All Samples

TOEFL Academic Discussion Writing Sample: Instructions: your professor is teaching a class on education. Write a post responding to the professor’s question. In your response you should: Express and support your personal opinion Make a contribution to the discussion in your own words An effective response will contain at least 100 words.

Real user submissions with AI-powered evaluation and feedback

1 user-submitted samples available

Start Free Practice

Task Overview

Dr. Achebe

Outdoor education can have various benefits, such as connecting with nature and learning in a different environment. As part of an initiative to encourage more outdoor learning, there is a proposal to have teachers take students aged 5-18 outside of the classroom for outdoor classes once a month. In your response, please share your thoughts on whether outdoor classes once a month would be beneficial for students in this age group.

Kelly

We should avoid burdening teachers with additional responsibilities during instructional time. Teachers are already tasked with delivering quality education and managing classrooms effectively. Adding more duties, such as administrative tasks or non-teaching responsibilities, can divert their focus from teaching. Instead, we should prioritize supporting teachers in their primary role.

Andrew

Hands-on learning outside the classroom can help students understand environmental problems in a tangible way and spark their interest to learn more. For example, measuring air or water quality in local areas impacted by pollution can vividly demonstrate environmental threats. Outdoor learning experiences make environmental issues real to students, motivating them to care about finding solutions.

User Samples & Evaluation Results

User Sample

While Andrew’s viewpoint holds merit, I am inclined to agree with Kelly that taking outdoor class offer significant disadvantage for both students and teacher. Building upon Kelly’s argument, I would like to emphasize that outdoor class may lead to a variety of troubles. Nonage students are not as mature as adults, they may not follow teachers arrangement and run wild. In the absence of teacher supervision, students can easily put themselves in danger. For instance, a geological teacher taking student to a high-attitude mountain to experience the local geography in the field. Meandering mountain may hind students location and they may fall down. Students’ security is a serious problem for school. If something happens to a student while participating in a school activity, the school will be held liable, so not only does this jeopardize the individual student, but it also puts the school in a difficult situation. Moreover, taking outdoor courses may increasing the teaching load of teachers. Teachers usually need to put in a lot of time and effort to prepare for classes, and teachers of outdoor classes need to spend extra time contacting cars, researching routes, and developing outdoor teaching activities.This is a great deal of pressure and challenge for teachers. In consequence, outdoor classes can add to a teacher's workload, which can lead to elevated levels of stress. In conclusion, I firmly believe that the disadvantage of taking outdoor class far outweighs the advantage for students and teachers.

Evaluation Result

1. 子项得分

Relevance and Contribution to Discussion: 4.5 Clarity and Elaboration of Viewpoint: 4.0 Language Use and Grammar: 3.5

2. 预估分数

Estimated Score: 25

3. 任务完成度

您的文章在回应任务要求方面做得相当不错,但仍有一些改进空间。首先,在表达观点时,可以更具体地提到安德鲁和凯利的观点,并对它们进行比较。此外,尽管您提供了一些论据来支持您的观点,但可以更详细地解释这些论据以使其更具说服力。最后,在语法和词汇使用方面,注意避免一些小错误。

改进示例1(英文): Instead of "While Andrew’s viewpoint holds merit, I am inclined to agree with Kelly that taking outdoor class offer significant disadvantage for both students and teacher.", you could write "Although Andrew argues that hands-on learning outside the classroom can help students understand environmental problems, I agree with Kelly's concern about the potential disadvantages of outdoor classes for both students and teachers."

改进示例2(英文): Instead of "Nonage students are not as mature as adults, they may not follow teachers arrangement and run wild.", you could write "Younger students may not be as mature as adults, making it difficult for them to follow the teacher's instructions during outdoor activities, which could lead to safety concerns."

4. 文章结构与组织

文章的结构和组织方面基本合理,包括引言、正文和结论。但是,可以通过更明确地在引言中提出观点和在结论中总结论点来改进文章。此外,注意在段落之间使用过渡词以增强连贯性。

改进示例1(英文): For a clearer introduction, you could write "In this essay, I will discuss the potential disadvantages of outdoor classes for students aged 5-18 and their teachers, as argued by Kelly, and explain why I believe these drawbacks outweigh the benefits presented by Andrew."

改进示例2(英文): To improve transitions between paragraphs, you could add phrases like "Furthermore" or "On the other hand" at the beginning of paragraphs to signal a shift in focus or the addition of new information. For example: "Furthermore, taking outdoor courses may increase the teaching load of teachers."

5. 语法批改

While Andrew’s viewpoint holds merit, I am inclined to agree with Kelly that taking outdoor class offer significant disadvantage for both students and teacher.

Building upon Kelly’s argument, I would like to emphasize that outdoor class may lead to a variety of troubles. Nonage students are not as mature as adults, they may not follow teachersteacher's(This rule identifies whether there is a missing apostrophe before an 's'.) arrangement and run wild. In the absence of teacher supervision, students can easily put themselves in danger. For instance, a geological teacher taking student to a high-attitude mountain to experience the local geography in the field. Meandering mountain may hind students location and they may fall down. Students’ security is a serious problem for school. If something happens to a student while participating in a school activity, the school will be held liable, so not only does this jeopardize the individual student, but it also puts the school in a difficult situation.

Moreover, taking outdoor courses may increasingincrease(Non-infinitive verb after modal verbs) the teaching load of teachers. Teachers usually need to put in a lot of time and effort to prepare for classes, and teachers of outdoor classes need to spend extra time contacting cars, researching routes, and developing outdoor teaching activities.This This(Missing space between sentences) is a great deal of pressure and challenge for teachers. In consequence, outdoor classes can add to a teacher's workload, which can lead to elevated levels of stress.

In conclusion, I firmly believe that the disadvantage of taking outdoor class far outweighs the advantage for students and teachers.

Title: 6 文章修订

While Andrew's perspective on outdoor education has its merits, I find myself in agreement with Kelly that implementing outdoor classes presents significant disadvantages for both students and teachers.

Expanding on Kelly's argument, it is crucial to consider the potential issues that may arise from outdoor classes. Younger students, who are not as mature as adults, may not adhere to the teacher's instructions and could engage in unruly behavior. Without proper supervision, students can easily put themselves in harm's way. For example, a geology teacher taking students to a high-altitude mountain for a hands-on experience of local geography might face challenges in monitoring their whereabouts. In such cases, students could be at risk of falling or getting lost. Ensuring student safety is a paramount concern for schools. If an incident occurs during a school activity, the institution will be held liable – jeopardizing not only the individual student but also placing the school in a precarious situation.

Furthermore, incorporating outdoor courses may increase teachers' workload substantially. Preparing for classes already demands considerable time and effort from educators; those responsible for outdoor lessons must invest additional resources into arranging transportation, researching suitable locations, and devising engaging activities for an outdoor setting. This added responsibility can place immense pressure and challenges on teachers, potentially leading to heightened stress levels.

In light of these concerns, I firmly believe that the disadvantages of implementing outdoor classes outweigh any potential benefits for both students and teachers. Instead of focusing on this approach, it would be more prudent to explore alternative methods of enhancing educational experiences while prioritizing support for educators in their primary roles. (271 words)

While Andrew’s viewpoint holds merit, Andrew's perspective on outdoor education has its merits (1), I am inclined to agree find myself in agreement with Kelly that taking outdoor class offer implementing outdoor classes presents significant disadvantage disadvantages for both students and teacher. ¶ Building upon Kelly’s argument, I would like to emphasize teachers (2).

Expanding on Kelly's argument (3), it is crucial to consider the potential issues that outdoor class may lead to a variety of troubles. Nonage students arise from outdoor classes. Younger students, who are not as mature as adults, they adults (4), may not follow teachers arrangement and run wild. In the absence of teacher adhere to the teacher's instructions and could engage in unruly behavior (5). Without proper supervision, students can easily put themselves in danger. harm's way (6). For instance, a geological example, a geology teacher taking student to a high-attitude students to a high-altitude mountain to for a hands-on experience the of local geography in the field. Meandering mountain may hind might face challenges in monitoring their whereabouts (7). In such cases, students location and they may fall down. Students’ security could be at risk of falling or getting lost (8). Ensuring student safety is a serious problem for school. paramount concern for schools (9). If something happens to a student while participating in an incident occurs during a school activity, the school institution will be held liable, so liable – jeopardizing not only does this jeopardize the individual student, student but it also puts placing the school in a difficult situation. ¶ Moreover, taking precarious situation (10).

Furthermore, incorporating outdoor courses may increasing the teaching load of teachers. Teachers usually need to put in a lot of increase teachers' workload substantially (11). Preparing for classes already demands considerable time and effort to prepare for classes, and teachers of outdoor classes need to spend extra time contacting cars, from educators; those responsible for outdoor lessons must invest additional resources into arranging transportation, researching routes, and developing outdoor teaching activities.This is a great deal of suitable locations, and devising engaging activities for an outdoor setting (12). This added responsibility can place immense pressure and challenge for teachers. challenges on teachers, potentially leading to heightened stress levels (13).

In consequence, outdoor classes can add to a teacher's workload, which can lead to elevated levels of stress. ¶ In conclusion, light of these concerns, I firmly believe that the disadvantage of taking outdoor class far outweighs the advantage for disadvantages of implementing outdoor classes outweigh any potential benefits for both students and teachers.teachers. Instead of focusing on this approach, it would be more prudent to explore alternative methods of enhancing educational experiences while prioritizing support for educators in their primary roles(14).

(1) Reworded "viewpoint holds merit" to "perspective on outdoor education has its merits" for clarity.

(2) Changed "offer significant disadvantage" to "presents significant disadvantages" for proper grammar.

(3) Changed "Building upon" to "Expanding on" for better flow.

(4) Changed "Nonage students" to "Younger students" for clarity.

(5) Changed "run wild" to "engage in unruly behavior" for a more formal tone.

(6) Reworded the sentence for better flow and clarity.

(7) Reworded the example for better clarity and coherence.

(8) Changed "hind students location" to "students could be at risk of falling or getting lost" for clarity.

(9) Changed "Students' security is a serious problem for school" to "Ensuring student safety is a paramount concern for schools" for better flow and formality.

(10) Reworded the sentence to improve clarity and coherence.

(11) Changed "increasing the teaching load of teachers" to "increase teachers' workload substantially" for better flow and clarity.

(12) Reworded the sentence to improve coherence and formality.

(13) Reworded the sentence to improve clarity and coherence.

(14) Added a concluding statement that suggests exploring alternative methods while supporting educators.

Title: 8 思维导图


1. Introduction
   - Agreement with Kelly
   - Disadvantages of outdoor classes

2. Student Safety
   - Immaturity of younger students
   - Unruly behavior
   - Example: geology field trip
   - School liability

3. Teacher Workload
   - Preparation time and effort
   - Additional responsibilities (transportation, locations, activities)
   - Increased stress levels

4. Conclusion
   - Disadvantages outweigh benefits
   - Explore alternative methods 

Title: 9 关键词

WordPhonetic SymbolPart of SpeechEnglish DefinitionSimplified Chinese TranslationSample Sentence
perspective/pərˈspɛktɪv/nouna particular attitude or point of view观点Andrew's perspective on outdoor education has its merits.
adhere/ədˈhɪr/verbto stick to something; follow closely坚持Students may not adhere to the teacher's instructions during outdoor classes.
unruly/ʌnˈruːli/adjectivedisorderly and disruptive难以控制的Younger students could engage in unruly behavior during outdoor classes.
paramount/ˈparəmaʊnt/adjectivesupreme; dominant至高无上的Ensuring student safety is a paramount concern for schools.
precarious/prɪˈkɛriəs/_adjectiveuncertain; risky不稳定的An incident during a school activity can place the school in a precarious situation.
workload/ˈwɜrkˌloʊd/nounthe amount of work assigned to someone工作量Outdoor courses may increase teachers' workload substantially.
devise/dɪˈvaɪz/_verbto plan or invent something设计Teachers must devise engaging activities for an outdoor setting.
heightened/ˈhaɪtənd/_adjectiveincreased; intensified提高的Additional responsibilities can lead to heightened stress levels for teachers.
prudent/ˈpruːdnt/_adjective_wise, careful, and practical_谨慎的_It would be more prudent to explore alternative methods of enhancing educational experiences.
prioritize/praɪˈɔrəˌtaɪz/_verb_to treat something as more important_优先考虑_We should prioritize support for educators in their primary roles instead of outdoor education.

How Academic Discussion Is Scored

The TOEFL Academic Discussion task is evaluated based on the official ETS scoring rubric. AI evaluation analyzes each response across multiple dimensions.

Relevance & Contribution

Does the response address the question and contribute meaningfully to the discussion?

Language Use

Grammar accuracy, vocabulary range, and sentence structure quality.

Development & Support

Are ideas well-developed with specific examples and clear reasoning?

Common Patterns Across Responses

Based on analysis of user submissions for this task, here are common patterns observed in student responses.

Many students provide clear opinions but lack specific supporting examples.

Strong responses directly reference the reading passage and other speakers' viewpoints.

Higher-scoring responses use varied sentence structures and academic vocabulary.

Time management is a key factor — responses that feel rushed tend to score lower on development.

Learning Tips

1

Read the prompt carefully and identify all parts of the question before writing.

2

Reference the reading passage and the other students' opinions in your response.

3

Use specific examples to support your main point — avoid generic statements.

4

Aim for 120-150 words. Longer responses are not always better; clarity and focus matter more.

5

Practice timed responses (10 minutes) to build fluency under exam conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the TOEFL Academic Discussion task?
The TOEFL Academic Discussion task requires you to contribute to an online classroom discussion. You'll read a professor's question and other students' responses, then write your own post expressing and supporting your opinion in about 10 minutes.
How is the Academic Discussion task scored?
The task is scored on a scale of 0-5 based on relevance to the discussion, quality of language use (grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure), and how well you develop and support your ideas with specific examples and reasoning.
What are the user samples on this page?
These are real responses submitted by TOEFL test-takers who practiced this question on LingoLeap. Each sample has been evaluated by our AI scoring engine, which provides a score and detailed feedback on strengths and areas for improvement.
How accurate is the AI evaluation?
LingoLeap's AI evaluation engine is trained on official ETS scoring rubrics and calibrated against human rater scores. While no automated system is perfect, it provides reliable feedback for practice purposes and helps identify specific areas for improvement.
How can I practice this Academic Discussion task?
You can practice by signing up for a free LingoLeap account. Write your own response to this exact question, submit it, and receive instant AI evaluation with detailed feedback on your writing.
How long should my Academic Discussion response be?
Aim for 120-150 words. The task gives you 10 minutes to write your response. Focus on clarity, supporting your opinion with specific examples, and referencing the discussion context rather than writing a longer response.

Rooting for Your Goal Score Today!

With LingoLeap, an expert in English exams

Get to Your Dream Score Faster

Try for free now