The Significant Role of Mother Tongue in Education
Read The Significant Role of Mother Tongue in Education and check the IELTS Reading answers. One consequence of population mobility is an increasing diversity within schools. To illustrate, in the city of Toronto in Canada, 58% of kindergarten pupils come from homes where English is not the usual l…
Passage preview
One consequence of population mobility is an increasing diversity within schools. To illustrate, in the city of Toronto in Canada, 58% of kindergarten pupils come from homes where English is not the usual language of communication. Schools in Europe and North America have experienced this diversity for years, and educational policies and practices vary widely between countries and even within countries. Some political parties and groups search for ways to solve the problem of diverse communities and their integration in schools and society. However, they see few positive consequences for the host society and worry that this diversity threatens the identity of the host society. Consequently, they promote unfortunate educational policies that will make the “problem” disappear. If students retain their culture and language, they are viewed as less capable of identifying with the mainstream culture and learning the mainstream language of the society.
Vocabulary from this passage
10 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- alienate verb
To cause someone to feel isolated or estranged from a group, culture or community with which they were previously connected
Harsh disciplinary policies can alienate students who already feel marginal at school.
- chasm noun
A profound gap or division between people, groups or ideas, here the emotional distance between parents and children
A widening chasm between rich and poor threatens social stability in many cities.
- linguistic adjective
Relating to language or the scientific study of languages, as in a group sharing the same language background
The city's linguistic diversity is reflected in its multilingual street signs and services.
- marvel verb
To feel or express great wonder or astonishment at something remarkable or surprising
Visitors marvel at the precision with which the ancient temple was constructed.
- maximise verb
To make something as great, effective or beneficial as possible, here the nation's cultural and linguistic resources
The policy aims to maximise participation by removing financial barriers to adult education.
- mobility noun
The ability or tendency of people to move from one place, or social position, to another
Rising labour mobility has transformed the demographic make-up of many European cities.
- nurture verb
To care for, support and encourage the growth or development of something, here both of a child's languages
Good teachers nurture curiosity by rewarding thoughtful questions rather than quick answers.
- rapidity noun
The quality of happening or progressing very quickly, here describing how fast children can lose their home language
The rapidity of technological change leaves many workers struggling to retrain.
- receptive skills noun
Abilities to understand a language through listening or reading, as opposed to producing it through speaking or writing
Learners' receptive skills usually develop faster than their productive ability in a new language.
- strong predictor noun
A factor whose level reliably indicates or forecasts a later outcome, such as success in learning a second language
Early reading ability is a strong predictor of later academic achievement.
Answers with explanations
- 27. C
In the second paragraph, the writer argues that discouraging children from developing their mother tongues is "unintelligent" because it wastes "the **resources of the nation**." This indicates that bilingual children represent linguistic and cultural resources that benefit national self-interest, directly supporting Option C: "Bilingual children can make a **valuable contribution to the wealth** of a country."
- 28. A
The writer cites Goethe immediately following a claim about the deep linguistic understanding gained through bilingualism. By noting that over 150 research studies "strongly support" the philosopher's statement, the writer uses the quote to add credibility and authority to the thesis. This aligns with Option A: **to lend weight to his argument**.
- 29. B
The question asks what the writer believes about children with a **firm grasp** of their mother tongue. The fourth paragraph says a **solid foundation** in the mother tongue predicts second language development, and that such children **come to school well-prepared** and **succeed educationally**. Succeeding educationally paraphrases doing much better throughout school. Teaching older relatives, reading cultural stories and stronger family bonds than peer bonds are never claimed for this situation.
- 30. D
The passage clearly identifies the root of the suspicion: parents and educators **worry that they take time away** from teaching the majority language. This matches Option D exactly: **They fear that the programmes will use up valuable time in the school day**.
- 31. I
The summary needs a noun representing what children acquire to converse in a language. The text notes that children quickly **"pick up" conversational skills**. The closest matching concept in the provided option list is Option I, **ability**, which grammatically fits the phrase "acquire the [ability] to converse."
- 32. D
The summary points out that the mother tongue can disappear at a similar "[32]". The passage contrasts how quickly children acquire a new language with "how **quickly** children can lose" their mother tongue, later referring to the "rapidity" of this loss. The option representing speed or pace is Option D, **rate**.
- 33. J
The summary discusses people from the same linguistic background settling in a particular location. The text explains that language loss depends on the concentration of families in a **neighborhood**. The closest synonymous option provided in the list is Option J, **area**.
- 34. F
The summary mentions that children might stop employing their mother tongue "even with [34]". The text explains they will stop speaking it with "peers and siblings and in responding to their **parents**." Siblings and parents constitute the immediate family unit, making Option F, **family**, the correct fit.
- 35. C
The summary states that teenage children experience a negative emotional sense. The text describes this as an "emotional chasm" and says pupils become **alienated** from their cultures. Being alienated or disconnected from one's surroundings corresponds best to Option C, **dislocation**.
- 36. YES
The statement claims that **less than half** of the kindergarten children have English as their mother tongue. The passage confirms that **58%** do NOT have English as their usual language. This means the remaining 42% do. Since 42% is less than half, the statement agrees with the writer's facts. Therefore, the answer is YES.
- 37. NO
The statement claims research proves that learning the host language has an **adverse effect** on a child’s mother tongue. The writer directly contradicts this, stating that educational research shows bilingual programs work "without any negative effects" and that both languages actually "nurture each other." Therefore, the statement is NO.
- 38. NOT GIVEN
The passage introduces the **Foyer program** in Belgium and notes that it develops literacy in languages including French. However, it never states whether this program is "to be **accepted by the French education system**." Since this specific detail about the French education system is missing, the answer is NOT GIVEN.
- 39. NOT GIVEN
The text explains that bilingual children do not have to re-learn concepts like **telling the time** when switching languages because conceptual knowledge transfers. However, it does not state that bilingual children learn to tell the time **earlier** (at a younger age) than monolingual children. Thus, the information is NOT GIVEN.
- 40. YES
The statement asserts that bilingual children can **apply reading comprehension strategies** from one language to another. The passage confirms this by stating there is a "**transfer across languages** in other skills such as knowing how to distinguish the main idea from the supporting details of a written passage," which is a classic reading comprehension strategy. Therefore, the answer is YES.