Questões de Concursos Inglês

Text I

The BNCC and Twenty-First Century Skills

The most ambitious feature of the BNCC, which only appeared in the document’s third version, was to establish ten core competencies that all students should develop throughout basic education, starting in early childhood. These competencies include lifelong learning, critical thinking, aesthetic sensibilities, communication skills, digital literacy, entrepreneurship, self-care, empathy, citizenship and ethics. The core competencies broaden the goals of basic education well-beyond academic skills to twenty-first century skills widely regarded as essential to preparing the next generations for the challenges of the 4th industrial revolution.

As ambitious as it was, the BNCC was criticized for the lack of explicit links between the ten core competencies and the subject specific competencies and skills, leaving cities and states with the responsibility of making these links themselves. In addition to this, the core competencies are not generally integrated into teacher training programs and are often de-prioritized for the more basic literacy and numeracy needs. In this context, the Ministry of Education and its partners in the third sector have developed orientations, produced videos and online courses aimed at filling this gap, and helped cities and states integrate the ten core competencies in their curricula.

[…]

Ensuring all Brazilian students master the ten core competencies laid out by the BNCC by the end of high school is a long-term, extremely ambitious goal. Before we can set a timeframe for when we will be able to achieve this feat, we need to know where we stand. Due to the core competencies’ complexity, each involves several skills, attitudes and sometimes values, it is unclear whether we will be capable of measuring all ten of them and by when. Until then we are in the company of the OECD, which is already tackling this challenge and will likely pave the way for Brazil in this respect

Note: BNCC: Base Nacional Comum Curricular;

OECD: The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Adapted from https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-41882-3_2

Text 2

(Part II) Students’ skills

But graduation rates, while important, speak little to the quality of education received. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reviews the extent to which students near the end of their compulsory education (usually around age 15) have acquired some of the knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies, particularly in reading, mathematics and science.

In 2018, PISA tested students from 79 countries, including OECD countries, Brazil, the Russian Federation and South Africa. The students were tested on their reading ability, their skills in maths and level in sciences. Research shows that these skills are more reliable predictors of economic and social well-being than the number of years spent in school or in post -formal education. The average student in the OECD area scored 488. On average in the OECD, girls scored 491 compared with 485 for boys.

Estonia is the highest-performing OECD country, with average PISA scores of 526, followed by Japan and Korea with 520 points. The lowest performing OECD country, Colombia, has an average score of 406. This means that the gap between the highest and lowest performing OECD countries is 120 points.

The best-performing school systems manage to provide highquality education to all students. In Canada, Estonia, Finland and Ireland for example, students tend to perform well regardless of their social background. In Israel and Luxembourg however, the gap between the students with the lowest socio-economic background and the students with the highest socio-economic background reaches more than 120 points, suggesting students’ socio-economic background tends to have an impact on their results. On average across OECD countries, there is a widening 89-point difference in PISA scores between the students with the highest and lowest socio-economic background.

https://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/topics/education/

Text 2

Immigrants and Public Schools

Public schools in the United States helped immigrants in different ways. First the school gave the children a free education. This meant that many young people became better educated than their parents and had more chances for better jobs. In addition, many schools had evening classes for adults.

brainly.com.br

New Research Sheds Light to The Persian Plateau: A Crucial Hub for Homo Sapiens Post-Africa Migration

March 31, 2024

The Persian plateau, a region that spans modern-day Iran, has been identified as a critical hub for Homo sapiens following their migration out of Africa. This pivotal role was established through the integration of genetic evidence, paleoecological models, and archaeological findings. The research, led by a team of scientists from various institutions, indicates that Homo sapiens dispersed from Africa approximately 70−60 thousand years ago (kya), but it wasn't until around 45 kya that they began to colonize all of Eurasia extensively. The interim period, which saw these early humans settle in the Persian plateau, has been a subject of considerable scientific interest.

The Genetic Evidence

Genetic studies reveal that populations within the Persian Plateau possess ancestry components closely matching those of the earliest Homo sapiens who left Africa. This suggests that the plateau acted as a significant waypoint for our species during their early Eurasian colonization attempts. The genetic markers found in the region provide a direct link to these ancient travelers, shedding light on the movements and expansions of early human populations.

Paleoecological Insights

The research further explores the environmental conditions that made the Persian plateau a suitable habitation site for early Homo sapiens. Using paleoecological models, the team reconstructed the climatic conditions of the plateau between 70 and 30 kya. The models indicate that the region could support human life throughout this period, offering a stable environment for these communities. Moreover, the plateau's ecological diversity and resources could sustain larger populations compared to other West Asian regions, making it an ideal settlement area during this epoch.

Archaeological Corroboration

Archaeological evidence from the Persian Plate supports the genetic and paleoecological findings. Sites across the region have yielded artifacts and remains dating back to the relevant period, indicating a continuous human presence. These archaeological sites, alongside the genetic and environmental data, paint a comprehensive picture of the plateau as a bustling hub for early humans.

The combination of genetic, paleoecological, and archaeological evidence positions the Persian plateau as a critical juncture in the story of human migration and settlement. This research not only highlights the importance of the region in our prehistoric past but also opens new avenues for understanding the complexjourney of Homo sapiens as they spread across the globe. Further investigations into this area are likely to yield even more insights into the early chapters of human history.

https://www.thearchaeologist.org/blog/new-research-sheds-light-to-the persian-plateau-a-crucial-hub-for-homo-sapiens-post-africa-migration