Why Primary Schools Should Keep a Little Homework

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1. 01Why Primary Schools Should Keep a Little Homework

   Good evening, parents and teachers. I've taught primary school for fifteen years. Some people want to stop homework completely for young children. Tonight, I'll argue that we should keep a little homework, but make it much better.

   各位家长、各位老师，晚上好。我在小学教书已经十五年了。有些人希望完全取消低龄孩子的家庭作业。今晚，我要论证我们应该保留少量作业，但要把作业变得好得多。

2. 02Admittedly, the Research Is Mixed

   Admittedly, the research doesn't strongly support homework for young children. A well-known 2006 review by Harris Cooper and colleagues found that the link between homework and achievement is very weak in primary school, though much clearer in older grades.

   诚然，研究并不强烈支持给年幼的孩子布置作业。哈里斯·库珀和同事们在2006年发表的一篇著名综述发现，在小学阶段，家庭作业和学业成绩的关联非常弱，不过在高年级就明显得多。

   Source: Cooper, Robinson & Patall, "Does homework improve academic achievement? A synthesis of research, 1987–2003," Review of Educational Research (2006)

3. 03Reason 1: Test Scores Aren't the Only Goal

   But test scores aren't the only purpose of homework. Small, regular tasks teach children responsibility: remembering a task, managing time, and finishing something on their own. These habits matter later.

   但考试成绩并不是家庭作业的唯一目的。小而规律的作业能教会孩子责任感：记住要做的事、安排时间，并且独立完成一件事。这些习惯在以后很重要。

4. 04Reason 2: A Window for Parents

   Homework is also a window for parents. When a child brings home a short task, parents can see what they're learning and talk about it at dinner. Without any homework, many parents would know much less.

   家庭作业也是家长了解孩子的一扇窗。孩子带回一份简短的作业，家长就能看到孩子在学什么，还能在晚饭时聊一聊。如果完全没有作业，很多家长知道的会少得多。

5. 05Reason 3: A Smooth Step to Older Grades

   Finally, the same review found a much clearer link in middle and high school. If children never do any homework until they're older, the sudden change can be hard. A little practice earlier makes that step smoother.

   最后，同一篇综述发现，在初中和高中阶段，这种关联要明显得多。如果孩子在长大之前从来不做作业，突然的变化可能会很难适应。早一点做些练习，能让这一步走得更顺。

   Source: Cooper, Robinson & Patall, "Does homework improve academic achievement? A synthesis of research, 1987–2003," Review of Educational Research (2006)

6. 06The Real Problem: Bad Homework

   I agree with one thing my colleagues say: a lot of homework is bad. It's too long, too hard to do without help, or just boring. The answer isn't zero homework. It's better homework.

   我同意同事们说的一点：很多作业确实不好。要么太长，要么没人帮忙就很难完成，要么就是无聊。解决办法不是零作业，而是更好的作业。

7. 07What Good Homework Looks Like

   Good homework for young children is short, about ten to fifteen minutes, and something they can do without a parent's help. For example, reading a story, interviewing a grandparent, or counting leaves in the park.

   适合年幼孩子的好作业应该简短，大约十到十五分钟，而且不需要家长帮忙就能完成。比如，读一个故事、采访爷爷奶奶，或者在公园里数树叶。

8. 08Conclusion

   To conclude, the research gives us a good reason to cut long, stressful homework, but not to remove it completely. Let's give young children a little homework that is short, simple, and meaningful. Thank you.

   最后，研究给了我们充分的理由去减少冗长、让人有压力的作业，但并不是完全取消作业的理由。让我们给年幼的孩子一点简短、简单而有意义的作业吧。谢谢大家。