Question: Many young people today know more about international pop and movie stars than about famous people in history in their country. Why is this? What can be done to increase young people's interest in famous people in the history of their country.
Band 8+ Sample Answer:
(Intro) It is claimed that the current young generations are likely to be hugely aware and knowledgeable about pop culture, while their historical knowledge is severely limited. In this essay, I will be discussing the causes of this problem, which are a lack of engagement in the classroom. Furthermore I suggest making full use of technology in order to generate more interest in historical figures.
(Body 1) It is an undisrupted fact that youngsters all over the world have little fascination for history because of lacklustre teaching methods. Firstly, despite the development of advanced technological visual aids, the uptake of this in the classroom is poor because teachers are either inflexible or lack the skills to utilise it effectively. This is compounded by the fact that History often requires students to learn facts rather than try to relate it to modern life. These issues therefore result in low student engagement in both history and historical figures. Celebrities, meanwhile, attract a huge amount of attention from the public thanks to their skilful use of social media aided by their media managers to maximise the effect. The use of the latest technological advances which are used in music videos and hollywood blockbusters including the 3-D effect and holograms.
(Body 2) Improving teaching methods are a practical method for tackling this problem. Technology should be taken fully advantage of to make history lessons more tempting. For example, teachers can show historical animations during lessons or supplement the learning process with interactive computer games. Another measure is to make sure students can relate to these individuals, allowing them to make meaningful connections between these important figures, their achievements or struggles and the students' own lives.
(Conclusion) In conclusion, the major reason behind this issue is the teaching method so
teachers should make it more engaging by using up to date technology and making lessons more relevant to the learners. This change could be considered a long term approach but it should allow young people to recognise the importance of eminent people in history. (333 words).
Essay: Student Essay, fully corrected and upgraded by Nick Kemp, former IELTS Examiner.
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