Examen de Inglés PAU Madrid 2025 · Ordinaria 12:00

Home Education: the Right Choice?

There has been a notable rise in parents choosing to home educate their children over recent years, particularly since the COVID pandemic. However, the exact number of families home educating is not known and there is no legal requirement to register with a local authority in countries like England.

How and why do families choose home education instead of the traditional system? There are several options available to families when following an educational pathway for their children. If a child is already at conventional school when their family decides to home educate, the parents must cancel their child's registration before beginning home education, sending a letter to the school. However, if a child is not at school and has not been entered into the schooling system, there is no requirement to alert the local authority, and parents can simply continue to educate their kids as they prefer. Some parents may go for a combination of school and home education. This is known as flexi-schooling: the child attends school part time and learns at home part time. However, this is not a right and it requires the agreement of the school's headteacher.

There are many reasons why parents choose to educate their child at home. There are those who reject the typical way of educating and opt for a more “unconventional” approach. The parents want to focus on nurturing their children and want to be at home learning with them. Some families prefer to home educate so they can teach the curriculum they wish and give their children a personalised education. Their child might have special educational needs or disabilities that their school is unable to meet adequately, or they might be being bullied at school, or be highly gifted, meaning that they or their parents feel the school curriculum isn't suitable for them.

Social media—where parents discuss the challenges their children face in mainstream education—has played a powerful role in expanding knowledge of home education. More parents may be making this choice because they know it is an option available to them. The challenge is to ensure that adequate support is in place for the children who may want to remain in school but feel they cannot, as well as for those whose families wish to home educate.

Adapted from Lucie Wheeler’s “Home Education: Why Are So Many Parents Choosing it Over Mainstream School?” The Conversation, 30 Aug. 2024. <https://theconversation.com/home-education-why-are-so-many-parents-choosing-it-over-mainstream-school-228164>

1.- Indicate whether TWO of the following statements are True, False or the information is Not Given in the text (T/F/NG). In true and false cases, copy the complete sentence that contains the evidence which justifies your answer. No marks are given for only TRUE or FALSE.

(Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)

a)

Home education has become increasingly unpopular in the last decade.

b)

In flexi-schooling, pupils learn using electronic devises as well as traditional textbooks.

c)

One of the reasons why parents choose home schooling is that they can select the learning contents themselves.

Home Education: the Right Choice?

There has been a notable rise in parents choosing to home educate their children over recent years, particularly since the COVID pandemic. However, the exact number of families home educating is not known and there is no legal requirement to register with a local authority in countries like England.

How and why do families choose home education instead of the traditional system? There are several options available to families when following an educational pathway for their children. If a child is already at conventional school when their family decides to home educate, the parents must cancel their child's registration before beginning home education, sending a letter to the school. However, if a child is not at school and has not been entered into the schooling system, there is no requirement to alert the local authority, and parents can simply continue to educate their kids as they prefer. Some parents may go for a combination of school and home education. This is known as flexi-schooling: the child attends school part time and learns at home part time. However, this is not a right and it requires the agreement of the school's headteacher.

There are many reasons why parents choose to educate their child at home. There are those who reject the typical way of educating and opt for a more “unconventional” approach. The parents want to focus on nurturing their children and want to be at home learning with them. Some families prefer to home educate so they can teach the curriculum they wish and give their children a personalised education. Their child might have special educational needs or disabilities that their school is unable to meet adequately, or they might be being bullied at school, or be highly gifted, meaning that they or their parents feel the school curriculum isn't suitable for them.

Social media—where parents discuss the challenges their children face in mainstream education—has played a powerful role in expanding knowledge of home education. More parents may be making this choice because they know it is an option available to them. The challenge is to ensure that adequate support is in place for the children who may want to remain in school but feel they cannot, as well as for those whose families wish to home educate.

Adapted from Lucie Wheeler’s “Home Education: Why Are So Many Parents Choosing it Over Mainstream School?” The Conversation, 30 Aug. 2024. <https://theconversation.com/home-education-why-are-so-many-parents-choosing-it-over-mainstream-school-228164>

2.- In your own words and based on the ideas in the text, answer the following questions. Do not copy from the text.

(Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)

a)

What do parents need to do if they want to home educate their children who are already going to a traditional school?

b)

How are more people getting to know better about home schooling?

Home Education: the Right Choice?

There has been a notable rise in parents choosing to home educate their children over recent years, particularly since the COVID pandemic. However, the exact number of families home educating is not known and there is no legal requirement to register with a local authority in countries like England.

How and why do families choose home education instead of the traditional system? There are several options available to families when following an educational pathway for their children. If a child is already at conventional school when their family decides to home educate, the parents must cancel their child's registration before beginning home education, sending a letter to the school. However, if a child is not at school and has not been entered into the schooling system, there is no requirement to alert the local authority, and parents can simply continue to educate their kids as they prefer. Some parents may go for a combination of school and home education. This is known as flexi-schooling: the child attends school part time and learns at home part time. However, this is not a right and it requires the agreement of the school's headteacher.

There are many reasons why parents choose to educate their child at home. There are those who reject the typical way of educating and opt for a more “unconventional” approach. The parents want to focus on nurturing their children and want to be at home learning with them. Some families prefer to home educate so they can teach the curriculum they wish and give their children a personalised education. Their child might have special educational needs or disabilities that their school is unable to meet adequately, or they might be being bullied at school, or be highly gifted, meaning that they or their parents feel the school curriculum isn't suitable for them.

Social media—where parents discuss the challenges their children face in mainstream education—has played a powerful role in expanding knowledge of home education. More parents may be making this choice because they know it is an option available to them. The challenge is to ensure that adequate support is in place for the children who may want to remain in school but feel they cannot, as well as for those whose families wish to home educate.

Adapted from Lucie Wheeler’s “Home Education: Why Are So Many Parents Choosing it Over Mainstream School?” The Conversation, 30 Aug. 2024. <https://theconversation.com/home-education-why-are-so-many-parents-choosing-it-over-mainstream-school-228164>

3.- Find the words in the text that mean:

(Puntuación máxima: 1 punto)

a)

b)

c)

d)

4.- Answer FOUR questions (from a to f) of your choice. (Puntuación máxima: 2 puntos)

Write a new sentence that has the same meaning as the one given. Use the word or expression in brackets. Do not change the word(s) given.

a)

I didn't know John wanted to come to the party, so I didn't invite him. (if)

b)

I started playing the piano three years ago. (for)

c)

Although the restaurant was crowded, we managed to find a table. (In spite of)

Complete the following sentences to report what was said.

d)

“Why don't we get another assistant for the job?”

e)

“Do you really need to use your phone at this moment?”

Rephrase the sentence beginning with the words given.

f)

“The students in this group are making a huge effort to get the highest marks this year.”

5.- Write between 150 and 200 words on ONE of the following questions. (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)

a) What are the advantages and disadvantages of taking online lessons? Discuss.

Remember to organize your text clearly with an introduction, balanced arguments for both sides, and a conclusion. Write between 150 and 200 words.

5.- Write between 150 and 200 words on ONE of the following questions. (Puntuación máxima: 3 puntos)

b) Your friend Susan, who will be going to university next year, has sent you an e-mail asking for your opinion on whether she should study in her home country or abroad instead. Reply with an informal e-mail giving your advice.

Remember: DO NOT SIGN OR IDENTIFY YOUR EMAIL. Write between 150 and 200 words.