题目：
Is nature or nurture more influential in a child’s development?
INTRODUCTION
In the past seventy years, we have discovered what ‘genes’ are, what they do and how we are affected by them. We have now come to a fairly good understanding that its effects even extend downwards into children’s development and achievement ability in many fields (from here on termed as the ‘effect of nature’). However, other researchers, psychologists and sociologists have by and large found that a child’s development could also be affected by external factors (from here on termed as ‘nurture’). This has begged serious questions as to whether nature or nurture plays the bigger role.
THESIS 1
POINT:
Nature influences a child’s aptitude for various subjects and determines, to some extent, his or her inclinations.
ELABORATION:
This is seen manifested (to show something clearly, through signs or actions) in a child’s own personality and physical build, which are mostly the result of genetic expressions, and these intrinsic (being an extremely important and basic characteristic of a person or thing) traits are vital factors in influencing the child’s life trajectory.
EXAMPLE:
There are some genes that play major roles in circumscribing (to limit something) the child’s personality, mannerisms and intelligence. While the brain and the body may share similar basic structures amongst all human beings, genes determine the variations in body and neural make-up by causing differences in the substructures that make up our body and brain.
EVALUATION OF EXAMPLE:
This indubitably shows that what we have inherited from our forebears (a relative who lived in the past) influences our physical and mental strengths and limitations, and this would then feed into our children’s future academic, educational, physical and career trajectories.
LINK:
It would not be a stretch to say that nature plays a part in influencing our children’s development.
THESIS 2
POINT:
Nature influences the upbringing of the child by influencing the parents and their parenting styles too.
ELABORATION:
Parents are human beings too, and they possess varied personalities. Having established earlier that personality is circumscribed (limited) by genes inherited, these would then feed into their mannerisms and parenting styles too.
EXAMPLE:
The “Science News” report, published last month, offers a striking new demonstration of this complexity. Genes may help determine how long children stay in school, the researchers found, but some of those genes operate at a distance – by influencing parents. The authors go on to coin a phrase for this effect: “genetic nurture”. To scientists accustomed to tracing the links between the genes you carry and the traits they govern, it is a head-spinning idea.
EVALUATION OF EXAMPLE:
This has clearly shown that nature, and genes, need not directly influence one’s behaviour, and has also shown the widespread influence that nature has on our children, pervading into what would otherwise be considered an environmental factor.
LINK:
Thus, it is right to postulate (to suggest a theory, idea, etc. as a basic principle from which a further idea is formed or developed) the argument that we cannot discount the role of genetics and nature in influencing a child’s behaviour, upbringing and development.
ANTITHESIS 1
POINT:
Conversely, the child is influenced by the economic circumstances in which he or she lives, and this is particularly salient (The salient facts about something or qualities of something are the most important things about them) in countries with high inequality.
ELABORATION:
In such countries, rich parents pass their advantages on to children, leaving the poor ones in the lurch and in a position of serious disadvantage. This is the economic reality that many well-developed countries face.
EXAMPLE:
Well-off parents in countries like Singapore and the United States are able to pass their economic and network advantages (‘silver spoons’) to their children. This can be in the form of money, or increased work experience, outright entrance to or increased coaching and enrichment lessons to join elite and prestigious colleges and degree programmes to land prestigious and highly sought-after, in-demand careers.
EVALUATION OF EXAMPLE:
These quintessential cases clearly show how the scales and balances of success in life are tipped in favour of parents and children with economic means, and nature cannot completely account for that.
LINK:
Nurture, and particularly the economic factors, are thus key factors influencing the development of a child.
ANTITHESIS 2
POINT:
The child is influenced by social and environmental circumstances i.e. the company in which he mixes, and his surroundings.
ELABORATION:
If the child establishes strong and constructive friendships, this would likely set him up for greater support, better success in life and conversely, if he falls into a bad company, that would stunt incontrovertibly (impossible to doubt because of being obviously true) his emotional growth and development.
EXAMPLE:
Recent research in the United States shows the importance of friendship and its impact on mental and physical health. Preschool friendships are helpful in developing social and emotional skills, heightening a sense of belonging and decreasing stress. People who feel lonely or socially isolated tend to be more depressed, have more health issues and may have a shorter lifespan.
EVALUATION OF EXAMPLE:
This shows how a child’s surroundings, way of life, friendships and emotional connections are overarching (most important, because of including or affecting all other areas) factors determining the development of children.
LINK:
Hence, nurture is also a very dominant factor in determining a child’s development.
CONCLUSION
In the end, it is clear that nature and nurture play many roles in influencing children’s development. Given that interlinkages have been found between both nature and nurture, there are no easy answers to this question, but my belief is that nature has a slight upper hand, as it cannot be changed while external factors (‘nurture’) can be easily modified.
© The Rationale Thinking Learning Centre Pte Ltd， 版权所有。
未经作者许可，不得复制、使用和/或传播本文的任何部分。 如需更多信息，请联系The Rationale Thinking Learning Centre。
直通车课程（IP）英文补习
常问问题
TRT教育补习中心所教哪些科目？
Rationale Thinking 学习中心目前为您提供两种独特的补习课程可供选择 – ‘A’ Level General Paper补习和 IP 英语补习。 点击了解更多。
我为何需要英文补习呢？
因为英语是新加坡的通用语言，所以英语可以来说是最重要的科目。但大多数的新加坡学生都有苦难掌握语言科目。 此外，新加坡人日常使用新加坡式英语（俗“星式英语”，Singlish）加剧这普遍语言问题。 身为一名英语补习专家，我们需要对症下药。 扎实的英语语言基础对于学好其他科目（如综合卷、人文科学、数学、科学等）以及最终获得常春藤大学梦寐以求的录取通知书至关重要。
在TRT教育补习中心，我们特质策划的英文补习课程旨在帮助学生掌握英语的复杂性和技术性，让我们的学生更有信心获得优异成绩。
我为何要加入TRT教育补习中心的英文补习课？
TRT教育补习中心不仅帮我们的学生在GP与IP英文考试中获得优异成绩，并且培养出下一代出色的人才。 本中心内部研究团队每周精心整理最新的课程教材。这些资料对学生非常有益，因为我们所传授的知识是大多数的学生在学校没受教的技能和知识。 在我们指导下，我们希望在每个学生里培养良好的品格，为他们未来在世界领先行业的职业生涯做好准备。
我们有为 TRT 教育补习中心潜在学生提供一堂试课*。 点击了解更多。
TRT教育补习中心的补习课如何进行？
我们的GP和IP英语补习班是在严格控制的小组内进行的。IP英文和GP与科学和数学不同，要求的不仅仅是死记硬背公式。在学习语言科目的过程中，我们的学生会接触到各种想法、观点和视角–这是激发批判性思维的完美环境。这将最终帮助他们在考试中写出一篇连贯的文章。我们的目标是为学生提供更广阔的语文学科视野，同时我们也会根据学生的需求完善课程，纠正他们的薄弱环节，巩固基础，再接再厉。
谁是TRT教育补习中心的教师?
Edwin 老师是一位非常吃香的英语补习专家。他在JC General Paper与IP英文科目方面亲自指导了众多学生，帮助他们在A水准英文与IP英文考试中取得优异成绩。在他指导下，许多学生在本地大学的高竞争性学术课程（例：法科、医科、牙科等）中获得录取，有的也获得公共服务委员会奖学金赴常春藤联盟大学深造。
我对TRT教育补习中心英文补习课有些兴趣，你们有提供试课吗？
有！我们为所有有意在 TRT 学习的学生提供一节试听课*，试听课程可以是 GP 课程或 IP 英语课程。正式注册正常课程后，试听课程将收费。否则，您的试听课将是免费的。 点击了解更多。
