Writing Task 2 Model Answers
WRITING
7. Sport
Schools should focus on academic subjects and stop teaching physical education.
To what extent do you agree?
Essay Plan:
Opinion: Disagree.
Main Idea 1: PE classes improve the health and fitness of pupils in the short term and long term.
Sub-idea A: PE classes improve the agility, fitness and athleticism of pupils in the short term.
Sub-idea B: Pupils can develop a lifelong interest in sport and exercise.
Main Idea 2: PE classes help students to concentrate better during academic classes.
Sub-idea A: Physical exercise is a way to work off stress and feel more relaxed.
Sub-idea B: Exercise is linked to both better mental health and better performance of the brain.
Model Answer:
Some people argue that schools should not spend time on physical education classes and should only focus on academic subjects. While a school’s first priority is academic performance, I strongly believe that physical education classes are useful, because not only are they beneficial to health, but they can also help pupils concentrate more effectively on their academic studies.
Physical education classes are extremely important as they improve the health and fitness of pupils both in the short and long term. During physical education classes children have the opportunity to improve their cardiovascular fitness, agility, and overall athleticism. As a result, they will likely be stronger and more resilient to injury and illness. Furthermore, Physical Education classes offer the chance for young people to try out a number of different sports. They could experience a range of racket and ball sports, as well as athletics, contact sports and even martial arts. In this way, they can potentially discover a passion for sport which they will then benefit from for the rest of their lives.
Spending time doing physical activities during the school day can also help students to concentrate more effectively during academic classes. This is for two reasons. Firstly, exercise and physical exertion has been shown to help people work off stress, and feel more balanced and relaxed. Thus, feeling calmer after physical education lessons, pupils will be able to concentrate more effectively and will be more productive in academic classes. Secondly, there is significant scientific research that connects exercise to better mental health and performance. Children who exercise are less likely to suffer from depression, attention deficit disorder and other mental health issues. Clearly then, the exercise in physical education classes can help to promote children’s mental health, which will subsequently have a beneficial impact on their performance in the classroom.
To summarise, physical education plays a role in improving children’s short and long term health, as well as helping children to enter academic classes with the right state of mind. Even though schools should rightly prioritise academic pursuits, physical education clearly deserves a place in the school curriculum.
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