Monday 3 December 2012

Academic Writing - Model Answer (Task 2)

Home schooling belongs to the past and is unacceptable in modern society. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Home schooling is still practised in some remote areas, often when children are unable to attend school because of their location, for example in some parts of Australia or when children have a busy professional schedule such as famous child actors. Sometimes home schooling is merely a preference chosen by parents.

Traditional methods of schooling are the norm as parents feel that schools provide the appropriate environment for a child to learn. They do not only engage in classroom activities but children also become sociable by interacting with others their own age. Good communication skills and team work are skills that can be used later on in life.

There are some benefits attached to home schooling. A child learns better and faster when they have individual attention and will most likely be academically brighter than other children. They might also feel safer in their home environment and will be able to have much more time for other commitments.

It is however unlikely that a single tutor will have all the knowledge required to teach all subjects equally well and a child might not receive the appropriate instruction in each subject. In addition, a child might become spoilt in this way and have unsociable behaviour. They will be unable to draw a clear line between home and school as the environment is the same. Similarly, they might have difficulties relating to their parents as teachers in cases where they are taught by them.

Even though home schooling is not an outdated practice and some communities practice this method of teaching, I believe a child will receive a well-balanced, rounded education and make more friends in a traditional classroom setting.

Question taken from Target Band 7, p.57

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