Writing for Academic Discussion Grades for Elementary School Students - revised -

Writing Topic: Should grades for elementary school students be abolished or continued?  (education)

 

 

☆Let’s Think

1.        Read the following words of Einstein and share the examples related to grading, school education, or school life.

“Not everything that can be counted counts and not everything that counts can be counted.”

 

2.        What are the advantages and disadvantages of grading?

 

 

☆Hints for Points

Advantages

1.        Mostly accurate, objective, and fair.

2.        Grading system helps children see their weak points and strong points. It also shows how much progress they have made.

3.        Grades help children which subject they should work more and how much they should do it.

4.        Grades can motivate them children who enjoy competition to work hard.

5.        Grades can help children find jobs for them.

 

Disadvantages

1.        Numbers do not always reflect how well a child works. For example, some children solve questions quickly although they make many mistakes, while other children solve questions slowly although they hardly ever make a mistake. Since tests are timed, the former types of children tend to get higher scores than the latter types of children.

2.        Evaluation can be a stress and can make children lose interest in the subjects, especially when they keep getting low marks.

3.        Both children and teachers will focus on raising scores rather than real learning. For instance, they can spend more time on learning spells rather than practicing reading and writing skills in language classes.

 

 

☆Sample Answer for Ideas and Expressions

【Thesis】As Samantha points out, grading can prevent real learning, but I would like to play the devil’s advocate and claim that grading performances of children at elementary school should be continued because grading can help them find their aptitude and take a right course for their future, facilitating society to function.

【Supporting Details】Society is made up of people, and therefore, whether it functions rightly depends on the happiness and job performances of each individual. Grading helps individuals objectively overview their ability in each field. Thus, it helps children see how much they fit in each field and know which field is the best to choose for a fulfilling life if they reach the full potential of it, or vice versa. Early detection of academic tendency will help children have a kick start of their training in their strongest areas, avoiding time loss of making efforts on jobs they are not cut out for. In this way, most members of society have jobs suitable to their ability and their sound and happy adult life will contribute to building and maintaining a good society.

【Reservation】Of course, self-realization is related to many other factors such as likings, passion, and personal history, but property plays a huge part of a person’s performances, and taking a wrong course will cost too much to compensate for. Grades are vital as a compass of life-planning to reduce the number of individuals taking a wrong course.

【Conclusion】In order for children to prepare for a life with little regret in career choice and for society to continue, grades at elementary school are necessary.

 (263 words)

Write your draft in about 10 minutes. Show each other your drafts. Write down questions or suggestions to each other’s draft.

 

 

 

 

                                                   DRAFT