作者：秦兵兵

在历年雅思大作文考题中，教育类话题的数量都是稳居第二，涉及的考题内容包括：教育内容、教育方式、教育问题、教育评价、教育功能等。今天我们来聊一聊有关“教育功能”话题的解题思路。

教育功能，简单地说就是教育活动的功效和职能，大致可以分成两个方面：个体发展功能和社会发展功能。个体发展，包括个体的社会化和个性化两个方面；社会发展，包括政治、经济和文化三个方面(主要是经济方面)。

1. 教育促进个人发展(promote individual development/fulfill personal needs)

- 大部分受教育者（特别是小孩）不知道社会是如何运作的(have little knowledge about the way in which the society is functioning)，所以学校（特别是K12阶段 the free K12 school system应该灌输(inculcate/instill)一些价值观(values)、行为规范(code of conduct)、社交技能(social skills) 以便让他们知道如何按社会所接受的方式行事(behave in a socially accepted way)。

- 教育也也是人们获取实现个人理想和抱负(achieve personal ambitions)所需的知识和技能的可靠途径(a reliable channel)。义务教育阶段(compulsory education) 主要传授各个学科的基础知识(impart basic knowledge in various subjects)、开发孩子的潜能(develop the physical and intellectual potentialities of the children)、未进入大学做准备(get ready for the progression to college)，而职业教育和高等教育(vocational and tertiary education)旨在教授能够胜任某种工作的详细知识和技能(impart more detailed knowledge and skills that fit individuals for some sort of job)、获得学位/文凭 (obtain a degree or diploma)、发展事业(advance their career)、帮助受教育者实现个人抱负(enable individuals to achieve personal ambitions)。

2. 教育为促进社会发展(contribute to social development)

- 人才是保持社会进步的驱动力(a driving force that keeps society progressive)。政府每年投入大量的税收支持教育项目(spend a large proportion of tax revenue supporting education programs)，包括资助引进先进的信息技术(introduce advanced information technology)、聘用有名望的教授(recruit professors of repute)、更新学校图书馆(update the school library)。所以学校应该设置与就业市场需求一致的课程（align curriculum with the demands of the job market），为国家培养各行各业所需人才(create prepared minds to fill the talent gap in various professional fields)。

真题解析：

思路分析：

1. 教育的目的——为社会培养有用人才

社会发展（无论是技术创新、科学突破、英明决策还是经济增长）在很大程度上取决于各行各业公民的贡献。因此，已经接受了并将继续接受政府慷慨财政支持用来聘用有名望的教授、购买现金的信息技术和更新学校图书馆等的教育机构有义务设置与就业市场需求一致的课程、培养学生具备这个不断变化的社会中不同工作岗位所需的知识和技能，从而为社会进步储备有竞争力的劳动力。

Social development, whether this is technological innovation, scientific breakthrough, wise policy or economic growth, is largely contingent on the commitment of citizens from all walks of life. Therefore, education organizations, which have received and will continue to receive generous financial support from governments for recruiting professors of repute, purchasing advanced information technology, and updating the school library etc, have an obligation to align the curriculum with the demands of the job market and equip students with the knowledge and skills required for different roles in the constantly-changing society so as to prepare a competitive workforce for social progress.  

2. 教育的目的——为了实现个人抱负

然而，反对者认为教育为实现个人抱负铺平了道路。人们生下来就不知道世界是如何运转的，因此社会有意识地设计教育计划，通过这些课程人们可以开发心智，获得学位或文凭，从而实现生活的最终目标。这就解释了为什么很多希望从事软件开发的学生花钱到国内外知名大学学习，而那些生活在偏远山区、渴望摆脱贫困的人寻求一切可能的支持来接受教育。

Opponents, however, argue that education paves the way for the achievement of personal ambitions. Individuals are born without knowledge about how the world is functioning, society therefore consciously devises instructional programs through which people could develop their mental abilities and obtain a degree or diploma, thus achieving the ultimate goals in life. This explains why many students who hope to engage in software development pay to study in the renowned domestic or foreign university, and those living in the remote mountainous area and eager to get rid of poverty seek all available support to get educated.    

3. 个人观点：

就我个人而言，我认为教育创造了一个双赢的局面，社会和学习者都能从中受益，因此这个话题中的两种说法并不相互排斥。如果教育只服务社会而不考虑个人的兴趣和需要，学生会感到沮丧，他们的学习动力会减弱。相反，如果教育只迎合大众市场而不考虑社会需求，整个国家的发展将会停滞。

Personally, I hold the view that education creates a win-win situation in which both society and learners can benefit, thus these two statements mentioned in the topic are not mutually exclusive. If education only served society without taking individual interest and needs into consideration, students would find it frustrating and their motivation to study would be dampened. On the contrary, if education only catered to the mass market without concern for social needs, the development of the whole nation would come to a halt.