GT Writing Task 2 / Essay Sample # 220
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
More and more families have computers in their homes. What advantages and disadvantages do home computers have for children? Should parents restrict the amount of time their children spend using the computer?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
Model Answer:
An increasing number of households are having computer devices these days. It, however, confers both advantages and disadvantages. This is why I believe that parents ought to limit the screen time of their offspring to discard the negativity while also harbouring the benefits.
To commence with, home computers and smartphones allow children easy access to many engaging applications, which in turn, reaps substantial benefits to them. First and foremost, it facilitates better hand-eye coordination. To illustrate, manipulating a mouse and pushing keys gives children hands and fingers the same kind of good workout they have from doodling or finger painting, and these fine-motor movements in turn, finely hone eye-hand coordination. Another good aspect is that active screen time improves youngsters’ language skills. By accessing stories online or reading eBooks, children learn new words and expressions. This also helps them learn about pronunciation and the culture associated with a second language. Last but not least, it boosts their capacity for visual attention. Thus, having computers at home brings considerable advantages to children.
However, there are still drawbacks to it and the children may develop bad habits that will severely impair their development due to excessive use and abuse of home computers. There is a real possibility that children will be able to access inappropriate contents such as obscenity, violence, and other unsuitable contents. The problem becomes even severe when children are exposed online and become victims of predators. Apart from that, children lead a sedentary lifestyle due to their increasing screen time. They spend an excessive amount of time using computer devices but allocate little time or none at all for physical activities. Besides, children are likely to eat a lot, particularly unhealthy junk food, when they are in front of computers; thereby acquiring medical issues like type 2 diabetes and obesity.
To reiterate, home computers provide children with substantial benefits. However, because of negative aspects that impact child growth, parents should control their offspring’s use of computers to ensure that they do not spend too much time on the screen or access inappropriate contents so that they can use a computer to bring positivity to their life.