This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of the influence of families and other factors on the development of children.
IELTS Writing Task 2: Child Development
Although families have influence on a children’s development, factors outside the home play a bigger part in their lives nowadays.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample Answer :
Many today feel that the home no longer plays the largest role in child development. In my opinion, though outside factors have become increasingly invasive, family life is still more influential.
Those who believe children these days are largely shaped by the outside world often focus on the expanding importance of technology. Decades ago, it was more common for families to engage in conversation throughout the day, at dinner, and during holidays. Today, each family member might be more engaged with their smartphone, tablet, or laptop. For example, children now have constant access to streaming video sites like YouTube. Instead of watching cartoons for an hour a day on television, they can watch shows all day long, both in and outside the home. The result is that kids often find niche channels and parents have a difficult time monitoring and keeping up with the appropriacy of their interests and influences.
Nonetheless, family life remains the heart of early psychological development. Children are unlikely to have much access to new technology in their early years when researchers say the majority of personality formation occurs. If parents are strict, unforgiving and withhold their love then children begin to either turn inwards feeling rejected or strive compulsively for their parent’s esteem. These early, learned behaviours will manifest themselves in progressively more unhealthy behaviours and evolve as the child matures. Conversely, a child who is loved unconditionally but given honest feedback from their parents has a much greater chance ofbecoming a well-adjusted adult with strong role models to imitate.
In conclusion, despite the ubiquity of technology today, family is the key catalyst in early development. Regardless of changes in society, parents will continue to be the main influence for their children in the foreseeable future.
Child Development : Vocabulary
- plays the largest role do the most
- child development how a kid grows up
- outside factors not limited to the home
- increasingly invasive more and more influential
- influential have an impact
- largely shaped mostly molded by
- the outside world not in the home
- expanding importance more and more important
- decades ago 20+ years ago
- engage in take part in
- family member a person in your family
- engaged with interacting with
- constant access can use any time
- streaming video sites Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, etc.
- all day long the whole day
- niche channels not very popular, odd videos
- monitoring supervising
- keeping up with knowing about
- appropriacy if they should/shouldn’t be watching them
- remains the heart of still crucial
- psychological development how their brain, emotions develop
- unlikely probably won’t happen
- access can get
- early years when young
- majority most of
- personality formation how their temperament develops
- occurs happens
- strict harsh
- unforgiving do not forgive, not lenient
- withhold not give
- turn inwards become introverted
- rejected feel spurned
- strive compulsively try very hard
- parent’s esteem parent’s opinion of them
- learned behaviours habits
- manifest appear as
- progressively more and more
- evolve change over time
- matures become older, more adult
- conversely in contrast
- unconditionally without strings attached
- honest feedback honest opinion
- greater chance more likely
- well-adjusted adult normal person
- strong role models someone to look up to
- imitate copy
- ubiquity everywhere
- key catalyst chief cause
- regardless of nonetheless
- continue to be still remain
- foreseeable future as far as we can see in the future
