You should spend about 40 minutes on this topic.
Some people think that modern games can help children develop a wide range of skills, but others think that traditional games can be much better for developing such skills. Discuss both views and give your opinion?
REPORTED ON 3 SEPTEMBER 2022 (MORNING SESSION)
RESPONSE:1 (IN FAVOUR OF TRADITIONAL GAMES)
There exists a controversy whether modern games or traditional games help children in developing skills, which they need in their future. Although both are important in doing this, it seems that the latter argument has more relevance today.
On the one hand, the former group highlights that the fact that modern games are designed in such a way to suit the lifestyle of modern children. To be precise, today’s children have less time to play and most of them are likely to stay indoors. It is a difficult task to entertain children satisfactorily within these limitations. Modern games can solve these issues to a great extent by providing children with the most appropriate games which not only fit in to the time, but also develop a wide range of skills which focus both on their physical and mental growth.
On the other hand, the supporters of traditional games focus on developing much needed skills for today’s children like communication, problem-solving and socialisation. This is because traditional games are played mostly outdoors, and a lot of members are involved in it. Each member would get ample opportunity to interact with others closely. Even though these games are primarily based on competition, it nurtures the co-operation skills too in a child. Critics also say that instead of spoiling health playing with technological gadgets, it is better to play traditional games.
In my opinion, traditional games not only offer children opportunity to gain necessary skills, but also are less risky.
To conclude, though modern games play an integral part in skill deliverance to children, I believe if situations allow, playing traditional games is better for children.
Word count: 278
RESPONSE 2: (IN FAVOUR OF MODERN GAMES)
It is a debatable topic whether modern games or traditional games play a greater role in developing essential skills in children. I feel in this present scenario, the former argument has more gravity.
On the one hand, the proponents of traditional games focus on the natural ways those games are played, which they believe help children to be a part of the nature and assist them to act responsibly in his surroundings. To be clearer, the themes or concepts of traditional games are mostly simple, and are closely related to the everyday social activities of people. Naturally, these games help children to develop essential skills such as communication, co-operation and problem-solving, which can help them to be a responsible citizen of his society.
On the other hand, others feel that the lifestyle of the modern man has become more complex, and hence, his games too have to be modified. To be clearer, unlike the past, today’s children would not get enough time to play. In such a situation, there are time-based, modern games, which focus on specific skills. For instance, if a child needs to focus on his athletic skills, there are games which are designed in a systematic way. Similarly, if he needs to enrich his intellectual skills, there are a range of modern games with technical assistance which can help him.
In my opinion, since the lifestyle of modern man is entirely different from the past, today’s children are more likely to get adjusted to modern games, which open them a wider range of opportunities to learn essential skills.
To conclude, though traditional games have their own significance in teaching children skills, it is clear that modern games can teach children such skills better and faster.
RESPONSE 3: (NOT IN BOTH VIEWS’ FAVOUR)
There is no doubt that games play a vital role in the skill-development of a child. While some opine that modern games can help children develop such skills, others feel that traditional games can play a better role. I feel both types of games cannot be comparable since these represent two distinct lifestyles.
The predominant reason behind the former group’s view is because of the variety which modern games offer to children, which can be most suited to the modern lifestyle. Whether it is an individual game or a group games, an indoor or an outdoor game, modern games offer the provision of a range of skills focused on physical, emotional and intellectual capacities. For example, soccer enhances a child’s physical endurance, team work and communication. Even critics of computer games agree that it fosters a child’s intellectual capacity and sharpness.
By contrast, others feel that traditional games can perform better, and this is because of the increased social involvement. To be clearer, most of the traditional games were played outside with a lot of children, which nurtured their socialising skills, and almost all such games focused on the necessary skills of an individual needed for his survival. For instance, there were a lot of traditional games which were related to agriculture and cultivation, which made children physically and mentally fit to take up related works in their future.
After discussing both the views in detail, I feel that both types of games are seen designed for the situations of different time frames. In other words, traditional games helped children a great way in developing their skills in the past, modern games are doing it much better at present.