TOEFL iBT Independent Writing, Children should begin learning a foreign language as soon as they start school - revised -

Writing Topic 

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Children should begin learning a foreign language as soon as they start school. Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.

☆Let’s think

1)    Is it important to learn a foreign language?

2)    If so, is it good for children to start learning it as soon as they start school?

☆Ideas and Expressions

About language learning

1.    In the present world, where English is the de facto lingua franca, it is necessary to be able to have a command of the language to live a better life.

2.    It is good to be able to know as many languages as possible to have multiple views and to be tolerant to other peoples.

3.    The important thing is to establish your own style or acquire a specific skill or knowledge, and language ability is not always relevant to it. Interpreters and translators can help you with your communication if necessary.

4.    It is important to focus on completing the mother tongue acquisition to be mature enough in one’s own society and to preserve one’s culture.

About early language education

1.    The earlier the start, the better the language acquisition will be. Children have fewer barriers against foreign languages, so it is easy for them to learn it.

2.    Learning the basics of a foreign language at an early stage of life will help make learning higher levels of the language easily.

3.    Most of the brain network is completed by the time one turns 6 years old. This means that children learn the language as a foreign language. The class could be a burden for some.

4.    Learning more than one language at a time often leads to insufficient acquisition of both and minds that are ready to be satisfied with superficial understanding of anything.

☆Sample Essay Structure

A      【Introduction】Considering that the real command of a foreign language is necessary in today’s world, I agree with the idea that children should begin learning a foreign language as soon as they start school.

【About foreign language learning】Many parts of the world are getting multinational, so it is better to be able to speak more than one language.

【About when one should start learning a foreign language】To become a bilingual, one should start learning as a young child or be exposed to the language intensively before they become a teenager. Learning a language as a foreign language has no age limit.

【My opinion】Young children are better learners of a foreign language than older children, especially in terms of pronunciation and listening comprehension.

【Conclusion】Starting to learn a foreign language on starting school can introduce the subject to everyone easily and this is necessary in today’s world.

B      【Introduction】I do not think it is necessary for everyone to begin learning a foreign language when they enter the elementary school.

【Point 1】Elementary schools are supposed to teach children what is necessary in basic of social life and a foreign language is not one of them.

【Point 2】Young children should spend more time reading books in their own language.

【Counterargument-treatment】Some people will need to use foreign language at work in the future, but machines and interpreters will take care of the language barrier problem

【Conclusion】There are more important things that children should learn at primary school than a foreign language.

Your Sample Essay Structure

【Introduction】

【Point 1】

【Point 2】

【Point 3】

【Conclusion】

☆Speech Time

Make a one-minute speech on this topic.

☆Sample Paragraph Development

【Main Idea】Young children should spend more time reading books in their own language than learning a foreign language.

【Supporting Detail (in general)】They need to develop high capacity to think and this is done through mother tongue.

【Supporting Detail (specific)】People with low reading abilities have been increasing lately and this could be part of the causes of online bullying and hate speech. They often happen as a result of inability to grasp the meaning of a statement in context as well as lack of imagination and flexibility. Moreover, the meanness of the culprits indicates retarded, perverted mental development, which is closely related to the level of their mother tongue. High suicide rates of the young might be due not only to insufficient general knowledge and common sense but also to weak mother tongue, or weak thinking power. Probably overall relationships of the young are poorer than before because of this decline of the first language ability.

【Follow-up】Learning a foreign language is also good for children’s development as it widens their views, but this can be done during teenage years, when mind starts to be sensitive to new ideas.

【Conclusion】 What is necessary for young children is developing their cognitive ability, which will be the base of higher levels of studies, and time should be spent for the purpose rather than a foreign language.

Your Sample Paragraph Development:

【Main Idea】                                                                                       

                                                                                                    

【Supporting Detail (general)】                                                                      

                                                                                                    

【Supporting Detail (specific)】                                                                        

                                                                                                    

                                                                                                    

                                                                                                    

                                                                                                   

【Follow-up】                                                                                       

                                                                                                   

                                                                                                   

【Conclusion】                                                                                      

                                                                                                   

Comments or Suggestion from your partner or group members