5-minute listening: Poland’s kids rejoice over new limits on homework
- Teachers are no longer required to assign school work to children in the first to third grades
- Practise your English with our short listening exercises: play the audio; answer the questions; and check the answers at the bottom of the page
Poland’s government has ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades. Photo: APQuestions
1. Why is Ola Kozak celebrating?
A. because she will no longer need to do homework
B. because she is expecting to do less homework
C. because she will soon be exempted from going to school
D. because she is going to skip one grade
2. What are Ola Kozak’s hobbies?
A. singing and dancing
B. music and drawing
C. drawing and skateboarding
D. skateboarding and music
3. In which grades will homework no longer be given?
A. Grades 1 and 2
B. Grades 4 and 5
C. Grades 5 and 6
D. Grades 6 to 12
4. If something is “optional”, you …
A. must do it within a certain time period.
B. have to do it by yourself.
C. can choose to do it if you want to.
D. none of the above
5. What is one criticism about the Polish education system mentioned in the podcast?
A. It focuses too much on critical thinking and creativity.
B. It lacks qualified and experienced teachers.
C. It uses outdated teaching methods.
D. It emphasises rote learning and memorisation.
6. Who is most likely to disagree with Ola Kozak about the new law?
A. Donald Tusk
B. Ola’s father
C. Ola’s mother
D. Maciek Matuszewski
7. What is one argument against homework for children according to the podcast?
A. It has little proven benefit for their learning.
B. It helps them become more creative.
C. It helps them have better critical thinking skills.
D. It teaches them time management skills.
8. Which word can replace “ease” in the podcast?
A. lighten
B. aid
C. comfort
D. modify
9. What does Sławomir Broniarz worry might happen because of the new homework
rules?
A. Students will lose motivation to learn outside school.
B. Children from less supportive families might fall behind academically.
C. They will create unnecessary stress for students.
D. They will have a negative impact on the relationship between teachers and students.
10. Why did Maciek Matuszewski say children “had no time to rest”?
A. because the school hours were too long
B. because they had to attend lots of after-school classes
C. because they had to spend weekends doing homework
D. information not given
11. What did Donald Tusk do after Maciek Matuszewski spoke at the campaign rally?
A. He criticised Matuszewski for his views on homework.
B. He featured Matuszewski in social media videos.
C. He ignored Matuszewski’s concerns.
D. He offered Matuszewski a position in the Polish Teachers’ Union.
12. Which word has a similar meaning to “cram” in the podcast?
A. squeeze
B. force
C. read
D. study
13. Why did South Korea set limits on homework for primary school students?
A. to motivate them to study harder
B. to prepare them for the university entrance exams
C. to allow them to spend more time on tuition classes
D. to reduce the pressure they were feeling
14. Which place does the “education-obsessed country” in the podcast refer to?
A. South Korea
B. United States
C. Poland
D. Japan
15. Why have some primary schools in the US got rid of homework?
A. to reduce teachers’ workload
B. to give students more time for studying
C. to allow students more time for play and other activities
D. all of the above
Answers
1. B
2. B
3. A
4. C
5. D
6. C
7. A
8. A
9. B
10. C
11. B
12. D
13. D
14. A
15. C
Script
Adapted from Associated Press
Voice 1: Ola Kozak, an 11-year-old with a passion for music and drawing, is overjoyed. She is excited to have more leisure time for her beloved hobbies, thanks to the recent decision by Poland’s government to impose strict limits on homework in lower grades.
Voice 2: Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government enacted a ban against required homework. Under the decree, teachers are no longer required to assign homework to children in the first to third grades. In grades four to eight, homework is optional and doesn’t count towards a grade.
Voice 1: This is happening amid a wider discussion about the need to improve Poland’s education system. Critics say the system places too much emphasis on rote learning and homework and not enough on critical thinking and creativity.
Voice 2: The change in homework policy has not been universally welcomed, and even Ola’s parents are divided. Ola’s father, supports the idea, but only if homework is replaced with activities that make school more enjoyable for children. On the other hand, Ola’s mother, does not favour the change because she believes homework is crucial for reinforcing what children learn at school.
Voice 1: Debates over the proper amount of homework are common around the globe. While some studies have shown little benefit to homework for young learners, other experts say it can help them learn how to develop study habits.
Voice 2: Sławomir Broniarz, the head of the Polish Teachers’ Union, acknowledges the need to ease students’ workload, but he criticises the new homework rules as another example of trying to change policies without getting enough input from educators. He argues that removing homework could worsen educational inequalities between students with strong home support and those from less privileged backgrounds. Instead, he is pushing for broader changes to the curriculum.
Voice 1: The homework rules became a hot topic last year when a 14-year-old boy, Maciek Matuszewski, stood up at a campaign rally. He told Tusk before a national audience that children “had no time to rest”. The boy said their rights were being violated with so much homework on weekends and so many tests on Mondays. Tusk has since featured the teen in social media videos, making him the face of the new ban.
Voice 2: In 2017, South Korea set homework limits for primary schools amid concerns that kids were under too much pressure. However, teenagers in the education-obsessed country often cram long into the night and get tutoring in hopes of doing well on school and university admission tests.
Voice 1: In the United States, teachers and parents decide how much homework to assign. A guideline circulated by US teacher unions recommends about 10 minutes of homework per grade level. Some primary schools have eliminated homework entirely to give children more time to play, join activities, and spend time with their families.