This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of it being harder to study at school from the real IELTS general training exam.
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Dave
IELTS Essay: Harder to Study at School
Many students find it is harder to study at university or college compared to when they were in grade school.
Why is this?
What are some possible solutions for this problem?
Many university students find concentrating on their new academic life considerably more challenging than past schooling. In my opinion, this is typically due to the altered structure of university teaching and the best solutions are to prepare and support students in the transition.
The primary cause of a lack of concentration at university is adjustment to novel ways of learning. In high school or secondary school, students fall into a set pattern of daily classes and homework assignments. This changes greatly depending on the pedagogical techniques of the university in question. Most university courses will only meet once or twice a week and the workload outside the classroom is larger and may include writing long essays and reading entire books. Students must therefore have the self-discipline to work mostly on their own and then be prepared for more rigorous discussion than they are used to with professors and other students.
The solutions to the problem mentioned above involve the activity of high schools and universities. For high school students who will be moving on to higher education, it is important that there are courses offered that roughly simulate the rigor of university. An example of this would be the AP courses on offer at most American high schools. Additionally, university professors play a key role, particularly freshman year. Professors must be patient but also strict in ensuring students understand their responsibilities. This could entail simple awareness raising related to how to manage their time effectively or clear illustrations of the standards required for academic comprehension and output in university.
In conclusion, though it is challenging for students to adapt to new styles of teaching and learning, they can be aided by empathetic teachers. The new environment will always be an obstacle and part of the importance of university is learning independently to overcome it.
Analysis
1. Many university students find concentrating on their new academic life considerably more challenging than past schooling. 2. In my opinion, this is typically due to the altered structure of university teaching and the best solutions are to prepare and support students in the transition.
- Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
- Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.
1. The primary cause of a lack of concentration at university is adjustment to novel ways of learning. 2. In high school or secondary school, students fall into a set pattern of daily classes and homework assignments. 3. This changes greatly depending on the pedagogical techniques of the university in question. 4. Most university courses will only meet once or twice a week and the workload outside the classroom is larger and may include writing long essays and reading entire books. 5. Students must therefore have the self-discipline to work mostly on their own and then be prepared for more rigorous discussion than they are used to with professors and other students.
- Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
- Explain your main idea.
- Develop it with specific examples.
- Keep developing it fully.
- Stay focused on the same main idea.
1. The solutions to the problem mentioned above involve the activity of high schools and universities. 2. For high school students who will be moving on to higher education, it is important that there are courses offered that roughly simulate the rigor of university. 3. An example of this would be the AP courses on offer at most American high schools. 4. Additionally, university professors play a key role, particularly freshman year. 5. Professors must be patient but also strict in ensuring students understand their responsibilities. 6. This could entail simple awareness raising related to how to manage their time effectively or clear illustrations of the standards required for academic comprehension and output in university.
- Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
- Explain your new main idea.
- Include specific details and examples.
- Continue developing it…
- as fully as possible!
- Finish with a strong statement.
1. In conclusion, though it is challenging for students to adapt to new styles of teaching and learning, they can be aided by empathetic teachers. 2. The new environment will always be an obstacle and part of the importance of university is learning independently to overcome it.
- Summarise your main ideas.
- Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.
Vocabulary
What do the words in bold below mean? Make some notes on paper to aid memory and then check below.
Many university students find concentrating on their new academic life considerably more challenging than past schooling. In my opinion, this is typically due to the altered structure of university teaching and the best solutions are to prepare and support students in the transition.
The primary cause of a lack of concentration at university is adjustment to novel ways of learning. In high school or secondary school, students fall into a set pattern of daily classes and homework assignments. This changes greatly depending on the pedagogical techniques of the university in question. Most university courses will only meet once or twice a week and the workload outside the classroom is larger and may include writing long essays and reading entire books. Students must therefore have the self-discipline to work mostly on their own and then be prepared for more rigorous discussion than they are used to with professors and other students.
The solutions to the problem mentioned above involve the activity of high schools and universities. For high school students who will be moving on to higher education, it is important that there are courses offered that roughly simulate the rigor of university. An example of this would be the AP courses on offer at most American high schools. Additionally, university professors play a key role, particularly freshman year. Professors must be patient but also strict in ensuring students understand their responsibilities. This could entail simple awareness raising related to how to manage their time effectively or clear illustrations of the standards required for academic comprehension and output in university.
In conclusion, though it is challenging for students to adapt to new styles of teaching and learning, they can be aided by empathetic teachers. The new environment will always be an obstacle and part of the importance of university is learning independently to overcome it.
Answers
For extra practice, write down an antonym (opposite word) for each of the new words below:
concentrating focusing
new academic life university
considerably greatly
challenging difficult
past schooling high school, primary, secondary school
typically normally
due to because of
altered structure different way
prepare get ready
support help
transition change
primary cause main reason
lack of concentration can’t focus
adjustment change
novel ways new methods
fall into a set pattern become set in their ways
greatly depending on a lot in the case where
pedagogical techniques ways of teaching
in question relevant now
meet once or twice a week have class a couple times in a week
workload outside the classroom work to do at home
therefore thus
self-discipline willpower
rigorous difficult
used to acclimated to
involve has to do woth
moving on going to
higher education university
roughly simulate approximate
rigor difficulty
AP courses honors classes
on offer available
additionally also
play a key role have an important part
particularly especially
freshman year first year of university
patient not in a rush
strict severe
ensuring making sure
entail consists of
awareness raising informing about
manage their time effectively not wasting time
clear illustrations good orders
standards required what they must do
academic comprehension understanding the class
output what they produce
adapt deal with
aided helped
empathetic caring, understanding
obstacle hurdle
part of the importance of one key element of
independently on their own
overcome beat, triumph over
Pronunciation
Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:
ˈkɒnsəntreɪtɪŋ
njuː ˌækəˈdɛmɪk laɪf
kənˈsɪdərəbli
ˈʧælɪnʤɪŋ
pɑːst ˈskuːlɪŋ
ˈtɪpɪk(ə)li
djuː tuː
ˈɔːltəd ˈstrʌkʧə
prɪˈpeə
səˈpɔːt
trænˈzɪʃ(ə)n
ˈpraɪməri kɔːz
læk ɒv ˌkɒnsənˈtreɪʃən
əˈʤʌstmənt
ˈnɒvəl weɪz
fɔːl ˈɪntuː ə sɛt ˈpætən
ˈgreɪtli dɪˈpɛndɪŋ ɒn
ˌpɛdəˈgɒʤɪkəl tɛkˈniːks
ɪn ˈkwɛsʧən
miːt wʌns ɔː twaɪs ə wiːk
ˈwɜːkˌləʊd ˌaʊtˈsaɪd ðə ˈklɑːsrʊm
ˈðeəfɔː
sɛlf-ˈdɪsɪplɪn
ˈrɪgərəs
juːzd tuː
ɪnˈvɒlv
ˈmuːvɪŋ ɒn
ˈhaɪər ˌɛdju(ː)ˈkeɪʃən
ˈrʌfli ˈsɪmjʊleɪt
ˈrɪgə
eɪ-piː ˈkɔːsɪz
ɒn ˈɒfə
əˈdɪʃənli
pleɪ ə kiː rəʊl
pəˈtɪkjʊləli
ˈfrɛʃmən jɪə
ˈpeɪʃənt
strɪkt
ɪnˈʃʊərɪŋ
ɪnˈteɪl
əˈweənəs ˈreɪzɪŋ
ˈmænɪʤ ðeə taɪm ɪˈfɛktɪvli
klɪər ˌɪləsˈtreɪʃənz
ˈstændədz rɪˈkwaɪəd
ˌækəˈdɛmɪk ˌkɒmprɪˈhɛnʃən
ˈaʊtpʊt
əˈdæpt
ˈeɪdɪd
ˈɛmpəθetik
ˈɒbstəkl
pɑːt ɒv ði ɪmˈpɔːtəns ɒv
ˌɪndɪˈpɛndəntli
ˌəʊvəˈkʌm
Vocabulary Practice
I recommend getting a pencil and piece of paper because that aids memory. Then write down the missing vocabulary from my sample answer in your notebook:
Many university students find c______________g on their n_________________e c______________y more c_________________g than p_____________g. In my opinion, this is t______________y d________o the a_________________e of university teaching and the best solutions are to p__________e and s____________t students in the t____________n.
The p________________e of a l_____________________n at university is a____________t to n____________s of learning. In high school or secondary school, students f______________________n of daily classes and homework assignments. This changes g__________y d________________n the p_______________________s of the university i______________n. Most university courses will only m__________________________k and the w_________________________________m is larger and may include writing long essays and reading entire books. Students must t____________e have the s___________________e to work mostly on their own and then be prepared for more r____________s discussion than they are u________o with professors and other students.
The solutions to the problem mentioned above i__________e the activity of high schools and universities. For high school students who will be m______________n to h___________________n, it is important that there are courses offered that r_______________e the r______r of university. An example of this would be the A___________s o____________r at most American high schools. A________________y, university professors p________________e, p______________y f________________r. Professors must be p_________t but also s_________t in e__________g students understand their responsibilities. This could e________l simple a_____________________g related to how to m___________________________y or c__________________s of the s______________________d for a________________________n and o__________t in university.
In conclusion, though it is challenging for students to a_______t to new styles of teaching and learning, they can be a_________d by e______________c teachers. The new environment will always be an o_________e and p_______________________f university is learning i________________y to o___________e it.
Listening Practice
Learn more about this topic in the video below and practice with these activities:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p60rN9JEapg
Reading Practice
Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice:
Speaking Practice
Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:
Concentration (Ebook available on my Patreon)
- Do you find it hard to concentrate?
- What do you do to concentrate better?
- Did you concentrate on your studies a lot when you were younger?
Writing Practice
Practice with the same basic topic below and then check with my sample answer:
Some claim that studying abroad has great benefits for a student’s home country.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
It is true that many students find tertiary education is more challenging than their past schooling. In my opinion, the differences in teaching methods between university and grade school are responsible for this phenomenon, and this problem can be addressed by preparing students in the final years of grade school and supporting them in their first university year.
The primary cause of students having difficulties studying at tertiary levels relates to the novel teaching approach. The truth is that students have been familiar with daily classes and homework assignments in grade school, indicating that they can receive attention and correction from their teachers regularly. However, it is no longer the case once entering university in which different pedagogical techniques are adopted. This means that students just meet professors one or twice a week and the bulk of university assignments pertained to writing long essays or reading the entire book are done by self-study which requires a high level of self-discipline.
The aforementioned problem can be solved with the help of teachers in grade school and university professors. First, it is imperative for teachers to offer courses which roughly stimulate the rigor of university to students who are in the final year of high school. This is likely to alleviate the shock ascribed to dissimilarities in the teaching approach students have to bear. Second, professors also have a crucial role to play in lending a helping hand to university freshmen. This could entail lessons raising the awareness of students about the significance of self-studying skills and time management to achieve an outstanding academic performance at university. Clearly, the cooperation of both grade school teachers and professors is of paramount importance to help students struggling in tertiary education.
In conclusion, the trend of students finding studying at tertiary levels excessively difficult is attributable to new pedagogical methods in university and I am strongly convinced the best fixes to this problem are to both prepare students in grade schools and give them more help in university.
Nice paraphrasing again, Mike – some really useful academic collocations for students paying attention!
Gud method of study
Thank you!