Once children start school, teachers have more influence on their intellectual and social development.

Practice this IELTS Writing Task 2 question on IELTSX. Once children start school, teachers have more influence on their intellectual and social development.

Teachers More Influence Children Intellectual Social Development School - IELTS Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Write at least 250 words.

A student's answer to this task, and the feedback on it

Written by an IELTSX user under exam conditions and published unedited and anonymously. Band 7 · 323 words.

I partly agree with the statement that once children start school, teachers have more influence on their intellectual and social development than parents do. While the role of educators undeniably grows at this stage, the foundational impact of the family remains significant throughout childhood.

On the one hand, teachers become key figures in a child’s intellectual growth. In school, children are systematically exposed to structured knowledge, critical thinking exercises, and academic disciplines that expand their cognitive abilities. For example, a skilled teacher can spark a lifelong interest in science or literature by making the subject engaging and relevant. Moreover, the classroom environment introduces children to diverse perspectives and collaborative learning, which hones their analytical and problem‑solving skills.

On the other hand, parents continue to play a crucial role in both intellectual and social development. A child’s home environment shapes their motivation to learn, their self‑esteem, and their basic values. Research shows that parental involvement in reading, discussing current events, or simply encouraging curiosity at home strongly correlates with academic success. Socially, the emotional security and communication patterns established within the family serve as the primary blueprint for how children build relationships. Even as they spend more time at school, children typically still look to their parents for guidance on moral dilemmas and emotional regulation.

Furthermore, the social development of a child is also heavily influenced by peers, not just teachers. In school, children learn negotiation, conflict resolution, and group dynamics primarily through interactions with classmates. A teacher’s influence here is often indirect — they set the rules and tone of the classroom, but the bulk of social practice happens among the students themselves.

In conclusion, while teachers gain substantial influence over children’s development once they enter school, especially in the intellectual domain, they do not surpass the cumulative and foundational influence of parents. The most effective development occurs when there is a strong partnership between home and school, with both parties reinforcing each other’s efforts.

Examiner feedback

The essay is exceptionally well-written, demonstrating clear structure, strong task achievement, and a mature perspective on the prompt. The language is natural, grammatically sound, and rich in vocabulary, consistently hitting a solid Band 7 level across all criteria.

Task Response - 7

- Fully addresses all parts of the task by discussing both the teacher's influence and the enduring role of parents. - Presents a clear and well-developed position throughout the essay with relevant, extended ideas. - Supports main examples effectively with a balanced view on intellectual and social development.

Coherence & Cohesion - 7

- Logically organises information and ideas with a clear progression throughout the essay. - Uses a range of cohesive devices appropriately such as "On the one hand", "Moreover", and "Furthermore". - Presents a clear central topic within each paragraph and maintains appropriate paragraphing.

Lexical Resource - 7

- Uses a sufficient range of vocabulary with good flexibility and precision like "intellectual growth", "cognitive abilities", and "emotional security". - Uses less common lexical items with awareness of style and collocation such as "foundational impact" and "blueprint". - Produces rare or negligible errors in spelling and word formation.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy - 7

- Uses a variety of complex sentence structures effectively with frequent error-free sentences. - Demonstrates good control of grammar and punctuation throughout the text. - Maintains accuracy even when handling sophisticated clauses and contrasting arguments.

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