Model and sample answers for writing tasks
164
TEST 3, WRITING TASK 2
MODEL ANSWER
This model has been prepared by an examiner as an example of a very good answer. However, please note that this
is just one example out of many possible approaches.
The issue of children doing paid work is a complex and sensitive one. It is difficult to
say who has the right to judge whether children working is ‘wrong’ or ‘valuable’.
Opinions will also differ as to ‘learning’ benefits: no doubt teachers and factory owners,
for example, would have varying concerns.
An important consideration is the kind of work undertaken. Young children doing
arduous and repetitive tasks on a factory production line, for example, are less likely to
be ‘learning’ than older children helping in an old people’s home. There are health and
safety issues to be considered as well. It is an unfortunate fact
that many employers
may prefer to use the services of children simply to save money by paying them less
than adults and it is this type of exploitation that should be discouraged.
However, in many countries children work because their families need the additional
income, no matter how small. This was certainly the case in the past in many
industrialized countries, and it is very difficult to judge that it is wrong for children today
to contribute to the family income in this way.
Nevertheless, in better economic circumstances, few parents would choose to send
their children out to full-time paid work. If learning responsibilities and work experience
are considered to be important, then chitdren can acquire these by having light, part-
time jobs or even doing tasks such as helping their parents around the family home,
which are unpaid, but undoubtedly of value in children’s development.