Academic Essay Prompts/Topics

EMPLOYMENT: 1. People who cannot work with computers are seriously disadvantaged in the work force today. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? Provide specific examples in support of your response. 2. There are more advantages to working after school, rather than going to university because one can get the necessary experience, training and professional development on the job rather than by studying theory and attending lectures at university. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? Support your response with specific examples.

EDUCATION: 1. Studying abroad is a valuable experience for university students, and universities should encourage students to participate in study abroad programs. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? Provide specific examples to support your response. 2. It is important that people understand the history of their nation, and that they study and learn it at school and university. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? Provide specific examples in support of your response. 3. Children should learn foreign languages at the earliest possible age because people have the greatest ability to learn languages when at a young age. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Provide support for your point of view by providing specific examples. RELATIONSHIPS: More and more people are getting married to people of different cultures. Are there more advantages or disadvantage to marrying someone with a different cultural background? Explain your opinion by providing specific examples.

SOCIETY: 1. People should have the right to own firearms, and should be allowed to purchase them if they have a

background check. This helps to create a safer society. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? Explain your point of view by providing specific examples in support.

2. Young people are less concerned about the history and culture of their nation than they were in the past. This has negative consequences, and educational institutions should make an effort to change this. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the above statement? Explain your point of view by providing specific examples in support. 3. There has been an increase in the amount of flights around the world. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages that this causes? Explain your position by providing specific examples. 4. There should be a mandatory retirement age for all people. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Provide support for your position by providing specific examples. MEDIA: People increasingly rely on the internet as a source of news in their daily lives, and it has become a preferred way of obtaining news about local and international events more than other traditional forms of obtaining news (such as television and newspapers). What are the advantages and disadvantages of obtaining news from the internet? Explain your position by providing specific examples. TECHNOLOGY: Many people are now using electronic books (e books) instead of printed books because of technological devices that allow for books to be downloaded. There are both advantages and disadvantages to having electronic books rather than printed books. Will electronic books replace printed books entirely in the future in your opinion? Why or why not? Explain your point of view and provide specific examples in support.

Strategies for the Communicative Classroom

Conversation practice: You can utilize the topics above for brainstorming, outlining, debating and role playing "for" and "against" with some of the topics, by comparing advantages and disadvantages and by providing examples.

Practicing with other students in this context allows different viewpoints/insights into the topics and helps students see pointis that they would otherwise not have thought of.