You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Many people disagree with a school policy which forces children to learn new languages. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
Sample Answer
It is true that many people oppose the idea that learning a foreign language should be compulsory in schools. While it could be argued that learning a new language is valuable in schools, I believe that such a policy should not be made compulsory.
On the one hand, it is advantageous for schoolchildren to study a foreign language. One reason is that in some schools there are opportunities to participate in organised exchange visits with overseas students, or to travel on school trips to countries with a different language and culture. In these ways, children can assimilate knowledge and even acquire social skills while having fun at the same time. Another reason is that if children are able to speak a foreign language, they may find this useful in later life. It could improve their job prospects and help them to pursue a successful career.
On the other hand, I would argue that children should not be forced to learn a new language. Firstly, some children might fail to see the point of studying a subject, for example French or German, which they think they will never use. They would soon become bored and disrupt lessons. Secondly, the school curriculum may already cover a lot of ground. Given a busy timetable, pupils may prefer to study things which they think will benefit them in the future, such as science or mathematics.
In conclusion, although learning a new language would be useful, fun and challenging for children, I feel that this should not form a compulsory part of the school curriculum.
260 words
Vocab Highlights
advantageous: good or useful in a particular situation
to assimilate knowledge: to absorb and understand knowledge
to have social skills: to have the personal skills required for successful communication and interaction
job prospects: the chances of being successful and having more opportunities at work
to pursue a successful career: to have a series of jobs in a particular area of work, with more responsibility as time passes
to see the point of: to understand the purpose or aim of something
to disrupt lessons: to make it difficult to conduct the lesson in the normal way
to cover a lot of ground: to deal with much information and many facts.