Cambridge English Exams
C1 Advanced Essay Writing: Motivating children to do regular exercise
Example Exam Task
You have listened to a radio discussion programme about how to motivate children to do a regular exercise. You have made the notes below.
Ways of motivating children to do regular exercise:
- parental example
- government funding
- school
Some opinions expressed in the discussion:
- ‘If children don’t see their parents do exercise, they don’t think it’s important.’
- ‘If sports facilities were cheaper, more people would use them.’
- ‘Sport in schools is too competitive. It should be fun for everyone.’
Write an essay for your tutor discussing two of the ways in your notes. You should explain which way is more effective in motivating children to do regular exercise and provide reasons in support of your opinion. Write 220 – 260 words in an appropriate style.
You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed in the lecture, but you should use your own words as far as possible.
Example Essay
Motivating children to do regular exercise
It is widely accepted that regular physical activity plays a crucial role in children’s physical and mental development. However, motivating young people to exercise regularly remains a challenge. Two particularly significant factors in this respect are parental example and the role of schools.
On the one hand, parental example can have a profound influence on children’s attitudes towards sport and physical activity. If young people grow up in households where exercise is part of the daily routine, they are far more likely to perceive it as a natural and essential aspect of life. Conversely, if parents lead sedentary lifestyles and spend hours watching television, children may assume that physical activity is neither necessary nor particularly valuable. By engaging in sports together, such as cycling or swimming at weekends, parents not only promote healthy habits but also strengthen family bonds. In this way, exercise becomes associated with enjoyment rather than obligation.
On the other hand, schools also have a vital role to play. As all children attend school, it provides an ideal environment to promote regular exercise. Nevertheless, some argue that school sport is often overly competitive, which may discourage less athletic pupils. If physical education lessons focused more on participation and enjoyment rather than performance, more students might feel motivated to take part. Furthermore, schools can offer a wide range of physical activities to cater for diverse interests, thereby ensuring that every child can find a form of exercise they genuinely enjoy.
In my view, while schools are undoubtedly important, parental example is more effective. Habits formed at home tend to be long-lasting, and when children see their parents valuing physical activity, they are more likely to adopt and maintain these behaviours throughout their lives.
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