TOEFL iBT Writing for an Academic Discussion Teamsports or Individual Sports as Children's Education (Revised)

Some believe that individual sports foster independence and self-discipline, while others argue that team sports teach valuable social skills and teamwork. What is your perspective on this issue? Which type of sport do you think is more beneficial for children, and why?

 

 

 

☆Let’s Read and Think

Read the following excerpt from a homepage of kidsportcanada and follow the direction below.

 

The Challenges with Team Sports

Though it’s clear that team sports have many benefits, there are also some challenges. Managing potential disputes amongst teammates is one of the major obstacles, according to Active Kids. Different personalities and ability levels can occasionally result in clashes, which call for mediation and resolution from coaches and parents. In addition, when playing team sports, individual accomplishments may be eclipsed by the team’s performance, which can be upsetting for some kids who want to be recognized for their efforts.

 

The Challenges with Individual Sports

Like team sports, individual sports have unique challenges. The solitary nature of these sports may cause feelings of loneliness or isolation, particularly during demanding practice sessions or competitions. Children who play individual sports may also miss out on the teamwork and bonding that come with being part of a team. The self-driven character of individual athletics, according to Calgary’s Child, necessitates high levels of devotion and determination. Some kids can find it difficult to maintain their discipline and attention without the help and encouragement of teammates.

 

Direction: Share your experiences written above and other issues of each type of sports. Are these challenges serious enough to avoid the sports? Why/Why not?

 

 

☆Hints for Points

1.       Humans are social animals and need social skills to survive or live a good and happy life. Team sports help children acquire social skills more effectively than other activities, including individual sports.

 

2.       Social skills and teamwork are acquired by living in society with or without joining a team sports club. On the other hand, self-discipline and independence cannot be acquired easily just by living a daily life. Individual sports are ideal activities to enhance these properties. Children can practice them while having fun and witnessing the effects on their body and mind.

 

3.       Benefits of individual sports overlap with those of team sports. Team members need to train individually and lean self-discipline to be able to contribute to the team as a member.

 

4.       Team sports can trigger bullying when a non-athletic children join a team and fail to do the job that other children can do or miss the signals from their team mates.

 

5.       Individual aptitude and personal preference count in sports. It is important for the child to be able to enjoy the sport and grow mentally and physically by doing it. 

 

 

☆Sample Response

【Thesis】Though Maya makes a good point that team sports effectively socialize children. I am more aligned with Liam because all children can benefit from individual sports while not all of them can benefit from team sports.

【Supporting Details】Individual sports are holistic. Whether it is swimming, gymnastics, or short track, all the procedures are done by the solo player. This makes the child more focused on the play and the practice. The child voluntarily starts self-control and self-management to improve performances. This gives satisfaction to not only introverts and those who are not good with balls but also all children of any nature.

【Counterargument-treatment】Maya’s point that activities like strategizing in football or basketball effectively strengthens bonds is true, but that is only a fraction of the team-sport practice. Outfielders on a baseball team, for example, may just keep standing alone around his position during the game. They hardly ever move except for the time for basic workouts. While this might be effective in learning to be altruistic, which is an essential quality to be a good citizen, it can be learned in other scenes of life such as school project, and it could even produce an organization person that never thinks or moves proactively in collective activities.

【Conclusion】After all, sports must be fun in the first place, and for this matter too, individual sports are more beneficial to all children than team sports, which often make less active or clumsy children suffer.

 (240 words)