This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of the importance of students learning to give school presentations and speeches from the real IELTS exam.

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IELTS Essay: School Presentations and Speeches

Some believe children should be taught to give speeches and presentations in school.

Why is this?

Should this be taught in schools?

Many believe that giving presentations and speeches ought to be a key part of school curricula for children. In my opinion, this is an attempt to develop a number of skills holistically and should be encouraged.

The main reason schools incorporate presentations is to improve skills needed for the future. Children will later be expected to present individually and in groups throughout their academic career and in most work contexts. In order to give a competent presentation, children must first of all develop confidence speaking in front of others and then combine this with careful preparation, repeated practice, research, and, often, team-working skills. Each of these qualities will be useful later and the earlier students begin, the more likely they are to excel in areas that many adults still find challenging.

I would recommend this practice continues since integration of skills contributes to greater progress. Skills developed on their own are often not as memorable. If a young child, for example, must do a book report with a group of other children this requires them to read the book, divide up sections of the presentation, communicate with team members, and deliver an engaging speech at the end. The combination of all skills makes the learning more memorable and likely to develop fixed characteristics. An illustrative analogy would be how an athlete practices for a sport. They can master individual skills on their own but the greatest progress comes when they blend them under the intense pressure of a game.

In conclusion, educators often teach public speaking in order to prepare students for the future and this multidisciplinary approach is a positive. Presentations and speeches are also a good way to combine and review past lessons.

Analysis

1. Many believe that giving presentations and speeches ought to be a key part of school curricula for children. 2. In my opinion, this is an attempt to develop a number of skills holistically and should be encouraged.

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

1. The main reason schools incorporate presentations is to improve skills needed for the future. 2. Children will later be expected to present individually and in groups throughout their academic career and in most work contexts. 3. In order to give a competent presentation, children must first of all develop confidence speaking in front of others and then combine this with careful preparation, repeated practice, research, and, often, team-working skills. 4. Each of these qualities will be useful later and the earlier students begin, the more likely they are to excel in areas that many adults still find challenging.

1. Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
2. Explain your main idea.
3. Develop it with specific or hypothetical examples.
4. Keep developing it fully.

1. I would recommend this practice continues since integration of skills contributes to greater progress. 2. Skills developed on their own are often not as memorable. 3. If a young child, for example, must do a book report with a group of other children this requires them to read the book, divide up sections of the presentation, communicate with team members, and deliver an engaging speech at the end. 4. The combination of all skills makes the learning more memorable and likely to develop fixed characteristics. 5. An illustrative analogy would be how an athlete practices for a sport. 6. They can master individual skills on their own but the greatest progress comes when they blend them under the intense pressure of a game.

1. Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
2. Explain your new main idea.
3. Include specific details and examples.
4. Continue developing it…
5. as fully as possible!
6. The more development, the better!

1. In conclusion, educators often teach public speaking in order to prepare students for the future and this multidisciplinary approach is a positive. 2. Presentations and speeches are also a good way to combine and review past lessons.

1. Summarise your main ideas.
2. 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 believe that giving presentations and speeches ought to be a key part of school curricula for children. In my opinion, this is an attempt to develop a number of skills holistically and should be encouraged.

The main reason schools incorporate presentations is to improve skills needed for the future. Children will later be expected to present individually and in groups throughout their academic career and in most work contexts. In order to give a competent presentation, children must first of all develop confidence speaking in front of others and then combine this with careful preparation, repeated practice, research, and, often, team-working skills. Each of these qualities will be useful later and the earlier students begin, the more likely they are to excel in areas that many adults still find challenging.

I would recommend this practice continues since integration of skills contributes to greater progress. Skills developed on their own are often not as memorable. If a young child, for example, must do a book report with a group of other children this requires them to read the book, divide up sections of the presentation, communicate with team members, and deliver an engaging speech at the end. The combination of all skills makes the learning more memorable and likely to develop fixed characteristics. An illustrative analogy would be how an athlete practices for a sport. They can master individual skills on their own but the greatest progress comes when they blend them under the intense pressure of a game.

In conclusion, educators often teach public speaking in order to prepare students for the future and this multidisciplinary approach is a positive. Presentations and speeches are also a good way to combine and review past lessons.

Answers

For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:

presentations talking in front of the whole class

speeches public speaking

ought to should

key part big role

school curricula what is studied in class

attempt try

develop a number of skills learn a lot of different techniques

holistically all together

encouraged recommended

incorporate add in

will later be expected to later in life people will think you can do it

individually on your own

in groups with others

throughout the entire time

academic career throughout school

work contexts at various jobs

competent presentation good speech

first of all to start with

confidence feeling good about your abilities

in front of others publicly

combine put together

careful preparation taking time to get ready

repeated practice rehearsing

research find out about a topic

team-working skills working with others

qualities characteristics

the more likely they are the better chance of

excel do well at

areas skills

adults older people

challenging have difficulty

recommend advise

practice development

integration combining

contributes to aids

greater progress more development

on their own by themselves

memorable easy to remember

young child little kid

book report presentation about a book

requires needs

divide up sections assign different parts

communicate talk to, interact with

team members people in your group

deliver speak

engaging interesting

at the end finally

combination putting together

memorable easy to remember

develop fixed characteristics become qualities for a person

illustrative analogy good similar situation

athlete someone who plays a sport

master individual skills learn one specific skill

greatest progress comes more development is involved in

blend combine

intense pressure lots of stress

educators teachers

prepare get ready for

multidisciplinary approach learning about a lot of different subjects

review past lessons go over what you studied before

Pronunciation

Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:

ˌprɛzɛnˈteɪʃənz 
ˈspiːʧɪz 
ɔːt tuː 
kiː pɑːt 
skuːl kəˈrɪkjʊlə 
əˈtɛmpt 
dɪˈvɛləp ə ˈnʌmbər ɒv skɪlz 
həˈlɪstɪk(ə)li 
ɪnˈkʌrɪʤd
ɪnˈkɔːpərɪt 
wɪl ˈleɪtə biː ɪksˈpɛktɪd tuː 
ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəli 
ɪn gruːps 
θru(ː)ˈaʊt 
ˌækəˈdɛmɪk kəˈrɪə 
wɜːk ˈkɒntɛksts
ˈkɒmpɪtənt ˌprɛzɛnˈteɪʃən
fɜːst ɒv ɔːl 
ˈkɒnfɪdəns 
ɪn frʌnt ɒv ˈʌðəz 
ˈkɒmbaɪn 
ˈkeəfʊl ˌprɛpəˈreɪʃən
rɪˈpiːtɪd ˈpræktɪs
rɪˈsɜːʧ
ˈtiːmwɜːkɪŋ skɪlz
ˈkwɒlɪtiz 
ðə mɔː ˈlaɪkli ðeɪ ɑː 
ɪkˈsɛl 
ˈeərɪəz 
ˈædʌlts 
ˈʧælɪnʤɪŋ
ˌrɛkəˈmɛnd 
ˈpræktɪs 
ˌɪntɪˈgreɪʃən 
kənˈtrɪbju(ː)ts tuː 
ˈgreɪtə ˈprəʊgrəs
ɒn ðeər əʊn 
ˈmɛmərəbl
jʌŋ ʧaɪld
bʊk rɪˈpɔːt 
rɪˈkwaɪəz 
dɪˈvaɪd ʌp ˈsɛkʃənz 
kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt 
tiːm ˈmɛmbəz
dɪˈlɪvə 
ɪnˈgeɪʤɪŋ 
æt ði ɛnd
ˌkɒmbɪˈneɪʃən 
ˈmɛmərəbl 
dɪˈvɛləp fɪkst ˌkærɪktəˈrɪstɪks
ˈɪləstreɪtɪv əˈnæləʤi 
ˈæθliːt 
ˈmɑːstər ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəl skɪlz 
ˈgreɪtɪst ˈprəʊgrəs kʌmz 
blɛnd 
ɪnˈtɛns ˈprɛʃə 
ˈɛdju(ː)keɪtəz 
prɪˈpeə 
ˌmʌltɪˈdɪsɪˌplɪnəri əˈprəʊʧ 
rɪˈvjuː pɑːst ˈlɛsnz

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 believe that giving p_________________s and s_____________s o____________o be a k___________t of s______________a for children. In my opinion, this is an a___________t to d__________________________s h_____________y and should be e___________d.

The main reason schools i_______________e presentations is to improve skills needed for the future. Children w_____________________o present i________________y and i___________s t________________t their a_________________r and in most w_______________s. In order to give a c____________________n, children must f____________l develop c_____________e speaking i_____________________s and then c____________e this with c________________________n, r___________________e, r______________h, and, often, t_______________________s. Each of these q___________s will be useful later and the earlier students begin, t_____________________e to e________l in a_______s that many a__________s still find c________________g.

I would r______________d this p__________e continues since i_____________n of skills c_______________________________s. Skills developed o_____________n are often not as m______________e. If a y______________d, for example, must do a b______________t with a group of other children this r___________s them to read the book, d_____________________s of the presentation, c______________e with t_______________s, and d_________r an e___________g speech a____________d. The c______________n of all skills makes the learning more m____________e and likely to d___________________________s. An i____________________y would be how an a____________e practices for a sport. They can m___________________s on their own but the g__________________________s when they b______d them under the i___________________e of a game.

In conclusion, e_____________s often teach public speaking in order to p___________e students for the future and this m________________________h is a positive. Presentations and speeches are also a good way to combine and r_____________________s.

Listening Practice

Learn more about this topic in the video below and practice with these activities:

and this more serious one here:

Reading Practice

Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice:

https://professional.dce.harvard.edu/blog/10-tips-for-improving-your-public-speaking-skills/

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:

Public Speaking (Model answer available in my online courses)

1. Why is public speaking important?
2. What qualities make someone a good public speaker?
3. What kind of people are usually asked to do public speaking?
4. Has the way that people speak in public changed much?
5. Why are people so scared of public speaking?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related IELTS essay topic below:

Many students find it difficult to focus or pay attention at school nowadays.

What are the reasons for this?

What can be done to solve this problem?

IELTS Essay: Focus at School