Try writing an essay on the question before you study this unit.
You will need to:
• write an introduction to the topic;
• think of three causes of the problem and explain them, giving examples where possible;
• describe three solutions to deal with the problem;
• write a short conclusion which gives your view about the topic;
• write a minimum of 250 words.
Make a plan before you start. It’s a good idea to organise the body of the essay like this:
• cause 1 + solution 1
• cause 2 + solution 2
• cause 3 + solution 3
Take your time, but remember that in the exam you will need to complete Writing Task 2
in around 40 minutes.
Practice
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
These days, in many countries, fewer and fewer people want to become teachers, particularly in secondary schools.
What are the reasons for this, and how could the problem be solved?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
A generation ago, teaching in a high school was considered an extremely well-respected and popular job, and in some countries this is still true. However, in many parts of the world, there has been a sharp drop in the number of young people who want to become high-school teachers. This essay will look at the reasons for this and propose some solutions.
One of the main causes of the problem is that teachers’ salaries are lower than many other jobs. Teachers’ pay has not kept pace with that of other professions, such as law or medicine. In the UK, for example, a doctor with five years’ experience will earn far more than a teacher with the same experience. The solution is for the government to raise teachers’ pay significantly, which would attract more people into the profession.
Another problem is that many children do not behave well in class. That is to say, teachers often have to deal with pupils who disobey them, which often causes them to give up teaching. This tends to put off potential teachers as well. To tackle this issue, parents must give their children a sense of respect for teachers, in order to make children behave better in class.
A third cause of the problem is that teachers often have too much work to do. Most teachers are snowed under with marking and paperwork, which means that they have to stay late at school and work at home in the evening. As a result, many teachers are tired and stressed, and their job has a negative effect on their family life. The way forward could be to cut teachers’ hours, and to take on more teaching assistants, which would make teaching an easier job.
To sum up, teaching has become a much less popular job in many countries, due to reasons such as the salary, the working hours and pupils’ behaviour. This is a serious problem, and unless we can get more talented young people to become teachers, the education of our children will suffer. My view is that the main responsibility for solving the problem lies with parents and the government.
