Art classes, such as painting and drawing, are as important for children’s development as other subjects, so they should be compulsory in high school.

Practice this IELTS Writing Task 2 question on IELTSX. Art classes, such as painting and drawing, are as important for children’s development as other subjects, so they should be compulsory in high school.

Art classes should be compulsory in high school - IELTS Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

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 9 · 332 words.

In recent years, it has been argued that artistic disciplines such as painting and drawing are as essential as core academic subjects and should therefore be mandatory in high school. I completely disagree with this perspective, as I believe the curriculum should prioritize vocational relevance and student autonomy.

First and foremost, the modern job market increasingly demands technical proficiency over artistic skill. In our contemporary digital society, subjects related to Information Technology and programming are highly valued by employers. If students are forced to spend limited school hours on art, they may miss opportunities to master coding or data analysis—skills that lead to higher employability. For instance, with the rise of automation, traditional manual skills are being replaced by digital tools. Consequently, making art compulsory could be seen as an inefficient use of time that might leave students ill-equipped for the competitive labor market.

Furthermore, high school is a critical period for students to specialize based on their career aspirations. By this stage, most students have identified their interests and goals, which often lie in lucrative fields like law, medicine, or engineering. Requiring a student interested in jurisprudence to take mandatory painting classes may be counterproductive, as these hours could be better spent on history or social studies. Moreover, the emergence of Artificial Intelligence tools that can generate visual content has reduced the practical demand for hand-drawn art. Therefore, the curriculum should remain flexible to accommodate individual interests rather than enforcing a one-size-fits-all approach.

In conclusion, while art can contribute to personal growth, it should not be a compulsory high school subject. Given the shift toward a technology-driven economy and the importance of allowing students to focus on their chosen career paths, art should remain an elective rather than a requirement.

Key Improvements Made: • Improved lexical range using terms like 'vocational relevance', 'jurisprudence', and 'mandatory'. • Corrected grammatical errors regarding subject-verb agreement and article usage. • Strengthened the argument by linking technology more logically to the decline in manual art demand.

Examiner feedback

This is an exceptional response that meets all the criteria for Band 9. The argument is sophisticated, the language is natural and precise, and the organization is flawless.

Task Response - 9

- Fully addresses all parts of the task by providing a clear, consistent position against mandatory art classes. - Ideas are fully developed and supported with highly relevant, contemporary examples such as AI and the modern job market. - The response is nuanced, acknowledging the value of art for personal growth while arguing for its status as an elective.

Coherence & Cohesion - 9

- Paragraphing is logically structured and manages the progression of arguments flawlessly. - Cohesive devices are used so naturally that they attract no attention, providing smooth transitions between ideas. - Each paragraph focuses on a clear, distinct central topic that supports the overall thesis.

Lexical Resource - 9

- Uses a sophisticated range of vocabulary including 'vocational relevance', 'jurisprudence', and 'one-size-fits-all approach' with natural control. - Precision in word choice and collocation is evident throughout (e.g., 'technical proficiency', 'competitive labor market'). - No errors in spelling or word formation are present.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy - 9

- Demonstrates full flexibility and accuracy with a wide range of complex structures. - The essay is entirely free of grammatical errors or punctuation slips. - Sentences vary in length and complexity, enhancing the readability and sophisticated tone.

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