IELTS Essay: Children Farming

This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of children learning to farm and grow vegetables and keep animals.

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IELTS Essay: Children Farming

It is sometimes suggested that primary schoolchildren should learn how to grow vegetables and keep animals.

Do you think that the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

Some feel farming vegetables and taking care of animals should be added to the primary school curriculum. In my opinion, though there are drawbacks related to its feasibility, it would be a positive overall.

The disadvantages involve the struggles to implement this practice. Firstly, inner city schools do not have easy access to farms. A school in New York City already faced with rising student numbers and a lack of resources cannot be expected to bus thousands of students to nearby farmland on a regular basis. That would unequivocally be a poor allocation of limited resources. Secondly, even schools located in the countryside would have trouble enacting such an ambitious policy. They would need to connect with possibly reluctant local farms, convince teachers, parents, and students of the benefits, and divert funding towards a program with dubious 21st century value as society becomes increasingly urban and less agrarian.

Nonetheless, the skills learned would be transferrable and beneficial in themselves. Children learning to grow vegetables will be able to do that their entire lives and much more inclined to later tend a private garden. This can save money, encourage productivity, and improve health. Taking care of animals will also help them if they choose to keep livestock or pets. The greater benefit, however, will come from cultivation of personal qualities. Children will gain a greater sense of responsibility and internalise the real world effects of their negligence or dedication. Later in life regardless of their occupation and where they live, they will have increased self-reliance and a stronger recognition of how they can shape the world around them.

In conclusion, the personal benefits to raising animals and growing vegetables outweigh any perceived drawbacks concerning resources. Where possible, schools ought to enact these changes.

Analysis

1. Some feel farming vegetables and taking care of animals should be added to the primary school curriculum. 2. In my opinion, though there are drawbacks related to its feasibility, it would be a positive overall.

1. Paraphrase the essay topic.
2. Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.

1. The disadvantages involve the struggles to implement this practice. 2. Firstly, inner city schools do not have easy access to farms. 3. A school in New York City already faced with rising student numbers and a lack of resources cannot be expected to bus thousands of students to nearby farmland on a regular basis. 4. That would unequivocally be a poor allocation of limited resources. 5. Secondly, even schools located in the countryside would have trouble enacting such an ambitious policy. 6. They would need to connect with possibly reluctant local farms, convince teachers, parents, and students of the benefits, and divert funding towards a program with dubious 21st century value as society becomes increasingly urban and less agrarian.

1. Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
2. Begin your first main idea.
3. Use a specific example to develop it.
4. Conclude the main idea.
5. Move to a second one because this questions asks for advantageS and disadvantageS, plural.
6. Develop it fully.

1. Nonetheless, the skills learned would be transferrable and beneficial in themselves. 2. Children learning to grow vegetables will be able to do that their entire lives and much more inclined to later tend a private garden. 3. This can save money, encourage productivity, and improve health. 4. Taking care of animals will also help them if they choose to keep livestock or pets. 5. The greater benefit, however, will come from cultivation of personal qualities. 6. Children will gain a greater sense of responsibility and internalise the real world effects of their negligence or dedication. 7. Later in life regardless of their occupation and where they live, they will have increased self-reliance and a stronger recognition of how they can shape the world around them.

1. Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
2. Explain your main idea.
3. Develop it fully.
4. Make sure you address both vegetables and animals.
5. Focus on a second advantage.
6. Develop it.
7. Finish developing it fully.

1. In conclusion, the personal benefits to raising animals and growing vegetables outweigh any perceived drawbacks concerning resources. 2. Where possible, schools ought to enact these changes.

1. Summarise your main ideas and repeat your opinion.
2. Add a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean?

Some feel farming vegetables and taking care of animals should be added to the primary school curriculum. In my opinion, though there are drawbacks related to its feasibility, it would be a positive overall.

The disadvantages involve the struggles to implement this practice. Firstly, inner city schools do not have easy access to farms. A school in New York City already faced with rising student numbers and a lack of resources cannot be expected to bus thousands of students to nearby farmland on a regular basis. That would unequivocally be a poor allocation of limited resources. Secondly, even schools located in the countryside would have trouble enacting such an ambitious policy. They would need to connect with possibly reluctant local farms, convince teachers, parents, and students of the benefits, and divert funding towards a program with dubious 21st century value as society becomes increasingly urban and less agrarian.

Nonetheless, the skills learned would be transferrable and beneficial in themselves. Children learning to grow vegetables will be able to do that their entire lives and much more inclined to later tend a private garden. This can save money, encourage productivity, and improve health. Taking care of animals will also help them if they choose to keep livestock or pets. The greater benefit, however, will come from cultivation of personal qualities. Children will gain a greater sense of responsibility and internalise the real world effects of their negligence or dedication. Later in life regardless of their occupation and where they live, they will have increased self-reliance and a stronger recognition of how they can shape the world around them.

In conclusion, the personal benefits to raising animals and growing vegetables outweigh any perceived drawbacks concerning resources. Where possible, schools ought to enact these changes.

Answers

taking care of looking after

added combined

primary school curriculum what kids study in school

though despite

drawbacks disadvantages

feasibility possibility

positive overall good in general

involve deal with

struggles have to fight with

implement put into practice

practice change

inner city schools poor schools in cities

easy access to farms can get to farms conveniently

faced with combat

rising student numbers more and more students

a lack of resources not enough money, teachers, etc.

bus verb for to take the bus

nearby farmland farms not far away

on a regular basis day after day

unequivocally without question

poor allocation of limited resources not distributing money, etc. well

located found in

trouble enacting difficulty doing

ambitious policy big plan

connect with talk to

reluctant local farms not willing farmers

convince persuade

divert funding send money in a different direction

dubious 21st century value questionable importance nowadays

increasingly urban and less agrarian more and more cities, fewer farms

transferrable can be used in other ways

beneficial in themselves good on its own

entire lives whole life

much more inclined more likely to

later tend a private garden after that take care of a small, private garden

encourage productivity make more active

keep livestock raise animals

greater benefit larger advantage

cultivation growing

personal qualities characteristics

gain a greater sense of responsibility become more responsible

internalise know deeply, understand

real world effects actul impact

negligence not paying attention to

dedication paying attention to

later in life as they get older

regardless of their occupation no matter what job they do

increased self-reliance not need others

stronger recognition better ability to understand

shape have control over

personal benefits helps an individual

outweigh stronger than

perceived drawbacks concerning resources ostensible disadvantages related to money

where possible if it can be done

ought should

enact these changes make these reforms

Pronuciation

ˈteɪkɪŋ keər ɒv 
ˈædɪd 
ˈpraɪməri skuːl kəˈrɪkjʊləm
ðəʊ 
ˈdrɔːbæks 
ˌfiːzəˈbɪlɪti
ˈpɒzətɪv ˈəʊvərɔːl
ɪnˈvɒlv 
ˈstrʌglz 
ˈɪmplɪmənt 
ˈpræktɪs
ˈɪnə ˈsɪti skuːlz 
ˈiːzi ˈæksɛs tuː fɑːmz
feɪst wɪð 
ˈraɪzɪŋ ˈstjuːdənt ˈnʌmbəz 
ə læk ɒv rɪˈsɔːsɪz 
bʌs 
ˈnɪəbaɪ ˈfɑːmlænd 
ɒn ə ˈrɛgjʊlə ˈbeɪsɪs
ˌʌnɪˈkwɪvəkəli 
pʊər ˌæləʊˈkeɪʃ(ə)n ɒv ˈlɪmɪtɪd rɪˈsɔːsɪz
ləʊˈkeɪtɪd 
ˈtrʌbl ɪˈnæktɪŋ 
æmˈbɪʃəs ˈpɒlɪsi
kəˈnɛkt wɪð 
rɪˈlʌktənt ˈləʊkəl fɑːmz
kənˈvɪns 
daɪˈvɜːt ˈfʌndɪŋ 
ˈdjuːbiəs ˈtwɛnti fɜːst ˈsɛnʧʊri ˈvæljuː 
ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli ˈɜːbən ænd lɛs əˈgreərɪən
trænsˈfɜːrəbl 
ˌbɛnɪˈfɪʃəl ɪn ðəmˈsɛlvz
ɪnˈtaɪə lɪvz 
mʌʧ mɔːr ɪnˈklaɪnd 
ˈleɪtə tɛnd ə ˈpraɪvɪt ˈgɑːdn
ɪnˈkʌrɪʤ ˌprɒdʌkˈtɪvɪti
kiːp ˈlaɪvstɒk 
ˈgreɪtə ˈbɛnɪfɪt
ˌkʌltɪˈveɪʃən 
ˈpɜːsnl ˈkwɒlɪtiz
geɪn ə ˈgreɪtə sɛns ɒv rɪsˌpɒnsəˈbɪlɪti 
ɪnˈtɜːnəˌlaɪz 
rɪəl wɜːld ɪˈfɛkts 
ˈnɛglɪʤəns 
ˌdɛdɪˈkeɪʃən
ˈleɪtər ɪn laɪf 
rɪˈgɑːdlɪs ɒv ðeər ˌɒkjʊˈpeɪʃən 
ɪnˈkriːst sɛlf-rɪˈlaɪəns 
ˈstrɒŋgə ˌrɛkəgˈnɪʃən 
ʃeɪp 
ˈpɜːsnl ˈbɛnɪfɪts 
aʊtˈweɪ 
pəˈsiːvd ˈdrɔːbæks kənˈsɜːnɪŋ rɪˈsɔːsɪz
weə ˈpɒsəbl
ɔːt 
ɪˈnækt ðiːz ˈʧeɪnʤɪz

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

Some feel farming vegetables and t_________________f animals should be a________d to the p__________________________m. In my opinion, t_________h there are d_____________s related to its f______________y, it would be a p_______________l.

The disadvantages i__________e the s___________s to i____________t this p__________e. Firstly, i_________________s do not have e_____________________s. A school in New York City already f_______________h r__________________________s and a____________________s cannot be expected to b__s thousands of students to n_________________d o_____________________s. That would u__________________y be a p__________________________________s. Secondly, even schools l____________d in the countryside would have t__________________g such an a___________________y. They would need to c_________________h possibly r_______________________s, c____________e teachers, parents, and students of the benefits, and d________________g towards a program with d___________________________e as society becomes i_____________________________________n.

Nonetheless, the skills learned would be t_______________e and b__________________________s. Children learning to grow vegetables will be able to do that their e_______________s and m__________________d to l_____________________________n. This can save money, e_________________________y, and improve health. Taking care of animals will also help them if they choose to k___________________k or pets. The g_____________________t, however, will come from c_________________n of p_____________________s. Children will g_____________________________________y and i______________e the r__________________s of their n______________e or d________________n. L_________________e r_________________________________n and where they live, they will have i______________________e and a s________________________n of how they can s________e the world around them.

In conclusion, the p_____________________s to raising animals and growing vegetables o____________h any p____________________________________s. W___________________e, schools o________t to e__________________s.

Listening Practice

Watch the video below and use these activities to practice:

Reading Practice

Read more about this topic and practice with these ideas for reading the news:

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2009/05/why-a-school-farm/17960/

Speaking Practice

Answer the following questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:

Wildlife

1. Have you ever seen a wild animal?
2. What is your favourite wild animal?
3. How do you feel when you see animals at the zoo?
4. What is the importance of animals to children?

Writing Practice

Write about the following related topic and check with my sample answer below:

In spite of the advances made in agriculture, many people around the world still go hungry.

Why is this the case?

What can be done about this problem?

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer: Agriculture (Cambridge IELTS 13)