Unit 2.

Argument and Discussion

Essay titles commonly ask students to ‘discuss’ a topic:

‘Children will learn a foreign language more easily if it is integrated with

another subject –discuss.’

This requires an evaluation of both the benefits and disadvantages of the

topic, with a section of the essay, sometimes headed ‘Discussion’, in which a
summary of these is made. The following vocabulary can be used:

One drawback to integrating content and language is the demand it places

on the teacher.

A significant benefit of teaching a subject through a language is the

increased motivation to master the language.

Task 1.Discussion vocabulary.Fill the gaps in the following paragraph using

language from the table above.

Every year, millions of students choose to study in a foreign country. This

can have considerable (a) benefits/advantages, such as the chance to experience
another culture, but also involves certain (b) drawbacks/disadvantages, which may
include feelings of isolation or homesickness. Another (c) negative aspect may be
the high cost, involving both fees and living expenses.

However, most students appear to find that the (d) benefits/advantages

outweigh the (e) benefits/advantages, and that the chance to join an international
group of students is a major (f) benefits/advantages in developing a career.

Task 2.Organisation.What are the advantages of each format (i.e. vertical and
horizontal)?

The discussion can be organised in two ways, either by grouping the benefits
in one section and the disadvantages in another (vertical), or by examining the
subject from different view points (horizontal). For example, the following essay
title can be discussed in two ways,as shown:

‘Prisons do little to reform criminals and their use should be limited – discuss.’

(a) Vertical

Drawbacks - prisons are expensive, may be ‘universities of crime’, most

prisoners reoffend after leaving;many prisoners have mental health problems that
are untreated.

Benefits - prisons isolate dangerous criminals from society, act as a

deterrent to criminal activity,may provide education or treatment (e.g. for drug
addiction), provide punishment for wrong doing.

Discussion- numbers of prisoners are rising in many countries, which

suggest that the system is failing. Evidence that short sentences are of little value.
But prisons will always be necessary forsome violent criminals, and as a deterrent.

(b) Horizontal

Economic - high costs of keeping prisoners secure. Compare with other

forms of punishment.

Ethical - do prisons reform criminals? What rights should prisoners have?

Cases of wrongfulimprisonment.

Social - effect on families of prisoners, especially female prisoners with

children. But also necessaryto consider the victims of crime, especially violent
crime, and provide punishment forwrongdoing.

Discussion - numbers of prisoners are rising in many countries, which

suggest that the system is failing.Evidence that short sentences are of little value,
while cost of prison system is rising. Butprisons will always be necessary for some
violent criminals, and as deterrent.

Task 3.Brainstorm the positive and negative aspects in the box below, and then
write an essay using one of the structures (vertical or horizontal).

‘Working from home can be positive for many companies and their employees –
discuss.’

+ -
No time wasted commuting to work I can`t see my colleges in person
It`s convenient schedule my time Most formal language of
 communication
I can be anywhere in the world Lots of depends on the internet
I can do parallel tasks There is a sense of social distance
during the discussion

‘Working from home can be positive for many companies and their employees –
discuss.’
Economic - the high costs of maintaining prisoners. realizing such costs, a logical
way to offset these costs is by employing prisoners to work remotely. This can also
be successful in socializing them into the community and providing them with
important work skills.

Task 4.The language of discussion

In discussion, avoid personal phrases such as ‘in my opinion’ or

‘personally’, ‘I think …’

Use impersonal phrases instead, such as:

These phrases suggest a minority viewpoint:

When you are supporting your opinions with sources, use phrases such as:

Task 5.Counterarguments
 Counterarguments are ideas that are opposite to your ideas. In an academic
discussion, youmust show that you are familiar with both sides of the argument,
and provide reasons to supportyour position. It is usual to deal with the
counterarguments first, before giving your view.

 What is the writer’s position in the following example, on the topic of

prisons, from task 2 on p. 9?

It is claimed that prisons are needed to isolate dangerous criminals

fromsociety, and to provide punishment for wrongdoing. But while this may be
truein a minority of cases, more commonly prisons act as ‘universities of
crime’,which serve to reinforce criminal behaviour. The majority of prisoners is
notdangerous, and could be dealt with more effectively by other means.

 Study the example opposite, and write two more sentences using ideas from
the title in task 3 on p. 10.

Counterargument Your position

Some people believe that home- but this can be avoided by holding weekly
workers become isolated, meetings for all departmental staff.
but it is also important to develop
It is more cost-effective to create conditions and further socialization of
conditions to prevent crime. prisoners.

i think there should not be harsh conditions

Prisons should be a place of for detention, it has a bad effect on people
correction and further socialization anyway.
for people, because they will be
released anyway.

Task 6.Providing evidence.Study the following text, which discusses the idea that
young people today, who have grown up with computing and the Internet, are
different from previous generations. Then answer the following questions.

DO ‘DIGITAL NATIVES’ EXIST?

Various writers have argued that people born near the end of the twentieth
century(1985–2000) and who have been using computers all their lives have
different abilities and needs to other people. Palfrey and Gasser (2008) refer to
them as the‘net generation’ and argue that activities such as putting videos on You
Tube are more natural for them than writing essays. Similarly, Prensky (2001a)
claims that theeducational system needs to be revised to cater for the preferences of
these ‘digitalnatives’.

But other researchers doubt that these claims can apply to a whole
generation.Bennett, Maton and Kervin (2008) argue that these young people
comprise a wholerange of abilities, and that many of them only have a limited
understanding ofdigital tools. They insist that the so-called ‘digital native’ theory is
a myth, and that itwould be a mistake to reorganise the educational system to cater
for their supposedrequirements.

Clearly there are some young people who are very proficient in online
technologies,but taking a global perspective many still grow up and are educated in
a traditionalmanner. Teaching methods are constantly being revised, but there is no
clearevidence of a need to radically change them.

(a) How many sources are cited to support the ‘digital native’ theory? 3

(b) What do these writers suggest changing? theeducational system needs to be

revised to cater for the preferences of these ‘digitalnatives’

(c) Why do their critics disagree with them? ‘digital native’ theory is a myth, and
that itwould be a mistake to reorganise the educational system to cater for their
supposedrequirements.

(d) What is the opinion of the writer of this text? there is no clearevidence of a
need to radically change them.

(e) What is your opinion of this subject? Of course, the development of technology
and teaching methods must change to catch up with each other.

Task 7.Write two paragraphs on the topic: ‘Is the exploration of space
worthwhile?’ Use the ideas below and make your position clear.

Pros
 Scientists need to collect information to understand the universe
 Space engineering has produced many useful discoveries (e.g. satellite
communication)
 Exploration promotes cooperation between nations (e.g. space station)
(Source:Donnet-Kammel, 2005)

Cons
 Huge amounts of money are spent with little result
 Resources should be spent on urgent needs on earth (e.g. disease control)
  National space programmes are testing potential weapons (e.g. missiles)
(Source: Soroka, 2000)

I strongly insist that it makes no sense at all to explore space in our period of
development. There are enough problems in the world, and hatred on various
grounds of human belonging is already putting us on the verge of a big war within
5 minutes.
Only the solution of existential issues of cohabitation of people on the planet
earth, can give the possibility of development of humanity. Having overcome such
problems, we can only then talk about space
exploration._________________________________________________________
_______
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________