Which do you prefer – where teachers lecture or students do some talking

IELTS Writing Task 2 with sample answer.

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Some students like classes where teachers lecture (do all of the talking) in class. Other students prefer classes where the students do some of the talking. Which type of class do you prefer?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

Idea Generation:

Main topic: Whether you prefer a class where teacher teaches all the time and students silently learn the lessons or a class where students get involves and make interactions while learning?

Advantages of a class where teachers do all the taking?

  • Each class has a limited time frame and this model allows teachers to finish their lessons.
  • Teachers can deliver the lectures to all the students.
  • Teachers do not get interrupted by irrelevant questions raised by the students.
  • Students can focus more or leaning and can solve their questions in a later time.
  • The teacher can end the syllabus before the exam.

Advantages of a class where students interact with teachers and do some talking?

  • Students do not get bored with the classes.
  • Students can actively participate in lessons and thus inspires them to learn in a better way.
  • Teacher can evaluate the understanding levels among students.
  • Teachers can find out the weak points of his class and can take initiatives to lessen it.
  • Students can’t pretend to understand a lesson when in reality they do not.
  • A feedback or a question raised by a student can be helpful for many others who have the same question but could not dare to ask it.
  • This is a far better model of teaching and learning in a classroom.

Sample Answer:
Teacher-centred and learner-centred teachings are the most common teaching approaches around the world. In the teacher-centred teaching, teachers play a traditional role in which they are the authority in the classroom and students keep focusing on teachers. The teacher delivers speech, while the students act passively, they just exclusively listen. In converse, in student-centred education, teachers are considered as the facilitator. Students take part actively and teachers and students interact equally. As for, I would much prefer to stay in learner-centred classroom. The following reasons could explain why.

First of all, learner-centred education develops a sense of autonomy. In the technique, teachers are like resource to the students, providing information, answering questions, and assessing their progress. Students are actively engaged in negotiating meaning, in trying to make themselves understanding. The process, thus, builds a sense of autonomy in the learning process. To put it another way, students learn directly their own lesson, asking questions and completing task independently.

Secondly, students can learn collaborative and communicative skills through group work. In the method, students involve in pairs or groups to discuss a topic, or find solutions to the problems. In addition, students teach one another by clarifying misconceptions. Thus, not only does it hones communicative competences, but also develop a sense of collaboration. In fact, the approach prepares students for future social and workplace situations.

Last but not the least it also motivates students far more than other approaches. When students participate actively and interact with each other to discuss or solve problems, they are likely more interested in learning activities. That is to say, students take the responsibility to solve an issue, and when they come up with solutions, they gain confidence in themselves as skilled problem-solver. Confidence eventually fuels motivation of the students.

To wrap up, students can construct knowledge through mustering and synthesizing information and incorporating it with the general competence of communication, inquiry, critical thinking, problem solving and so forth. That is why I incline towards learner-centred education.