You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
In some countries, it is thought advisable that children begin formal education at four years old, while in others they do not have to start school until they are seven or eight. How far do you agree with either of these views?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience.
Write at least 250 words.
Sample Answer
The age standard for children in entering formal school has inevitably been a controversial issue whether it is more effective to send children to school at four years old or seven or even eight years old. I personally agree to say that children need to be sent to school earlier at four years old in terms of several reasons.
The first reason is that children tend to have a golden age period at the age of three or four. This condition is believed as the most effective year for children to start learning as well as understanding their environment. Moreover, this age standard has been successfully implemented by Finland education system which is currently claimed as the best education system in the world.
Another considerable reason is that parents can lessen the time for children to play at home in front of the computers which clearly harm them physically and psychologically as well as create a certain disorder. In addition, sending children to school at an early age will not totally erase the children’s time to play because a school provides them with an effective teaching method which focuses on learning and playing. In the other words, children tend to achieve time to learn and play at the same time proportionally.
On the other hand, people who believe that sending children to formal school at four years old consider several points of views in terms of the maturity of children psychology and brain which claimed inappropriate time to be forced with a certain lesson at school.
In short, parents and schools should create a good collaboration and cooperation each other in order to avoid several drawbacks caused by this affirmative action.
[ Written by – Soni Ariawan ]