Imagine: you have been accepted for a one-term exchange programme. You are leaving in two weeks. What do you need to prepare? What could be exciting? What could be difficult? Let's find out!
Revise: before we move on, let's go back to Form 6 and revise vocabulary about school and school subjects: School subjects, School words and phrases
1. Education opportunities and choices
abroad — [əˈbrɔːd] — in or to a foreign country; ārzemēs, uz ārzemēm
Many students dream of studying abroad for one term.
advantage — [ədˈvɑːn.tɪdʒ] — a quality of something that makes it better or more useful; priekšrocība, pārākums
One advantage of an exchange programme is learning a language in real situations.
exchange programme — [ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒ ˈprəʊɡræm] — an arrangement in which people from different countries visit each other’s country, perhaps to strengthen links between them or to improve foreign language skills; apmaiņas programma
Our school offers an exchange programme with a school in Germany.
experience — [ɪkˈspɪə.ri.əns] — the knowledge and skill that you have gained through doing something for a period of time; the process of gaining this; pieredze, pieredzēt
Studying abroad can be a valuable experience for young people.
opportunity — [ˌɒp.əˈtʃuː.nə.ti] — a time when a particular situation makes it possible to do or achieve something; izdevība, iespēja
An exchange programme is a great opportunity to meet people from another culture.
2. Applying and preparing
accommodation (US usually accommodations) — [əˌkɒm.əˈdeɪ.ʃən] — a place to live, work or stay in; mājvieta, dzīvesvieta, naktsmītne
The school helped exchange students find safe accommodation near the city centre.
application — [ˌæp.lɪˈkeɪ.ʃən] — a formal, often written, request for something, such as a job, permission to do something or a place at a college or university; iesniegums, lūgums, pieteikums
Anna sent her application to an international summer school.
application form — [ˌæp.lɪˈkeɪ.ʃən fɔːm] — a form that you complete in order to get something you want or need, such as a job, a place on a course, permission to do something, etc.; pieteikuma forma
Students must complete an application form before they can join the programme.
timetable — [ˈtaɪmˌteɪ.bəl] — a chart or plan of the classes that a student or teacher has in school each week; stundu saraksts, nodarbību saraksts, grafiks
The new timetable includes English, history and two online lessons.
3. Schools, universities and education systems
department — [dɪˈpɑːtmənt] — a section of a large organisation such as a government, business, university, etc.; nodaļa, departaments, fakultātes/katedras nodaļa
He is a lecturer in the department of psychology at Trinity College, Dublin.
education — [ˌedʒ.ʊˈkeɪ.ʃən] — a process of teaching, training and learning, especially in schools, colleges or universities, to improve knowledge and develop skills; izglītība
Good education can open many doors in the future.
education system — [ˌedʒ.ʊˈkeɪ.ʃən ˈsɪs.təm] — the structured framework and organisation of formal learning within a society; izglītības sistēma
Students can compare the Latvian education system with the education system in another country.
head teacher (also headteacher) — [ˌhed ˈtiːtʃə(r)] — a teacher who is in charge of a school; skolas direktors(e)
The head teacher welcomed the exchange students on their first day.
professor — [prəˈfes.ər] — a university teacher of the highest rank; profesors(e)
The professor explained how university life is different from school life.
4. Learning and academic life
attend — [əˈtend] — to go regularly to a place; apmeklēt (lekcijas, sapulci)
Students are expected to attend class regularly.
lecture — [ˈlek.tʃər] — a talk that is given to a group of people to teach them about a particular subject, often as part of a university or college course; lekcija
We went to a lecture on Italian art.
term (in US semester) — [tɜːm] — one of the periods into which a year is divided at school, college or university; semestris, mācību periods
During the spring term, students worked on an international project.
5. Assessment and results
fail — [feɪl] — to not be successful in achieving something; ciest neveiksmi, izkrist eksāmenā, izgāzt eksāmenu, būt nesekmīgam
I passed in history but failed in chemistry.
mark (US usually grade) — [mɑːk] — to give marks to students’ work; vērtēt, izlikt atzīmi; atzīme
The teacher will mark the students’ projects at the end of the week.
pass — [pɑːs] — to achieve the required standard in an exam, a test, etc.; nokārtot, sekmīgi nokārtot
Guess what? I’ve passed my driving test!
qualification — [ˌkwɒlɪfɪˈkeɪʃn] — an official record showing that you have finished a training course or have the necessary skills, etc.; kvalifikācija
A good qualification can help people find better jobs.