Describe a practical skill you acquired during your teenage years | IELTS Speaking Part 2 + 3

Part 2: Describe a beneficial skill you picked up during your teenage years 

Describe a useful skill that you learned as a teenager You should say:What the skill isWhen and how you learned itWho you learned it fromWhy you learned itAnd explain how you felt about learning it

Below is a model answer for the topic 'Describe a useful skill you learned as a teenager'.

1. Example Article (Sample)

2. Vocabulary (Vocabuary)

• Straightforward (adj): dễ dàng, đơn giản 
• Maneuver (v): điều khiển một cách cẩn thận 
• Cakewalk (idiom): một điều dễ dàng làm được  
• Dead wrong (collocation): nhầm to 
• Sudden (Adj): đột ngột 
• Test drive (n): lái thử để xem xe (thường là ô tô) có phù hợp trước khi mua 
• Pedestrian (n): người đi bộ 
• Panic attack (n): cơn hoảng loạn 
• Gear system (n): hệ thống số trên xe 
• Rush away (v): lao vút đi 
• A far cry from (idiom): một điều rất khác so với 
• Chaotic (adj): hỗn loạn 
• Accomplishment (n): thành tựu 
• Appreciate (v): trân trọng 
• College dropout (n): người bỏ học đại học 

Part 3

Where do children learn skills in your country?
What are the distinctions between self-learning skills and learning from others?
What are the essential skills for children to learn?
What skills should teenagers ideally possess?
Who should impart skills to teenagers?
What are the variances between children and adults in learning skills?

1. Where do children learn skills in your country? 

It depends on the type of skills they need to acquire. For academic skills, schools are typically the ideal environment where they can gain new knowledge, develop traits, and learn strategies for their studies. However, for social skills, the people around them, such as parents, teachers, and friends, play a crucial role. For example, many children learn how to build relationships, etiquette, and other communication skills through interactions with these individuals. 

• Academic skills: kĩ năng học thuật 
• Strategies (n): chiến lược 
• Rapport (n): Mối quan hệ tốt 
• Etiquette (n): quy tắc ứng xử 

2. What are the distinctions between learning skills on your own and from others? 

Learning skills independently can be significantly challenging. It requires discipline and patience, involving a lot of trial and error. Mistakes can lead to discouragement, yet self-directed learning allows individuals to set their own pace and explore topics of personal interest. On the other hand, learning from others, whether teachers, peers, or mentors, provides invaluable guidance, shared experiences, and expertise. They also offer objective assessments and feedback, identifying issues that may be overlooked when learning alone. 

• Discipline (n): tính kỉ luật 
• Patience (n): tính kiên nhẫn 
• Discouragement (n): sự chán nản 
• Trial and error: thử và phát hiện lỗi sai 
• Pace of learning: nhịp học tập 
• Superiors (n): cấp trên 
• Objective assessment: đánh giá khách quan 

3. What essential skills should a child learn? 

For holistic development, children need to acquire various essential skills. Firstly, communication skills are essential. Clear self-expression facilitates understanding and support from others. Moreover, active listening and engaging in conversations help children establish relationships, laying the groundwork for their personal growth. Secondly, parents should prioritize imparting digital literacy to their children from an early age. This enables children to differentiate between beneficial and harmful content on social media platforms 

• Comprehensive (adj): toàn diện 
• Crucial (adj): thiết yếu 
• Foundation (n): nền tảng 
• Character developemt: sự phát triển tính cách 
• Digital literacy (n): trình độ kỹ thuật số 
• Discern (v): phân biệt 

4. What skills do you believe teenagers should possess? 

For adolescents, critical thinking is crucial. It’s common to see teenagers engage in risky behaviors without considering the consequences, which can lead to long-lasting or even irreversible effects. If they can carefully weigh the pros and cons of their actions, many young people can make much better decisions, ultimately preparing them for a healthier adulthood. Additionally, self-care is another vital skill that teenagers should cultivate. This will help them prioritize their physical and mental well-being alongside their academic pursuits.  

• Adolescents (n): những người ở tuổi vị thành niên 
• Critical thinking: tư duy phản biện 
• Reckless (adj): liều lĩnh 
• Permanent (adj): vĩnh viễn 
• Adulthood (n): tuổi trưởng thành 
• Self-care (n): tự chăm sóc bản thân 
• Prioritize (v): ưu tiên 
• Pursuits (n): theo đuổi 

5. Who should guide teenagers in developing skills? 

In my view, it should be a collaborative effort involving parents, teachers, and teenagers themselves. Naturally, parents serve as role models for their children and exert the most influence, so teenagers often learn skills from their parents in daily life. However, teachers or educators should take responsibility for imparting academic knowledge because they possess greater expertise in such fields compared to parents. 

• Joint effort: nỗ lực chung 
• Role model: hình mẫu 
• Pick up (phrasal verb): học 
• Accountable = responsible (adj): có trách nhiệm 
• Academic knowledge: kiến thức học thuât 
• Expertise (n): chuyên môn 

6. What are the distinctions between children acquiring skills and adults acquiring skills? 

The primary difference between youngsters and adults lies in the speed of learning. Children are more flexible and adept at absorbing new information, whereas adults may face constraints due to their existing knowledge and cognitive framework. Consequently, children generally learn faster than adults. Another divergence is in learning approach. Children lean towards games and enjoyable activities, while adults typically favor more logical, serious, and empirical methods that allow them to connect their prior experiences with new knowledge. 

• Flexible (adj): linh hoạt 
• Accumulate (v): tích lũy 
• Limitation (n): hạn chế 
• Cognitive framework: khung nhận thức 
• empirical (adj): dựa trên thực nghiệm  
• Prior knowledge = existing knowledge: kiến thức có sẵn 

Bài mẫu bởi thầy Phi Long – Giáo viên Mytour HN