INTENSIVE ESSAY WRITING 2: EDUCATION

COMMON VOCABULARY
the curriculum: the entire school program including course materials and testing of students.
Everything that a school aims to teach students.
Graduate: a person who has graduated from a school
Illiteracy: the inability to read and write
Literacy: the ability to read and write
Nurture: to help grow or develop
Pedagogy: the way of teaching including the instructional methods that is used
Qualification: what someone gets when they graduate from school. For instance, a diploma is a
qualification.
social skills: the ability to communicate and interact well with others
student/teacher-centred education: a philosophy of education where the student/teacher is the central
focus
tuition: the fees for studying a course
SOME USEFUL VERBS AND ADJECTIVES
Graduate: to pass a course or level of study
Concentrate: to focus attention towards a particular activity, subject or problem
Revise: to review materials that have already been taught
Enroll: to join a class
Indoctrinate: to teach following a biased belief or point of view. For example: Hitler indoctrinated young
Germans with a hatred for other races.
Interpret: to understand in a particular way. For example, we need to interpret the meaning of the
painting.
Persevere: to not give up. To keep doing something for the success is achieved.
Procrastinate: to delay or put off doing something
Academic: relating to education especially universities.
co-educational: when male and female students are taught together in the same school.
single sex: when only need male or female students are taught in the same school
hands-on: to learn by actually doing. We can get hands-on experience by actually doing things.
multi-disciplinary: involving several different subjects or areas of study.
Pedagogical: relating to teaching methods and principles.
primary education: an elementary school or the first years of formal schooling.
secondary education: high school
segregated: separated. For example, the classes are segregated by gender
tertiary education: university or vocation school
vocational: concerns teaches the skills necessary for a particular job. This concept is often applied to
trade schools. So if you studying cooking or the penetration you are going to a vocational school.

IDIOMS AND COLLOCATIONS

to learn something by heart: to learn something so well that it can be written or recited without any
effort
bookworm : a person who reads a lot
teacher’s pet: a student in a class who is liked best by the teacher and therefore treated better than the
other students
to draw a blank: to fail to get an answer or a result
copycat : someone who has few ideas of their own and does or says exactly the same as someone else
get the hang of something: to learn how to do something, esp. when it is not simple or obvious:
to burn the midnight oil: to study/work late into the night
to pass with flying colours: If you do something such as pass an exam with flying colours, you do it
very successfully
to go back to basis: to return to teaching or paying attention to the most important aspects of
a subject or activity
to cover a lot of ground: to review a large amount of information or discuss many topics
 OTHER EXPRESSIONS
 to get higher academic results
 to study abroad
 to drop out of school
 to gain international qualifications
 to improve educational outcomes
 to top international educational league tables
 to encourage independent learning
 to pass/fail the exam
 to gain in-depth knowledge
 core subjects such as science, English and maths
 to have the opportunity to …
 to interact and take part in group work activities
 opposite-sex classmates:
 to learn a wide range of skills
 communication or teamwork skills
 co-existence and gender equality
TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION
1. Some people believe that children of all ages should have extra responsibilities (for example, helping
at home or at work). Others believe that, outside of school, children should be free to enjoy their
lives. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
2. Doing an enjoyable activity with a child can is better for their overall skills development and
creativity than reading. To what extent do you agree?
3. Learning at university would be more effective if men and women were educated separately. To what
extent do you agree or disagree?
4. It has been suggested that primary children should learn how to grow vegetables and keep animals.
Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
5. 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.
6. Some people think that family is the most powerful influence on a child’s development while
others feel that other factors such as television and friends play a greater role today. Discuss
both views and give your opinion.
7. Nowadays, distance-learning programs have gained in popularity, but some people argue that online
courses can never be taken as good as those taken at a college or university in person. To what extent
do you agree or disagree?
8. Some people think that the best way to be successful in life is to get a university education. Others
disagree and say this is no longer true. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
9. Some people believe that the experiences children have before they go to school will have the greatest
effect on their future life. Others argue that experiences gained when they are teenagers have a bigger
influence. Discuss both views and give your own opinions.
10. Educating young people is naturally important. However, some think governments ought to invest
more education for adults in need. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
11. The best curriculum is not the one based on a static body of knowledge, but the one which teaches
students to cope with change. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
12. Some people think the main purpose of school is to turn children into good citizens and workers,
rather than to benefit them as individuals. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
13. Many people argue that in order to improve educational quality, high school students should be
encouraged to question and offer criticisms on their teachers. Others think this will lead to a loss of
respect and discipline in the classroom. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
14. Some people believe that everyone has a right to have access to university education and that
governments should make it free for all students no matter what financial background they have. To
what extent do you agree or disagree?
15. Some people think that schools should select students according to their academic abilities, while
others believe that it is better to have students with different abilities studying together. Discuss both
views and state your own opinion.
16. Some people think that children should begin their formal education at a very early age. Others think
they should begin after 7 years of age. Discuss both views and give your own opinion