in the class, or you won’t be able to do problems yourself. 


I’d say no-homework is good for children of less age like KG kids or maybe also 1st and 2nd grades, but homework is still needed for older kids untill the policy is planned well and confirmed like Mahtab said.

02:23 PM Apr 16 2017 |

Fatihh

Turkey

Whenever my cousin catches me at home, she asks me help her with her homework and to be honest her homework is a lot and sometimes not easy to do. But she thinks I am her hero and i always do my mission. Anyway that would be great no homework policy. We have to give it a shot too. Maybe it works. Who knows?

09:57 PM Feb 26 2017 |

branko petrovic

Croatia



It depends of ur perents. If they enjoy watching TV all day long it’s better to avoid this policy.


06:10 AM Feb 21 2017 |

1 person likes this

max1983max

max1983max

Germany

I already heard about this. I wish all schools would make no homework policy in the future. 

10:04 PM Feb 20 2017 |

ViVarvara

ViVarvara

Russian Federation

It depends of ur perents. If they enjoy watching TV all day long it’s better to avoid this policy.

08:12 PM Feb 20 2017 |

S&W

S&W

China

We have to do homeworks since primary school, because at that time we don’t have a choice, it’s more like an obligation every student must follow these rules. I am glad to know the no-homework policies and looking forward to see what it will bring to the young kids. It worth to give a shot to break the traditional education mode and stop using scores as the only criteria to judge students.


But, honestly, as far as I know students around me have more homeworks than my at their age. They no longer need their parents help with their homework, they prefer to go to the extra schools where teachers will specially help them on homework. It seem it is still hard to implement no-homework policies.

mahtab49

mahtab49

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

No-Homework Policies are not simple and need educational planning much more than regular systems!


People think its just not doing homework and having easier schools but it is not like that!


Students have longer school days and do their special homeworks at school  with classmates and teachers instead of doing at home with parents!


But there are many activities that students must do out of school and perhaps with family like doing researches!


I’d prefer No-Homework policies if it is accurate and properly planned !

Likes (13):

See all >

Share this lesson:

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Bebo
  • Share on Myspace
  • Share on Twitter
  • Email this to a friend
  • Share on Sina

Post Ebaby! lessons on your blog:

Ebaby! Cast