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.
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 writer asserts that children with a **solid foundation** (firm grasp) in their mother tongue develop "stronger literacy abilities" and "**succeed educationally**." This means their early linguistic competence directly translates to broader academic success. This corresponds perfectly to Option B: **They go on to do much better throughout their time at school**.
- 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.