▶ Your Answer :Schools grade students based on the performance they exhibit in school. While some people argue that grading should be abolished because it puts too much burden on students, the advocates of the grading system claim that it should be kept as it motivates students to study. I agree with the latter idea because grading spurs competition between students and stimulates their craving for accomplishment.
First of all, grading motivates students to study because it makes students compete with one another. To be specific, when students receive grades in a class, they tend to compare their grades to that of others. Students who are not satisfied with their grades will feel disgraceful and thus will try to improve their grades. According to the research conducted by Seoul National University, two groups of students were given the same examinations. The test results were kept secrete among the members of the first group while the members of the second group could freely see each other's results. When these students were given the same examinations again a week later, the second group showed a greater improvement in their grades than the first group. The result indicates that grading thus encourages competition between students and has a positive impact on students' learning.
Secondly, grades arouse students' desire to achieve. To be specific, if a student studied hard and improved his math grade from C to A, he will feel a sense of accomplishment. This will encourage him to study even harder because he has learned how exciting it is to accomplish something. For example, when I was in highschool, I had no interest in studying. However, when I improved my English grade from B to A with the help of my teacher, I gained confidence and was overwhelmed with a sense of accomplishment. From that moment, I studied other subjects hard as well to accomplish even more. This incident indicates that grades have had a positive effect on my learning.
In conclusion, grades help students learn because they cause competition between students and stimulate students' hunger for achievement.
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