The topic of year-round schooling has been a recurring theme in IELTS Writing Task 2 essays, appearing with moderate frequency in past exams. As educational systems worldwide continue to evolve, this subject is likely to remain relevant in future IELTS tests. To help you prepare effectively, we’ll examine a real IELTS question on this topic and provide sample essays for different band scores.
Let’s consider the following IELTS Writing Task 2 question that has appeared in recent exams:
Some people think that schools should move to a year-round schedule with shorter breaks throughout the year instead of a long summer break. What are the advantages and disadvantages of year-round schooling?
Analyzing the Question
This question falls under the “advantages and disadvantages” essay type. It requires you to:
- Discuss the benefits of year-round schooling
- Explore the drawbacks of this educational approach
- Maintain a balanced perspective without stating your personal opinion
Remember, the benefits and drawbacks of standardized testing in education can also be relevant to this topic, as year-round schooling may impact testing schedules and outcomes.
Sample Essay 1: Band 8-9 Response
Year-round schooling, an alternative to the traditional academic calendar, has garnered attention in educational circles. This essay will examine both the merits and demerits of this approach to schooling.
One significant advantage of year-round education is the potential for improved academic retention. With shorter, more frequent breaks, students are less likely to experience the “summer slide” – a phenomenon where knowledge is lost during extended holidays. This continuous learning cycle can lead to better academic performance and reduced need for review at the start of each term.
Moreover, year-round schooling can alleviate overcrowding in schools. By implementing a multi-track system, where different groups of students attend school at different times throughout the year, schools can accommodate more students without the need for additional facilities. This approach can be particularly beneficial in densely populated urban areas facing space constraints.
However, year-round schooling is not without its drawbacks. One major disadvantage is the disruption to family schedules and vacation planning. The traditional summer break allows families to plan extended trips and activities, which may become challenging with a year-round schedule. This could potentially impact family bonding and cultural experiences that often occur during summer vacations.
Additionally, the implementation of year-round schooling can be costly for schools. Air conditioning expenses during hot summer months, ongoing maintenance, and staffing for extended periods can strain educational budgets. These increased costs may lead to reduced funding for other important educational programs or resources.
Furthermore, students involved in extracurricular activities, such as sports or arts programs, may face conflicts with year-round schooling. Many of these activities traditionally occur during summer breaks, and a year-round schedule could limit students’ ability to participate fully in these enriching experiences.
In conclusion, while year-round schooling offers potential benefits such as improved academic retention and efficient use of school facilities, it also presents challenges related to family schedules, increased costs, and potential conflicts with extracurricular activities. As with any significant change to the educational system, careful consideration of both advantages and disadvantages is crucial before implementation.
(Word count: 309)
Essay Analysis
This essay demonstrates excellent qualities that justify a Band 8-9 score:
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Task Achievement: The essay fully addresses all parts of the task, discussing both advantages and disadvantages of year-round schooling in detail.
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Coherence and Cohesion: Ideas are logically organized with clear progression. Each paragraph focuses on a specific point, and appropriate linking words are used throughout.
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Lexical Resource: The essay employs a wide range of vocabulary with very natural and sophisticated control of lexical features. Examples include “academic retention,” “summer slide,” “multi-track system,” and “extracurricular activities.”
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Grammatical Range and Accuracy: The essay demonstrates a wide range of grammatical structures used accurately and appropriately. Complex sentences are used effectively, such as “With shorter, more frequent breaks, students are less likely to experience the ‘summer slide’ – a phenomenon where knowledge is lost during extended holidays.”
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Development of Ideas: Each main point is well-developed with relevant examples and explanations, showing depth of understanding of the topic.
Sample Essay 2: Band 6-7 Response
Year-round schooling is becoming more popular in some countries. This essay will look at the good and bad points of this system.
One advantage of year-round schooling is that students may not forget what they learned. With shorter breaks, they can remember more from their classes. This could help them do better in school overall. Also, schools can fit more students by having different groups come at different times of the year. This helps solve the problem of overcrowded schools.
However, there are also some disadvantages to year-round schooling. Families might find it hard to plan vacations when there is no long summer break. This could make it difficult for parents who want to spend time with their children. Another problem is that schools may have to spend more money on things like air conditioning and maintenance when they are open all year.
Year-round schooling might also cause problems for students who want to do summer activities like sports or music camps. These activities often happen during the long summer break, and students might miss out if they have to go to school instead.
In conclusion, year-round schooling has both good and bad points. It can help students remember more and solve some school crowding problems, but it can also cause difficulties for families and increase costs for schools. It’s important to think carefully about these issues before changing to a year-round school system.
(Word count: 234)
Essay Analysis
This essay demonstrates good qualities that justify a Band 6-7 score:
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Task Achievement: The essay addresses the task, discussing both advantages and disadvantages of year-round schooling. However, the points could be more fully developed.
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Coherence and Cohesion: The essay is generally well-organized with clear progression. Basic cohesive devices are used, but they could be more sophisticated.
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Lexical Resource: The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, but lacks the sophistication of higher band scores. There is some attempt at using less common vocabulary (e.g., “overcrowded”).
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Grammatical Range and Accuracy: The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures with generally good control. There are no major grammatical errors, but the range could be wider.
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Development of Ideas: Main ideas are present and somewhat developed, but they lack the depth and specificity seen in higher band essays.
Key Vocabulary to Remember
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Year-round schooling (noun phrase) – An educational system where the school year is spread out with shorter, more frequent breaks instead of a long summer vacation.
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Academic retention (noun phrase) – The ability to retain or remember academic knowledge over time.
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Summer slide (noun phrase) – The tendency for students to lose some of the academic progress they’ve made during the school year over the summer break.
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Multi-track system (noun phrase) – An educational schedule where different groups of students attend school at different times throughout the year.
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Overcrowding (noun) – /ˌəʊvəˈkraʊdɪŋ/ – The state of having too many people or things in one place.
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Extracurricular activities (noun phrase) – Activities pursued by students that fall outside the realm of the normal curriculum of school education.
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Implementation (noun) – /ˌɪmplɪmɛnˈteɪʃ(ə)n/ – The process of putting a decision or plan into effect.
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Disruption (noun) – /dɪsˈrʌpʃ(ə)n/ – Disturbance or problems which interrupt an event, activity, or process.
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Alleviate (verb) – /əˈliːvieɪt/ – To make (suffering, deficiency, or a problem) less severe.
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Strain (verb) – /streɪn/ – To place under pressure or tension.
In conclusion, the topic of year-round schooling presents a complex issue with valid arguments on both sides. As you prepare for your IELTS Writing Task 2, consider practicing with similar topics such as The pros and cons of year-round schooling. This will help you develop a well-rounded understanding of educational issues and improve your ability to construct balanced arguments.
To further enhance your skills, try writing your own essay on this topic and share it in the comments section below. This practice will not only help you refine your writing abilities but also give you the opportunity to receive feedback from others preparing for the IELTS exam. Remember, consistent practice is key to achieving your desired band score in IELTS Writing Task 2.