Parents Should Teach Children How to be Good Members of Society - IELTS Writing Task 2

IELTS Writing Task 2 requires test-takers to compose a coherent essay in response to a given prompt. In IELTS discussion essays like 'Some People Think That Parents Should Teach Children How to Be Good Members of Society', candidates express their stance on a statement and support it with relevant arguments. Graded on a scale of 1 to 9, achieving an IELTS band score of 7, 8, or 9 indicates varying levels of proficiency.

In this article, we will learn how to write an IELTS discussion essay and look into the complexities of teaching children, exploring multifaceted perspectives, real-world examples, and the transformative power of becoming a good member of society.

Question

Structural Breakdown

Type: Discussion Essay

Band 7 Sample Answer For Writing Task 2 – Parents Should Teach Children How to Be Good Members of Society

It is undoubtedly true that all parents want their children to become good citizens and there’s a wide belief that parents should teach and instill good behavior in their children. On the contrary, some people opine that school is the perfect place to learn good manners. In my perception, I firmly believe that parents are more responsible.

On the one hand, the bond between parents and their children is unique and nurtures holistic growth and development. Parents are the primary teachers and home is the first school for the children where they learn to develop their personality. Children are gullible and under the sole custody of parents, so they imitate their parent’s behaviour and imbibe their qualities into them in almost all aspects of their early life. Hence, parents have an undeniable role in teaching concepts of good and evil and moral values to their children.

On the other hand, a group of people vehemently argue that schools should take responsibility for teaching and inculcating good qualities like obedience, honesty, resilience, hard work, consistency, etc as the Children spend most of their time in school. In addition, teachers have a significant influence on children. They play an equally essential role in molding the character of a child. Besides teaching academic lessons, teachers can instill moral and ethical values in children that would help the children in their future lives.

To sum up, I’d conclude that both entities have their unique impact on children. But schools cannot replace the role and responsibility of parents in making a child become a responsible person as schools deal with a vast number of children and the mindset of every child varies. Also, children are more attached to their parents, so their behavior reflects their parents.

Band 7 Vocabulary

Now check out some relevant vocabulary used in the above Band 7 IELTS Writing Task 2 sample essay.

• Conclude

Meaning: come to an end
Eg: According to the sources, the semester exam will conclude on April 12.

• Influence

Meaning: the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something
Eg: Rose was under the influence of a bad company, which made her mother worry.

• Imbibe

Meaning: absorb or assimilate ideas or knowledge
Eg: Students should imbibe the ideas from their seniors.

• Inculcate

Meaning: instill an idea, attitude, or habit by persistent instructions
Eg: The tutor inculcated a feeling of patriotism in the students.

• Opine

Meaning: hold and state as one’s opinion
Eg: The teacher opined that they can study any subject.

• Gullible

Meaning: easily persuaded to believe something
Eg: John was gullible, so was deceived by the merchant

• Custody

Meaning: the protective care or guardianship of someone or something
Eg: Since his parent’s demise, James has been living under the custody of his aunt.

• Imitate

Meaning: take or follow as model
Eg: Johnny tried to imitate the actor

• Instill

Meaning: gradually but firmly establish an idea or attitude in a person’s mind
Eg: It’s the parent’s responsibility to instill a sense of duty and responsibility in their children.

• Vehemently

Meaning: in a forceful or intense manner or showing great force or energy
Eg: The older man vehemently denied going to the orphanage.

Band 8 Sample Answer For Writing Task 2 – Parents Should Teach Children How to Be Good Members of Society

It is quite true that we continue developing our personalities throughout our lives. However, young age is rather a crucial time that moulds our characteristics. Some people believe that families define who we are going to become, while others favour the notion that schools are liable to teach us morality and guide us toward a better future. As far as my perception is concerned, I agree with the former thought. I will be explaining both points of view in the upcoming paragraphs.

Our family is the first environment where we immerse ourselves ever since we were born. The values that our parents deliver and the behaviour they convey surely leave a colossal impact on our personalities. It is also an important process for a parent to imbibe a righteous perspective into their child at the beginning. It is nothing less than creating a masterpiece on a blank canvas before it gets contaminated.

Those who believe that school should be the adequate place to educate children so that they can acquire the right attitude in their lives and have decent morality to be good members of the overall society have put their belief in teachers. In a way, teachers offer standard expectations that our society has for people, providing ideas and knowledge with less deviation and less bias from students. It is also necessary for young children to meet other people from varying backgrounds. This helps cultivate diversity and respect for other races.

Concluding this essay, I would say that although there are disputes with views, for me, trying to develop the characteristics of a child until they are ready enough to tackle the world as they go is mainly done by parents. Hence, I believe that our families play an important role and the schools come second.

Band 8 Vocabulary

Have a look at the IELTS Vocabulary for Band 8 sample answer on 'Some People Think That Parents Should Teach Children How to Be Good Members of Society'.

• Crucial

Meaning: of great importance; decisive

Eg: Getting enough sleep is crucial for maintaining good health.

• Mold

Meaning: shape or influence

Eg: Early experiences can mold a child’s personality.

• Liable

Meaning: responsible by law; answerable

Eg: The company was held liable for the environmental damage caused by its factory.

• Perception

Meaning: the way in which something is understood or interpreted

Eg: Her perception of the situation was quite different from mine.

• Immerse

Meaning: involve oneself deeply in a particular activity

Eg: He immersed himself in his studies to prepare for the exam.

• Colossal

Meaning: extremely large or great

Eg: The project required a colossal amount of effort to complete.

• Righteous

Meaning: morally right or justifiable

Eg: The activist fought for what she believed was a righteous cause.

• Contaminated

Meaning: made impure by exposure to or addition of a poisonous or polluting substance

Eg: The water supply was contaminated with harmful bacteria.

• Adequate

Meaning: satisfactory or acceptable in quality or quantity

Eg: The food provided was adequate for the number of guests present.

• Cultivate

Meaning: try to acquire or develop (a quality, sentiment, or skill)

Eg: The school aims to cultivate a love of learning in its students.

Band 9 Sample Answer For Writing Task 2 – Parents Should Teach Children How to Be Good Members of Society

The duty of raising virtuous children is a tough ordeal. If there is any deficiency in the moral education of a child, they are bound to face social obstacles when they grow up. The consensus on who is responsible for schooling juveniles on the value of being ethical and right-minded is divided. Some believe that the onus falls upon the guardians of a child, whereas others believe that school teachers are more responsible in this context. I am a firm believer in the idea that the mantle of teaching positive life skills to an infant is that of the parents. In the forthcoming paragraphs, I will elaborate on both sides of this discussion.

It is a commonly known fact that our parents are the first individuals to interact and associate with us. Subsequently, they become the most consequential influence in our lives to a point where we adopt their mannerisms and behaviour into our personalities. Thus, the burden of being as cautious as a person can be, and to be veracious at all times has to be borne by the parents since such characteristics are inherently taken on by youngsters.

Nevertheless, we must address the impact, of the time spent at school on a child’s life and how it can transform an individual for the better or the worse. During adolescence, school is considered to be a second home for children and teachers are liable for their students nearly as much as their parents. Therefore, keeping in mind the amount of time spent under the guidance of schoolteachers, the charge of educating young children on vital life skills should innately fall upon educators.

Finally, I would like to conclude by saying that the youth are the future of our society. That being said, the efforts invested towards nurturing the younger generation should be shared by everyone, although, in my opinion, this duty is heavier on immediate family members.

Band 9 Vocabulary

Use the following Band 9 vocabulary while writing your essay on 'Some People Think That Parents Should Teach Children How to Be Good Members of Society' and improve your IELTS band score.

• Ordeal

Meaning: a painful or horrific experience

Eg: Surviving the accident was a terrible ordeal for the family.

• Deficiency

Meaning: a lack or shortage of something

Eg: A deficiency in vitamin D can lead to bone problems.

• Consensus

Meaning: a general agreement

Eg: The team reached a consensus on the best approach to the project.

• Onus

Meaning: responsibility or duty

Eg: The onus is on the government to provide quality education for all children.

• Juvenile

Meaning: young person who is not yet an adult

Eg: The juvenile court deals with cases involving young offenders.

• Mantle

Meaning: an important role or responsibility that passes from one person to another

Eg: He took on the mantle of leadership after his father’s retirement.

• Consequential

Meaning: important; significant

Eg: Her decision had consequential effects on the company’s future.

• Veracious

Meaning: truthful; honest

Eg: The journalist was known for his veracious reporting of events.

• Innately

Meaning: in an inborn or natural way

Eg: Some people are innately more creative than others.

• Nurturing

Meaning: caring for and encouraging the growth or development of someone or something

Eg: The school provides a nurturing environment for its students.

Connectors That’ll Improve Your Writing Task 2 Score For The Topic “Parents Should Teach Children How to Be Good Members of Society”

Connectors/Linking words for writing play a crucial role in linking ideas and creating a smooth flow of information within a text. Here is a list of common connectors that can be used in the provided answers:

• However
• On the one hand
• On the other hand
• In addition
• Besides
• To sum up
• Although
• While
• Hence
• Therefore
• Nevertheless
• As far as … is concerned

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