TOEFL iBT Writing for an Academic Discussion The Most Important Subject to Learn in High School (Revised)

Considering the range of disciplines traditionally taught in high schools―such as mathematics, science, history, and English―what do you think is the most important subject for students to learn? Justify your choice by discussing its relevance to students’ personal growth, their role in society, or their future professional lives?

 

 

☆Let’s Think

	Personal Growth	Students’ Role in Society	Future Professional Lives
Mathematics and Science
Social Studies (History, Geography, and Civics)
Language
Others

 

 

☆Hints for Points

・National Language: Language is thought. – Noam Chomsky  The level of literacy decides the level of the humanity, and in the end, of the society.

・Mathematics: It nurtures logic and imagination.

・Science: It gives us knowledge of the physical world, which helps us think about where we are from and where we are now. It is also the foundation of engineering.

・History: You can learn why human society is as it is now.

・Geography: You can gain knowledge of how life is in each region on this planet.

・Civics: To build a true democracy, everyone needs to learn civics.

・Home Economics: Regardless of sex, students must learn to be able to be independent, to take care of themselves and their family.

・Second Language: To learn new perspectives, to be well-rounded, and to be useful in the society of diversity in the 21^st century, it is necessary to learn other languages.

 

 

☆Sample Response

【Thesis】I think National Language is the most important subject because it affects brain development, which is significant for the individual’s personal development, role in society, and future job opportunities.

【Supporting Details】Noam Chomsky, who is the Einstein of Linguistics in that he made the subject totally new in the 20^th century and presented new perspectives about Language, says that Language is not only a means of communication but also our thought itself. Language acquisition forms the wiring of the brain, and so mother tongue acquisition is in line with the formation of the mind and facilitates personal development, which leads to high performances of the individuals in society. Also, the level of a person’s mother tongue affects those of other subjects of the person. Not to speak of literature and history, subjects that require high level of syntax and vocabulary to study, science and math depends on the command of the mother tongue in understanding and forming a concept or an image that is neither visible nor tangible. As a result, literacy level will be the key to most professional jobs.

【Conclusion】High school years is the last years for individuals to have significant brain development and therefore, training students’ national language skills and helping them have their highest possible language ability is the most important thing that a school can do to make students’ lives fulfilling and successful. (223 words)

 

 

☆Speech Time

1) Make a speech on this topic. Don’t worry. Everybody speaks at the same time.

2) Have a debate on this topic.