1- Listen to this conversation between a father, a mother and their son
Mother: “Hey, sweetie, can we talk about these grades? I noticed there’s a drop in language and history. I’m a bit concerned.”
Student: “Yeah, Mom, I noticed that too. It’s not great, I know. I think I need to buckle down and figure out a better study plan for those subjects.”
Father: “Well, you know, these grades aren’t everything. Look at those scores in science, maths, and business! Not to mention psychology and art and design. Those are fantastic! You’ve got some serious strengths there.”
Mother: “But dear, language and history are important too. We can’t just ignore them. What’s happening? Are you struggling with the material?”
Student: “I wouldn’t say struggling, but I guess I’m not approaching them the right way. I need to find a way that clicks for me, you know? It’s just taking a bit longer than I thought.”
Father: “Exactly! You’re aware of it, and that’s the first step. But hey, let’s not forget the positives. Your strengths are shining through. Science, maths, business, psychology, and art—those are some serious skills. Maybe we can find a way to transfer some of that success over to language and history.”
Mother: “I just want to make sure you’re not overwhelmed, sweetheart. We can work together to figure out a plan for those subjects. Maybe get a tutor or spend some extra time with your teachers?”
Student: “That might be a good idea, Mum. I appreciate your concern. And Dad, thanks for focusing on the positives. It really helps keep me motivated. I’ll put in the work for language and history; I want to get those grades up.”
Father: “That’s the spirit! We’re here to support you, whether it’s celebrating successes or working through challenges. Let’s work as a team to make next term even better.”
Mother: “I agree. We’re a team, and we’re all in this together. We’ll figure it out, okay?”
You are the student representative and the headteacher has asked you to suggest a new school timetable. You get to choose the subjects that you and your classmates would like to study next year and how many days a week you do them.Â
Write a short text in which you try to persuade the headteacher to choose your timetable over the other timetables suggested by other student representatives.