This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of education spending from the real exam.

It is an interesting question and provides a good example of how to develop clear main ideas.

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IELTS Writing Task 2 General Training Sample Answer Essay: Education Spending (Real Past IELTS Exam/Test)

Some believe that money for education should mainly be spent on better computers while others believe it would be better spent on teachers.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Real Past IELTS Exam/Test

Many today are of the view that education funding ought to be chiefly directed towards upgrading computer technology in schools while others would prioritise teachers. In my opinion, better computers will have the most identifiable impact, but teacher quality is more important.

Those who want increased investment in computers can highlight the unquestioned relevance of computers today and in the future. The single most important skill students will learn and that will serve them in professional and personal contexts over the course of their life, will be computer literacy. Jobs in traditional domains are rapidly vanishing or deteriorating while information technology positions are the most likely to be stable in an uncertain future job market. Someone who learns how to code in school will have a lifetime job at a good salary. This clear evidence insulates from criticism decision-makers opting for increased funding for computers over teachers.

Regardless, the overall impact of teachers is far greater, if not as immediately discernible. A good example of this is in Finland, which has invested heavily in education generally and in teachers particularly. Teachers often remain with the same students for years and are able to form stable bonds, guiding them through both their social and intellectual development. Students will remember these teachers their entire lives but the greatest impact comes from the values and habits instilled by teachers that may never reach the level of conscious gratitude. Students will simply be indebted to them without being able to trace the roots of some of their best qualities.

In conclusion, the quantifiable support for investing in computers only veils the true value teachers hold for education. Educational leaders with the vision to make unpopular, risky decisions will reap later rewards.

Analysis

1. Many today are of the view that education funding ought to be chiefly directed towards upgrading computer technology in schools while others would prioritise teachers. 2. In my opinion, better computers will have the most identifiable impact, but teacher quality is more important.

  1. Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
  2. Write your opinion clearly.

1. Those who want increased investment in computers can highlight the unquestioned relevance of computers today and in the future. 2. The single most important skill students will learn and that will serve them in professional and personal contexts over the course of their life, will be computer literacy. 3. Jobs in traditional domains are rapidly vanishing or deteriorating while information technology positions are the most likely to be stable in an uncertain future job market. 4. Someone who learns how to code in school will have a lifetime job at a good salary. 5. This clear evidence insulates from criticism decision-makers opting for increased funding for computers over teachers.

  1. Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
  2. Being to develop your main idea.
  3. Keep developing it with supporting ideas – don’t switch to a new main idea.
  4. Here I include a hypothetical example.
  5. I conclude the paragraph with a criticism of this approach which leads into my next paragraph.

1. Regardless, the overall impact of teachers is far greater, if not as immediately discernible. 2. A good example of this is in Finland, which has invested heavily in education generally and in teachers particularly. 3. Teachers often remain with the same students for years and are able to form stable bonds, guiding them through both their social and intellectual development. 4. Students will remember these teachers their entire lives but the greatest impact comes from the values and habits instilled by teachers that may never reach the level of conscious gratitude. 5. Students will simply be indebted to them without being able to trace the roots of some of their best qualities.

  1. Write another topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
  2. Give an example – make it specific.
  3. Develop the example.
  4. Pull out the results of your example.
  5. Conclude the paragraph with a powerful statement!

1. In conclusion, the quantifiable support for investing in computers only veils the true value teachers hold for education. 2. Educational leaders with the vision to make unpopular, risky decisions will reap later rewards.

  1. Repeat your opinion.
  2. Add in a final detail or thought.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean?

Many today are of the view that education funding ought to be chiefly directed towards upgrading computer technology in schools while others would prioritise teachers. In my opinion, better computers will have the most identifiable impact, but teacher quality is more important.

Those who want increased investment in computers can highlight the unquestioned relevance of computers today and in the future. The single most important skill students will learn and that will serve them in professional and personal contexts over the course of their life, will be computer literacy. Jobs in traditional domains are rapidly vanishing or deteriorating while information technology positions are the most likely to be stable in an uncertain future job market. Someone who learns how to code in school will have a lifetime job at a good salary. This clear evidence insulates from criticism decision-makers opting for increased funding for computers over teachers.

Regardless, the overall impact of teachers is far greater, if not as immediately discernible. A good example of this is in Finland, which has invested heavily in education generally and in teachers particularly. Teachers often remain with the same students for years and are able to form stable bonds, guiding them through both their social and intellectual development. Students will remember these teachers their entire lives but the greatest impact comes from the values and habits instilled by teachers that may never reach the level of conscious gratitude. Students will simply be indebted to them without being able to trace the roots of some of their best qualities.

In conclusion, the quantifiable support for investing in computers only veils the true value teachers hold for education. Educational leaders with the vision to make unpopular, risky decisions will reap later rewards.

Answers

of the view believe

education funding money spent on schools

chiefly directed mainly sent to

upgrading computer technology improving existing computers

prioritise make more important

identifiable impact clear effect

highlight focus on

unquestioned relevance no doubt of its importance

serve help

professional trained

personal contexts personal life

course of their life as long as they live

computer literacy being good with a computer

traditional domains normal jobs

rapidly vanishing disappearing quickly

deteriorating getting worse

information technology positions jobs related to computers

stable unchanging, steady

uncertain future job market unclear how employment will be later

lifetime job employed for life

insulates from criticism protects them from critics

decision-makers people who decide, policy-makers

far greater much stronger

if not as immediately discernible though it is not as clear

generally overall

particularly especially

form stable bonds get to know well

guiding helping

social and intellectual development getting along with others and academics

entire lives whole life

values what’s important

habits instilled what they are taught

reach get to

conscious gratitude knowing you owe thanks to

indebted owing thanks to

trace the roots find the source

best qualities finest characteristics

quantifiable support clear evidence

veils obscures

true value actual importance

hold have

vision conviction

unpopular not popular

risky decisions difficult choices

reap later rewards benefit them in the end

Pronunciation

ɒv ðə vjuː 
ˌɛdju(ː)ˈkeɪʃən ˈfʌndɪŋ 
ˈʧiːfli dɪˈrɛktɪd 
ʌpˈgreɪdɪŋ kəmˈpjuːtə tɛkˈnɒləʤi 
praɪˈɒrɪˌtaɪz 
aɪˈdɛntɪfaɪəbl ˈɪmpækt
ˈhaɪˌlaɪt 
ʌnˈkwɛsʧənd ˈrɛlɪvəns 
sɜːv 
prəˈfɛʃənl 
ˈpɜːsnl ˈkɒntɛksts 
kɔːs ɒv ðeə laɪf
kəmˈpjuːtə ˈlɪtərəsi
trəˈdɪʃənl dəʊˈmeɪnz 
ˈræpɪdli ˈvænɪʃɪŋ 
dɪˈtɪərɪəreɪtɪŋ 
ˌɪnfəˈmeɪʃən tɛkˈnɒləʤi pəˈzɪʃənz 
ˈsteɪbl 
ʌnˈsɜːtn ˈfjuːʧə ʤɒb ˈmɑːkɪt
ˈlaɪftaɪm ʤɒb 
ˈɪnsjʊleɪts frɒm ˈkrɪtɪsɪzm 
dɪˈsɪʒən-ˈmeɪkəz 
fɑː ˈgreɪtə
ɪf nɒt æz ɪˈmiːdiətli dɪˈsɜːnəbl
ˈʤɛnərəli 
pəˈtɪkjʊləli
fɔːm ˈsteɪbl bɒndz
ˈgaɪdɪŋ 
ˈsəʊʃəl ænd ˌɪntɪˈlɛktjʊəl dɪˈvɛləpmənt
ɪnˈtaɪə lɪvz 
ˈvæljuːz 
ˈhæbɪts ɪnˈstɪld 
riːʧ 
ˈkɒnʃəs ˈgrætɪtjuːd
ɪnˈdɛtɪd 
treɪs ðə ruːts 
bɛst ˈkwɒlɪtiz
ˈkwɒntɪfaɪəbl səˈpɔːt 
veɪlz 
truː ˈvæljuː 
həʊld 
ˈvɪʒən 
ʌnˈpɒpjʊlə
ˈrɪski dɪˈsɪʒənz 
riːp ˈleɪtə rɪˈwɔːdz

Listen and repeat:

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

Many today are o____________w that e_________________g ought to be c________________________d towards u___________________________y in schools while others would p____________e teachers. In my opinion, better computers will have the most i__________________t, but teacher quality is more important.

Those who want increased investment in computers can h____________t the u________________________e of computers today and in the future. The single most important skill students will learn and that will s________e them in p____________________l and p________________s over the c_____________________e, will be c___________________y. Jobs in t_____________________s are r__________________g or d____________________g while i____________________________________s are the most likely to be s___________e in an u__________________________________t. Someone who learns how to code in school will have a l__________________b at a good salary. This clear evidence i_______________________m d____________________s opting for increased funding for computers over teachers.

Regardless, the overall impact of teachers is f________________r, i__________________________________e. A good example of this is in Finland, which has invested heavily in education g________________y and in teachers p_______________y. Teachers often remain with the same students for years and are able to f_____________________s, g_____________g them through both their s__________________________t. Students will remember these teachers their e_______________s but the greatest impact comes from the v___________s and h____________________d by teachers that may never r_________h the level of c______________________e. Students will simply be i________________d to them without being able to t__________________s of some of their b__________________s.

In conclusion, the q________________________t for investing in computers only v____________s the t____________________e teachers h________d for education. Educational leaders with the v__________n to make u_______________r, r_______________s will r__________________s.

Listen and check:

Listening Practice

Learn here about Finland’s teacher training schools:

Reading Practice

Read another perspective on computer literacy here:

https://www.wired.com/2015/08/schools-dont-think-kids-want-learn-computer-science/

Speaking Practice

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

Interacting with Others

  1. Do you like talking to strangers?
  2. What was the last conversation you had?
  3. Do you discuss politics with your friends?
  4. Are families in your country very talkative?

Writing Practice

Write about the related question below then check with my sample answer:

More and more students at university today are not choosing to study science.

Why is this happening?

What are the effects of this?

Real Past IELTS Exam

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