Prime Time 8. Coursebook plus Semester Self-checks, Schulbuch

10 Opportunities: Taking a break Before you read a) Look at the picture on the right and make a mind map of the things that these two young people might be planning. b) Share this mind map with a partner and agree on the three most important points. c) What do you think of taking a year off after leaving school and travelling the world? • Why would you (not) do it? • What could be problematic? • What opportunities would there be? Reading: “Gap year” before college gives graduates valuable life experience a) Read the text about the benefits of taking a gap year. Complete the sentences (1–6) using a maximum of four words. Write your answers in the spaces provided. The first one (0) has been done for you. 1 2 Worn-out high school seniors are getting fresh encouragement from a range of sources to take a break – a “gap year” – before plunging into college. But to be beneficial, it needs to involve more than rest and relaxation. This year, high schools in seven metropolitan areas hosted their first gap-year fairs to inform students about options for spending a year away from the academic treadmill. Earlier in the year, Princeton University announced plans to formalise a “bridge year” programme for admitted students to do service work abroad before enrolling. Reliable data for gap-year activity aren’t available for the USA, but guidance counsellors and college admissions officers say they’re seeing a surge of interest. One contributing factor: The high-pressure senior year of high school increasingly leaves students drained and craving refreshment. Also, counsellors are coming to bless the gap-year option, and colleges increasingly are offering a deferred enrollment option as more and more “gappers” arrive on campus with enhanced focus, motivation and maturity – all of which are of great value for their undergraduate years in college. “Counsellors are recognising that there are many pathways to college,” says David Hawkins, director of public policy and research at the National Association for College Admission Counselling. “They see that, if properly vetted, these opportunities could actually help students succeed in college.” Because gap years conform to no pre-set mould, the sky is the limit in terms of designing rich experiences. Hawkins says most gappers pursue personal enrichment through travel, service work or educational programmes. Their chosen challenges range from City Year, a non-profit tutoring and mentoring programme, to backpacking independently abroad. Consultants agree gap years shouldn’t be just “time off,” and should instead be crafted with clear goals in mind. But whether a gapper learns and grows more in a highly programmed environment than in one that’s less predictable remains a topic open for discussion. Some recommend adhering to a set of structured activities that minimise the likelihood of prolonged downtime at home or major pitfalls on the road. “Most people need structure,” Bull says. “Parents come to me halfway through a child’s gap year and say, ‘It’s sort of falling apart here. We need more ideas or more structure.’ So structure is important.” Others say that while the highly structured approach may be good for businesses that cater to gappers, too much “hand-holding” can hinder the maturation process that tends to happen in the absence of ample support systems. (G. Jeffrey MacDonald, USA TODAY ; adapted and abridged) 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 0 A gap year is usually taken prior to … . going to college ✔ 1 … about students’ approach towards a gap year so far. 2 … students leave high school exhausted. 116 Lifelong learning Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv