Some believe secondary students should learn international news as a subject at school, while others think it’s a waste of time.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Band 9 Sample Answer:
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While some people are of the opinion that international news should be taught as a subject in secondary schools, others believe that doing so would be unnecessary and unproductive. I side with the former view.
On the one hand, there can be some reasons why some people support the idea that teaching international news in schools is a waste of time. Critics argue that school curriculums are already overloaded with essential academic subjects such as mathematics, science, and language, which are more directly linked to students’ future careers. Adding a separate subject for international news might only increase pressure on students without offering tangible benefits. Moreover, they contend that young learners can access global updates through social media and other digital platforms outside school hours, making formal instruction redundant. From this perspective, allocating time to news studies might divert attention from core educational objectives.
On the other hand, I feel that it is more beneficial to integrate international news into the school curriculum. Exposure to global affairs at a young age can significantly broaden students' perspectives, helping them understand the interconnectedness of today’s world. For example, learning about international conflicts, climate change, or global economics can cultivate critical thinking and make students more informed citizens. Additionally, news education fosters media literacy, a crucial skill in an era rife with misinformation and fake news. By discussing current events in a guided academic setting, students can develop the ability to differentiate credible sources from unreliable ones, which is invaluable in today’s digital society.
In conclusion, although some people think that studying international news in school is unnecessary, I believe that it is better to include it as a subject because it enriches students’ worldviews, sharpens critical thinking, and promotes responsible media consumption.
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Band 9 Insights Based on IELTS Writing Criteria
1. Task Response
✔ Fully addresses all parts of the task
✔ Presents a clear position throughout the response
✔ Ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant examples
Example: The argument for integrating news education includes specific real-world examples like climate change and misinformation.
2. Coherence and Cohesion
✔ Ideas are logically organised
✔ Uses a clear paragraph structure following the model (Intro - BP1 - BP2 - Conclusion)
✔ Cohesive devices (e.g., "on the one hand", "for example", "in conclusion") are used naturally and effectively.
3. Lexical Resource
✔ Wide range of vocabulary with precision
✔ Appropriate academic and topic-specific terms: media literacy, interconnectedness, misinformation, credible sources
✔ No repetition or awkward word choices.
4. Grammatical Range and Accuracy
✔ Complex sentence structures used accurately
✔ No noticeable grammatical errors
✔ Correct punctuation and clause linking
Example: “By discussing current events in a guided academic setting, students can develop the ability to differentiate credible sources from unreliable ones…”
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