Discipline is an ever-increasing problem in modern schools. Some people think that discipline should be the responsibility of teachers, while others think that this is the role of parents. Discuss both the views and give your opinion.
Sample Response
In recent years, discipline has emerged as a significant problem in modern schools, and there is a debate overthere is debate over whether teachers or parents should be primarily responsible for managing it. While both parties have important roles, I believe that teachers have a more immediate roleimpact in shaping students’ behavior during school hours.
Supporters of teacher-led discipline argue that educators have the necessary training, authority, and experience to manage classrooms effectively. Teachers can establishimplement rules, reward good behavior, and imposeapply consistent consequences to address disruptive conduct. For instance, a teacher can intervene immediately if a student is bullying another studenta student is bullying another, preventing further harm and setting a clear example for others.
Conversely, many believe that parents bearcarry the ultimate responsibility because children often internalize values and patterns of behavior learned at homebehavior patterns learned at home. Teaching respect, honesty, and self-control from an early age helps students respond appropriately to authority figures at school. Without parental guidance, even the strictest school policies may fail to produce long-term behavioral changeimprovements.
In conclusion, discipline is a shared responsibility, but teachers play a crucial role in enforcing rules and maintaining order during school hours. Cooperation between parents and teachers is essential to ensure that children develop both sound moral values and appropriate behaviorboth moral values and proper behavior, helping to address the growing problem of poor disciplinethe growing problem of indiscipline.
Why this response received Band 7.5
The response is strongest in its concise, logical discussion of both teachers' and parents' roles, supported by clear examples and highly controlled language. However, at 208 words it is substantially under length, which limits the depth of the comparison and leaves the preference for teachers only briefly justified. The priority is to add a developed explanation of why teachers should carry greater responsibility while preserving the clear shared-responsibility conclusion.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The response addresses both views and states a clear opinion, but its under-length treatment limits development of the comparative judgement.
Extend the argument beyond 250 words by explaining why teachers' immediate influence should outweigh parents' foundational role.
Coherence and Cohesion
The compact response progresses smoothly through distinct positions to a consistent conclusion, with well-controlled referencing and linking.
Add a fuller evaluative paragraph while maintaining the same clear sequence and paragraph focus.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is varied, precise, and natural across the discussion of authority, values, and behaviour, with minimal repetition.
Broaden the evaluative vocabulary used to distinguish immediate classroom control from long-term parental influence.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of complex structures is used accurately and flexibly, with sentences remaining clear and virtually error-free.
Maintain this level of control while adding more developed comparison and qualification in a longer response.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Discipline is an ever-increasing problem in modern schools. Some people think that discipline should be the responsibility of teachers, while others think that this is the role of parents. Discuss both the views and give your opinion.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.