You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Schools should not force children to learn a foreign language. To what extent do you agree with this statement?
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 some people argue that a foreign language should not be one of the compulsory subjects studied in schools. While I believe that it is useful for schoolchildren to learn a foreign language, I agree completely that they should not be forced to do so.
On the one hand, it will benefit the education of most children if they are encouraged learn a foreign language during their school years. Firstly, through studying the language they will learn about the culture of that country, and some schools even arrange exchange visits, to enable students to briefly immerse themselves in the culture of the foreign country whose language they are learning. Secondly, children can access information in another language. For example, if they are studying English, they can enjoy websites which are only available in English on any topic in which they are interested. Finally, children can be encouraged to learn a foreign language through the range of enjoyable and fun materials available nowadays, especially interactive online learning.
On the other hand, it would be counterproductive to forcibly oblige schoolchildren to learn a foreign language. One reason is that children will not learn effectively through compulsion alone. They must be motivated to do so and this is only achieved through enthusiastic teachers who select stimulating language- learning activities. Another reason is that schoolchildren will be reluctant to learn a foreign language if they cannot see why it might be relevant to their present or future lives. For example, individual Vietnamese pupils should not be forced to learn English if they are certain that they will never need or want to use it in the future.
In conclusion, I would argue that schools should encourage, but not compel, children to learn a foreign language.
292 words
Vocab Highlights
exchange visit: an arrangement when children from schools visit each other for a short period in their different countries
immerse: to become completely involved in something
enjoyable: giving pleasure
fun: amusing and enjoyable
interactive: that allows information to be passed continuously and in both directions between a computer and a person who uses it
counterproductive: having an opposite result or effect to the result that you want
forcibly: using force
oblige: to force somebody to do something, because it is a rule or law
compulsion: strong pressure to do something that you do not want to do
stimulating: full of interesting ideas and making people feel enthusiastic
reluctant: hesitating before doing something because you do not want to do it
compel: to force somebody to do something