Question

Homework is an (0) …B… part of school life in most countries around the world. However, there is still considerable debate among teachers about (1) …… homework has a significant educational value. On the one side are those who (2) …… that it takes too much time away from other (3) …… useful activities. On the other are those who see homework as reinforcing school lessons so that concepts will not be forgotten. (4) …… is often neglected in this debate is the role of parental involvement and (5) …… or not the child’s home provides support for effective homework. Middle-class families regularly spend time helping with homework by providing facilities and being interested. These are the same facilities that can (6) …… other educational experiences like overseas holidays and weekend museum visits. Parents in low-income families often don’t have the time to make homework a priority or aren’t able to afford a computer or additional textbooks. (7) …… money they have goes on the basic necessities of life – accommodation, food, clothing and heating. Their children are more (8) …… to spend weekends doing part-time jobs or playing in the street. However, the (9) …… that only middle-class parents support their children’s education is quite obviously wrong. Not (10) …… well-to-do parents give the support they should, and some parents living in the most impoverished circumstances (11) …… find the time and energy to involve themselves in their children’s homework. In general, (12) …… the family’s economic status is a major factor in determining the value of homework.