IELTS Speaking – a teacher who has had a strong influence on you

I'm a full-time student at the moment. I'm in my third year of a business degree, so most of my week revolves around lectures and group projects. That said, I also do a bit of freelance translation at weekends, which helps me cover my living costs and gives me a taste of real working life.

Without a doubt, it was geography. I think it was because it combined so many things I was curious about, from climate and landscapes to how people actually live in different parts of the world. Our teacher used to bring in maps and photos from her own travels, which really brought the subject to life.

Well, it depends on what I'm doing. When I need to memorise things or write an essay, I definitely prefer working on my own because I can concentrate better. But when I'm revising for exams, studying in a small group is really useful, since we can quiz each other and fill in the gaps in our knowledge.

I'd like to talk about Mr Hai, who was my literature teacher in high school. He taught us Vietnamese literature for three years, from grade ten to grade twelve, and I have to say he completely changed the way I looked at the subject. Before I joined his class, I thought literature was just about learning model essays by heart and repeating them in exams. Mr Hai, however, had a very different approach. He was quite a quiet man, but he had a dry sense of humour and an incredible passion for books. Instead of giving us the answers, he would ask us open-ended questions and let us argue with each other. Sometimes he even played the devil's advocate on purpose, just to see whether we could defend our opinions. What I remember most clearly is one afternoon when I handed in an essay that I'd basically copied from a guidebook. He didn't scold me in front of the class. Instead, he asked me to stay behind and told me, quite gently, that he wanted to hear my voice, not someone else's. I felt really embarrassed at the time, but that conversation was a real turning point for me. The reason he influenced me so much is that he taught me to think for myself. From then on, I started reading more widely and writing what I genuinely believed, even if it wasn't the 'safe' answer. That habit has stayed with me ever since, and it has helped me enormously at university, where critical thinking is valued far more than memorisation. Looking back, I'm incredibly grateful that I ended up in his class.

I think it's a very appealing idea in principle, because it would give talented young people from poorer backgrounds an equal shot at success. In countries like Germany, free tuition seems to work reasonably well. However, I'm not entirely convinced it's realistic everywhere. Universities are expensive to run, so if students don't pay, taxpayers have to foot the bill, and that money might be needed for schools or hospitals. Perhaps a fairer compromise would be generous scholarships and low-interest loans, so that cost is never the only thing standing between a capable student and a degree.

Quite dramatically, I'd say. The most obvious change is access to information: students no longer have to rely solely on textbooks, because they can watch lectures from top universities or look up almost anything in seconds. Online platforms also let people learn at their own pace, which is great for those who need extra time. On the other hand, there's a downside. Many students get easily distracted by notifications, and some rely on AI tools to do their thinking for them. So technology is a powerful tool, but it really depends on whether students use it wisely.

For me, the most important quality is genuine enthusiasm for the subject, because passion tends to be contagious. If a teacher clearly loves what they're teaching, students are far more likely to engage. Beyond that, I think good teachers are patient and can explain difficult ideas in a simple way. A teacher I had at school, for instance, would always use everyday examples to explain abstract concepts in physics. Of course, subject knowledge matters too, but I'd argue that being able to connect with students on a personal level is what really sets great teachers apart.