TASK 2 (DISCUSS BOTH VIEWS): RECYCLING AND WASTE REDUCTION

Some people think that children should be taught at school to recycle materials and avoid waste. Other people believe that children should be taught this at home. Discuss both opinions and give your own opinion.

Sample Answer

There are those who believe that recycling and waste reduction should be incorporated into a school’s curriculum, while others argue that such environmentally friendly habits should be instilled within the household. In this essay, I will analyse both viewpoints and explain why I gravitate towards a comprehensive approach that encompasses collaborative efforts from both educators and parents.

Supporters of a formal approach to teaching recycling and responsible waste disposal argue in favour of the structured frameworks provided by educational institutions. They maintain that, as opposed to homes—where irresponsible disposal and a lack of incentive to recycle can be overlooked—schools can introduce a syllabus on environmental mindfulness and enforce discipline, thereby ensuring uniformity among students regarding the ‘Three Rs’: reduce, reuse, and recycle. Salient examples include Japanese educators who, in an effort to reinforce the culture of minimalism, are famously diligent in teaching children from a young age to classify rubbish, recycle conscientiously, and refrain from wasting food. This has been achieved through various means, including daily lessons, awareness-raising campaigns, and instructive examples from both teachers and prominent public figures.

Proponents of cultivating the recycling culture at home contend that parental closeness is the key factor in imparting such values. According to their perspective, schooling accounts for only a minor proportion of a child’s day, while children spend the vast majority of their time with their parents, making it far easier for core values to be imparted. Since children are at an impressionable age, parents can teach them the paramount importance of recycling and proper waste disposal by leading with instructive examples and fostering constructive habits, as evidenced in many families in the UK where recycling and rubbish classification are part of the daily routine. In addition, since the primary purpose of schools is to teach core subjects and prepare students for formal examinations, holding educational institutions solely accountable for this area of knowledge seems rather unfair. This could lower educational efficiency, potentially resulting in weaker academic performance and diminished pedagogical productivity.

In conclusion, while schools can provide a structured and formal approach to teaching ecological values, familial closeness and home-based guidance can also serve as supportive factors that reinforce what children have learnt at school. On balance, the most effective approach would be for schools and parents to work in conjunction to cultivate constructive habits, strengthen discipline, and provide instructive examples, thereby nurturing environmentally conscious and responsible adults.

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TỪ VỰNG HAY

Some people think that children should be taught at school to recycle materials and avoid waste. Other people believe that children should be taught this at home. Discuss both opinions and give your own opinion.

There are those who believe that recycling and waste reduction should be incorporated into a school’s curriculum, while others argue that such environmentally friendly habits should be instilled within the household. In this essay, I will analyse both viewpoints and explain why I gravitate towards a comprehensive approach that encompasses collaborative efforts from both educators and parents.

Supporters of a formal approach to teaching recycling and responsible waste disposal argue in favour of the structured frameworks provided by educational institutions. They maintain that, as opposed to homes—where irresponsible disposal and a lack of incentive to recycle can be overlooked—schools can introduce a syllabus on environmental mindfulness and enforce discipline, thereby ensuring uniformity among students regarding the ‘Three Rs’: reduce, reuse, and recycle. Salient examples include Japanese educators who, in an effort to reinforce the culture of minimalism, are famously diligent in teaching children from a young age to classify rubbish, recycle conscientiously, and refrain from wasting food. This has been achieved through various means, including awareness-raising campaigns and instructive examples from both teachers and prominent public figures.

Proponents of cultivating the recycling culture at home contend that parental closeness is the key factor in imparting such values. According to their perspective, schooling accounts for only a minor proportion of a child’s day, while children spend the vast majority of their time with their parents, making it far easier for core values to be imparted. Since children are at an impressionable age, parents can teach them the paramount importance of recycling and proper waste disposal by leading with instructive examples and fostering constructive habits, as evidenced in many families in the UK where recycling and rubbish classification are part of the daily routine. In addition, since the primary purpose of schools is to teach core subjects and prepare students for formal examinations, holding educational institutions solely accountable for this area of knowledge seems rather unfair. This could lower educational efficiency, potentially resulting in weaker academic performance and diminished pedagogical productivity.

In conclusion, while schools can provide a structured and formal approach to teaching ecological values, familial closeness and home-based guidance can also serve as supportive factors that reinforce what children have learnt at school. On balance, the most effective approach would be for schools and parents to work in conjunction to cultivate constructive habits, strengthen discipline, and provide instructive examples, thereby nurturing environmentally conscious and responsible adults.

Vocabulary

1. incorporated into a school’s curriculum – được đưa vào chương trình học
2. environmentally friendly habits – thói quen thân thiện với môi trường
3. instilled within the household – được hình thành trong gia đình
4. gravitate towards a comprehensive approach – nghiêng về một cách tiếp cận toàn diện
5. encompasses collaborative efforts – bao gồm sự hợp tác chung
6. formal approach to teaching recycling – cách tiếp cận chính thống để dạy tái chế
7. structured frameworks provided by educational institutions – khuôn khổ có hệ thống do các trường học cung cấp
8. introduce a syllabus on environmental mindfulness – đưa vào chương trình học về ý thức môi trường
9. enforce discipline – áp đặt hoặc duy trì kỷ luật
10. uniformity among students – sự đồng nhất giữa học sinh
11. Salient examples include… – Ví dụ nổi bật là…
12. reinforce the culture of minimalism – củng cố văn hoá tối giản
13. awareness-raising campaigns – các chiến dịch nâng cao nhận thức
14. instructive examples – ví dụ mang tính giáo dục
15. prominent public figures – nhân vật công chúng nổi bật
16. cultivating the recycling culture at home – vun đắp văn hoá tái chế tại nhà
17. parental closeness – sự gần gũi của cha mẹ
18. fostering constructive habits – nuôi dưỡng thói quen tích cực
19. diminished pedagogical productivity – giảm hiệu quả sư phạm
20. nurturing environmentally conscious and responsible adults – nuôi dưỡng người lớn có ý thức và trách nhiệm về môi trường

✔ DÀN Ý

1️. Mở bài (Introduction)

• Có hai quan điểm:
  → Một bên cho rằng nên dạy trẻ tái chế và tiết kiệm tại trường học.
  → Bên kia cho rằng nên dạy ở nhà.
• Người viết đồng tình với cách kết hợp cả hai – trường học và gia đình cùng phối hợp để đạt hiệu quả cao nhất.

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2️. Thân bài 1 (Lợi ích của việc dạy ở trường – School-based learning)

• Trường học có hệ thống giảng dạy chính quy và kỷ luật rõ ràng, giúp học sinh thực hành “3R” (reduce, reuse, recycle) đồng đều.
• Có thể đưa vào chương trình học (curriculum) và tổ chức các chiến dịch nâng cao nhận thức (awareness-raising campaigns).
• Ví dụ điển hình: Nhật Bản – trẻ được dạy phân loại rác, không lãng phí đồ ăn, nhờ vậy hình thành ý thức tối giản và trách nhiệm môi trường từ nhỏ.

👉 Tóm ý: Trường học giúp tạo môi trường có kỷ luật và giáo dục chính thức về tái chế.

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3️. Thân bài 2 (Lợi ích của việc dạy ở nhà – Home-based learning)

• Cha mẹ gần gũi con cái, nên dễ truyền đạt giá trị sống và thói quen tốt hàng ngày.
• Trẻ ở nhà nhiều hơn ở trường, nên ảnh hưởng từ cha mẹ và gia đình mạnh hơn.
• Ví dụ: Nhiều gia đình ở Anh – tái chế là một phần của sinh hoạt hàng ngày.
• Thêm nữa, trường học cần tập trung vào môn chính và kỳ thi, không thể chịu trách nhiệm hoàn toàn cho việc dạy ý thức môi trường.

👉 Tóm ý: Gia đình giúp nuôi dưỡng thói quen tái chế tự nhiên và thường xuyên hơn.

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4️. Kết bài (Conclusion)

• Cả trường học và gia đình đều có vai trò quan trọng.
• Trường học: dạy kiến thức và kỹ năng cơ bản, có tính hệ thống và kỷ luật.
• Gia đình: củng cố thói quen qua sự gần gũi và hướng dẫn hàng ngày.
• Giải pháp tối ưu: Hai bên phối hợp (work in conjunction) để nuôi dưỡng thế hệ trẻ có ý thức bảo vệ môi trường.