Learning the hard way about changes to Junior Cycle reform
March 12, 2014
The proposed Junior Cycle programme has run into strong opposition from teachers.
How radical are the changes and what do they mean, asks Education Correspondent Niall Murray. IT HAS been the subject of controversy in education circles for almost 18 months but Education Minister Ruairi Quinn looks set to plough ahead with his radical changes to how students are assessed on their first three years of second-level education.
While much of the focus has been on the substantive — and very important — question of who should examine students, the bigger picture of the wider proposals may have been lost on the general public, particularly to parents and students. The key principle underlying the Junior Cycle Framework document, published by Mr Quinn in October 2012, is to change the focus of those first three years from exams and results to what and how students learn. This has received wide backing, including that of teachers, but anxieties remain about aspects of assessment and resourcing.
The following is a summary of the main elements of Mr Quinn’s plan.
-The Junior Cycle Student Award will replace the Junior Certificate from 2017 and eventually all subjects will be marked by students’ own teachers. However, in the initial years and possibly beyond, the State Examinations Commission will continue to mark the written exams in English, maths, and Irish.
-For each full subject, 60% of marks will go for the final exam near the end of third year, but the remaining 40% is to be awarded for school-based assessments, likely to be twice and at the same time nationally — in the final term of second year and before Christmas in third year, replacing normal in-school tests and mocks.
For English, this is to include testing of oral communication followed near the end of junior cycle by assessing a collection of students’ written coursework.
This component was always intended to be marked in-school, even in the proposals in 2011 to Mr Quinn from the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment on which teacher unions are represented, whereas it had proposed the final written exams continue to be marked externally through the SEC.
-In response to teacher concerns, an extra day and a half of continuous professional development (CPD) over three years is being planned above that already underway since late last year for teachers of English. Theirs is the first subject for which a new curriculum is being rolled out, beginning next September, with assessments beginning in 2016 and final written exams in summer 2017.
The Department of Education is also allowing for up to four days of CPD for teachers of each other subject as they are being introduced, to cover the new curriculum for a subject as well as school-based assessment requirements, although teachers remain of the belief these provisions are inadequate.
A further one day per year will be allowed, during which schools may close, to facilitate whole-school training on the wider issues around the new assessment regime.
-The final written exam will be just one paper of no more than two hours’ duration and, with the exception of English, Irish, and maths, will be taken at one level and during the traditional school year, in the second week in May. For non-core subjects, the papers will be set by the SEC but marked by teachers, with school-based moderation supported by a common toolkit to support assessment.
-In the early years of the JCSA, English, Irish, and maths will be taken at either higher or ordinary level, and will be timetabled in June during the same period as the Leaving Cert. The papers will be set by the SEC, which will also be responsible for their marking.
-The NCCA is finalising a new curriculum in science, to be phased in for those starting second-level schooling in September 2015. Business studies and Irish were to have been added in the same year — with both new curriculums also nearing completion — but this was adjusted in January in recognition of teacher concerns, and they will now be introduced instead from September 2016 and have final exams for students completing third year in 2019.
Revised curriculums for two more subjects — art and modern languages — instead of four will be introduced from 2017, with remaining changes following in the next two years.
-Students will generally take eight full subjects or their equivalent for the JCSA, but from the first-year intake in September 2015, schools must limit the number of full subjects that students can take for certification purposes to 10, or the equivalent mix of full subjects and short courses.
-As well as traditional full subjects, schools may also offer a range of short courses. A combination of two short courses could be used instead of one full subject to meet the certification requirements, meaning a student could complete assessments in six full subjects and four short courses.
Short courses would be taught over 100 hours (compared to the 200 to 240 hours needed for other main subjects) and the NCCA is designing six optional courses that schools can choose to offer if they wish from next autumn: Chinese language and culture; civic, social and political education; social, personal, and health education; physical education; artistic performance; programming and coding; a personal project; caring for animals; digital media literacy.
Schools can also devise their own short courses, as long as they satisfy the learning principles underpinning the junior cycle framework.
-The current grading system for the Junior Certificate — A, B, C and so on — will be replaced by the following awards:
-Achieved with distinction (90% to 100%);
-Achieved with higher merit (75% to 89%);
-Achieved with merit (55% to 74%);
-Achieved (40% to 54%);
-Not achieved (0% to 39%).
For small numbers of students in specific categories of mild or moderate general learning disabilities, schools can begin from next September to include priority learning units (PLUs) which also form part of the junior cycle framework.
A programme to include PLUs can be put in place for students in mainstream schools where their special needs prevent them from accessing some or all subjects or short courses. This should lead to an award at level 2 of the qualifications framework, one stage below the level 3 currently given to the Junior Certificate and proposed to be given the JCSA. The five PLUs — communicating and literacy, numeracy, personal care, living in a community, and preparing for work — focus on the basic social, pre-vocational and life skills of the students involved.
-Part of the Government’s literacy and numeracy strategy, which requires teachers to focus on these aspects of learning across all subjects, is incorporated in the revised junior cycle.
Beginning with those starting first year in 2015, students must take standardised assessments in English and maths in second term of second year, beginning in spring 2017. This is happening a year later than originally planned, and will be followed by the first testing of second-year students in science in spring 2018, when students in all-Irish schools will also be tested in the language in addition to English, maths, and science.
www.irishexaminer.com
Teachers ‘won’t bow to parent exam pressure’
March 12, 2014
EDUCATION Minister Ruairi Quinn said teachers should be able to withstand any pressure from parents when it comes to awarding grades to their own pupils under the new-style Junior Cert.
Mr Quinn was speaking after thousands of second-level teachers staged a lunchtime protest in opposition to some of the reforms planned for Junior Cycle pupils, starting in September. At the heart of much of the teacher resistance is the abolition of the traditional Junior Certificate exams and their replacement with assessment by teachers of their own pupils for a new certificate called the Junior Cycle Students Award (JCSA), to be issued by schools.
Many teachers fear it will change their role from advocate to judge and jury and expose them to undue pressure and criticism from parents. But Mr Quinn said teachers are “highly professional” and as things stood “parents do not come and give out about the marks awarded to their children in the second-year Christmas exams. “Teachers are professional enough to withstand it,” he said. Teachers also warn that the objectivity of the state exams and independently awarded certificate will be lost with a switch to teacher assessment, which will lead to a variation in standards between schools. Mr Quinn said guidance would be provided by the State Examinations Commission and others and it would not be a case of almost 750 schools “going in different directions”. Yesterday’s protest did not disrupt classes, but teacher opposition to the Junior Cycle reform plans could yet have an impact on schools and their pupils. Both second- level teacher unions, the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) and the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI), are balloting members on industrial action and the results will be known on March 26. The TUI is also asking its members to vote on possible strike action.
Fair
ASTI president Sally Maguire, who attended the protest outside Newpark Comprehensive School, Blackrock, Co Dublin, said teachers wanted a fair, transparent, objective and equitable exams process for Junior Cycle students. She said anything less had “the potential to seriously undermine education standards and to exacerbate inequalities between students and schools”. TUI president Gerard Craughwell, who also participated in the protest, said Ireland enjoyed the highest level of public satisfaction with the education system and schools, and such trust would be put at risk with the planned discontinuation of external assessment at Junior Cycle level. He also said there remained an unacceptable lack of concrete information about how the new programme would work in practice.
“With less than six months before implementation is scheduled to begin, this is nowhere near good enough. Change for which adequate preparation has not been made can cause lasting damage to the education system and the educational experience of students,” he added
www.indepedent.ie
Minister Quinn announces new multi-denominational schools to open following patronage divesting surveys
March 12, 2014
The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn T.D., has announced that four primary schools are expected to open this September under the patronage of Educate Together. This development is part of the process of primary school divestment and follows surveys of parents on patronage choice in some 43 towns.
New schools are intended to open in Tramore, Co. Waterford, Trim, Co. Meath, and Malahide, Co. Dublin in September 2014. In Ballina, Co Mayo, Minister Quinn has confirmed that the transfer of a Church of Ireland school (Newtownwhite N.S., Ballysokerry) to Educate Together patronage is also under discussion. This follows the agreement of the Church of Ireland Bishop and local parents to a change of patronage.
In addition, Minister Quinn confirmed that the former Scoil San Seamus school building in Basin Lane, Dublin 8 will be in use from September by an Educate Together school which opened in temporary accommodation last September.
Minister Quinn welcomed the progress made to date in discussions with patrons following the divesting surveys. While permanent buildings are not yet available for the schools in three areas, Trim, Tramore and Malahide, he has given the go-ahead for the schools in temporary start-up accommodation in order to meet parental demand for greater choice of primary schools.
“Discussions are continuing to take place with the main Catholic patrons in these and in a number of other areas to identify and secure permanent accommodation. The engagement with patrons so far has been open and generous. I am sure that with the co-operation of all concerned and with the support of my Department, further progress can be achieved,” said Minister Quinn.
The three locations, Trim, Tramore and Malahide, were selected following discussions with the existing Catholic patrons on the potential for permanent accommodation options and discussions with Educate Together on their priorities for initial start-up areas.
“I am conscious of the lead in period necessary for establishing a new school: the advertising of the school, the enrolment process, appointment of the Principal, obtaining planning permission where required and other matters. The Department is working closely with Educate Together to secure temporary accommodation to allow it to open new schools serving new communities in September.”
The process of divestment of primary schools is part of the implementation of recommendations from the 2012 report of the Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector.
Its chairperson, Professor John Coolahan, welcomed today’s announcement.
“Against the background of the discussions and agreement on the divesting of school patronage at the Forum, the Minister’s announcement is to be warmly welcomed as tangible progress,” he said.
“However, it is to be hoped that patrons and school communities will accelerate the divesting process so as to facilitate the provision of schooling for their fellow citizens of other belief systems. While the issues surrounding divesting are sensitive and complex, the outcomes can be a significant contribution to civic well-being and the fostering of mutual respect, as well as a meaningful response to fulfilling the rights of all citizens.”
Discussions are continuing on further new primary schools that are expected to open under the divestment process by 2015.
Minister Quinn concluded saying, “Today’s announcement is an initial but important step in giving parents confidence that we are serious about providing a plurality of education and a real choice for them in the type of primary school in their localities”.
On foot of the report of the Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector, surveys of parental preferences were undertaken in a number of areas of stable population to establish the level of parental demand for a wider choice in the patronage of primary schools within these areas.
Surveys of parental preferences were undertaken on a pilot basis initially in five areas in the Autumn of 2012 and the Department published a report on these in December 2012. Surveys were undertaken in a further 38 areas in January and February 2013. A detailed report on these was published in April of that year.
Analysis of the parental preferences expressed in each of the 43 areas surveyed indicated that there is sufficient parental demand supporting immediate changes in school patronage in 28 areas.
Following on from publication of the reports, the main patron (Catholic Bishop or Archbishop) in each of these 28 areas was asked to consider re-configuration options that would free up school accommodation for at least one full stream for provision by the first choice alternative Patron.
Final reports on the options available were submitted by the existing Patrons toward the end of last year. This enabled a targeted focus on areas where there were real possibilities for 2014 and 2015.
In the case of Malahide, based on a previous review of future school needs in the Waterside/Drinan area, allied with the outcome of the divesting survey in Malahide, it has been agreed with the New Schools Establishment Group that a new school will be established in this area under the patronage of Educate Together. The school will start in temporary accommodation provided by Holywell ET this September. Short term and longer term accommodation options for the new schools in Trim and Tramore are also being advanced.
The Department will continue to work intensively with the main Catholic Patrons in the other areas to advance alternative Patron choices in those areas.
www.education.ie
An Gaelachas: An féidir é a shábháil?
March 12, 2014
Lack of confidence remains among Irish language community
March 11, 2014
Following two appearances by the Minister of State at Oireachtas committee meetings this past week, the Government’s treatment of the Irish language remains a deep cause for concern for all parties involved.
Last Wednesday, a meeting of the Joint Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions welcomed Minister of State for the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dinny McGinley T.D., to answer questions arising from the 2012 Report of An Coimsinéir Teanga and the fallout from Seán Ó Cuirreáin’s resignation. The following day the Minister of State came before the Oireachtas Sub-Committee on the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language and Related Matters to discuss An Coimisinéir Teanga and other aspects of the 20 Year Strategy.
The Joint Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions
While questioning the Minister of State, Dinny McGinley, on matters relating the language scheme process, Deputy Peadar Tóibín, Sinn Féin, asked if the Minister of State agreed that public bodies without any language scheme in place are breaking the law. Tóibín argued that such public bodies are not fulfilling their legal obligations under the Official Languages Act 2003 and were breaking the law by doing so. Minister McGinley replied by disagreeing with Deputy Tóibín’s take on the situation and stated that there are provisions within the Official Languages Act that all public bodies must adhere to.
The Minster of State informed that committee that the number of language schemes being ratified is increasing. He told the members that 16 new schemes were ratified in 2013, and 6 have been ratified so far this year. He described the system as complex and challenging but argued that the Department is taking positive steps as a part of the review of the Official Languages Act 2003 including increasing the number of staff to dela with the current backlog of schemes, the introduction of a template to standardise schemes and amending the current legislation.
Referring to the progress being made by the Department, Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh, Sinn Féin, stated that no action is being taken to address the 75% of expired schemes within the state service. Senator Ó Clochartaigh reminded the committee that 165 out of 600 public bodies have implemented language schemes and estimated that it would take 40 years for every public body to do so under the current system.
According to Minister McGinley, legal advice received by the Department stated that schemes are unable to expire as Article 14 (3) of the Official Languages Act states that schemes remain in place until a new scheme is ratified in its place. He informed the committee that his Department is responsible for language scheme matters alone and that all other matters relating to the Act fall under the office of An Coimsinéir Teanga.
Minister McGinley confirmed that a service agreement has been signed by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform meaning that the Department of the Gaeltacht is responsible for training within the state service.
The Oireachtas Sub-Committee on the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language and Related Matters
Thursday’s meeting of the Oireachtas Sub-Committee on the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language and Related Matters concerned the implementation of the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language.
Following a progress report given by Minister of State, Dinny McGinley T.D., in which he described progress as satisfactory considering the current economic climate, Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív, Fianna Fáil, recommended that the Sub-Committee review the Strategy page by page and scrutinise the financial implications relating to all policies for the good of the language.
Responding to a question raised by Ó Cuív, Minister McGinley stated that while staff within the Department of the Gaeltacht spend much of their time working on the implementation of the Strategy, a Strategic Unit as mentioned in the Strategy is not in place – a deep cause for concern for those in attendance.
Referring to the Government Committee for the Irish Language, which is chaired by An Taoiseach, Senator Ó Clochartaigh recommended that the office of An Coimisinéir Teanga be given a monitoring role regarding the implementation of policies within the Strategy. The Minister reminded the Sub-Committee that the Government Committee and Departments themselves are responsible for all monitoring and that 11 Departments have compiled reports to progress the implementation. This is due to be rolled out throughout the state service.
Several members raised concerns over the draft Heads of Bill regarding the review of the Official Languages Act 2003. The Minister argued that the current Heads of Bill are recommendations refused to discuss them as they are yet to be agreed by the Government.
Among the other topics discussed at the meeting were the current newspaper scheme, the lack of a senior minister regarding Irish language matters and the rationalisation process within the Voluntary Irish Language Sector.
Bringing the meeting to a close, Minister McGinley stated that the current coalition was not responsible for creating the problems facing the Irish language and that this Government has showed its commitment by investing substantially in the language up until now.
While members of the opposition attended the meeting to discuss various aspects of the Strategy with the Minister, the only actual member of the Sub-Committee in attendance was Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú who acted as Chair.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Quinn forges ahead with reform of Junior Cycle despite protest
March 11, 2014
Quinn pushes on with Junior Cert reform despite protests
March 11, 2014
The planned replacement of the Junior Certificate with a system which will see teachers marking their own students is being pushed ahead by Education Minister Ruairi Quinn.
This is despite a protest at schools today and an impending vote by 27,000 secondary teachers against co-operation with the plan. Mr Quinn has issued a letter to the country’s 730 second-level schools setting out the arrangements for the introduction of the Junior Cycle Student Award from next September, when first year students are to be prepared for assessment in English from 2016 as the first subject to undergo changes for certification in 2017.
Members of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland and the Teachers’ Union of Ireland are being asked in a ballot not to take part, or in training or related assessments, and the unions expect a show of strength at an unofficial protest called at school gates this lunchtime. While classes will not be disrupted, teachers want the public to understand their concerns about standards in the proposed system, having taken out newspaper ads on the issue yesterday. Their primary concern is that students will no longer have their work examined externally by the State Examinations Commission. The unions have argued that Mr Quinn did not consult on the idea of school-based assessment, but he maintains that the aim of the changes is to end the high-stakes nature of the Junior Certificate because 90% of students go on to sit the Leaving Certificate.
The ASTI and TUI want external assessment for final exams maintained to uphold the integrity of the system, and also have concerns about what they say is inadequate teacher training provision. While Mr Quinn made some concessions in January on additional professional development, and reducing the rate at which subjects will be added for revised modes of assessment, he has also committed to consider any proposals of a working group in which unions have engaged over the past two months with his department, and other stakeholders on professional development, assessment, and resourcing schools.
“If the minister accepts recommendations from the working group, then of course they will be implemented as soon as possible,” Mr Quinn’s spokesperson said. However, the issuing of the circular letter means he is standing firm on the over-riding principle of school-based assessment, which could also harden opposition. Fine Gael members voted at their ard fheis 10 days ago that the party should call on him to reverse this element of the JCSA, although TDs and senators voted against the motion after delegates were told it opposed Government policy.
www.irishexaminer.com
Halla lán do Bhuntaiste Breise na Gaeilge
March 11, 2014
Cláir Oideachais ar TG4
March 11, 2014
Teachers to hold lunchtime demonstrations today
March 11, 2014
Protests outside schools add to pressure over introduction of junior cycle reform
With nationwide demonstrations today, teachers’ unions and the Department of Education are both increasing the pressure over the introduction of junior cycle reform. The unions are staging a lunchtime protest outside schools, demonstrating against the changes sought by the department, including continual assessment of students by teachers. Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn, in a counter-move, has issued a formal departmental circular to principals and boards of management setting out how and when the junior cycle changes must be introduced this autumn.“We want to send a clear signal to parents, students, teachers and the education partners that we are proceeding with junior cycle reform because it is the right thing to do for the students,” a department spokeswoman said yesterday. “It is a signal from the Minister and the department we are determined to proceed on the reform of the junior cycle from September.”
Lunchtime protest
Union presidents Sally Maguire of the Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI) and Gerard Craughwell of the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) will lead the national lunchtime protests from Newpark Comprehensive School in Blackrock, Co Dublin. The protest will involve a short rally, with similar demonstrations outside second-level schools across the State. Regular school business will not be disrupted by the action and normal supervision arrangements will remain in place, the unions said. The contents of the circular were up for discussion last January 17th, when education partners including unions, the department, principals and school boards held a working group meeting. The goal was to avoid a clash over the planned junior cycle reforms, but it failed to defuse the situation. Instead the TUI decided to ballot its members on non- co-operation with the department’s reform proposals. Ballot papers will be issued today, with the ballot closing on March 26th. “We acknowledge the publication of this circular letter but it changes nothing as far as we are concerned. “Regrettably it fails to address the issue of resources required to implement the programme,” said Mr Craughwell. Damage The unions believe the reforms could cause lasting damage to the education system. “We believe that student achievement in the new junior cycle must be externally assessed and nationally certified.”
The ASTI was equally dismissive of the circular. “There is nothing new in the circular that wasn’t said on January 17th,” a spokeswoman said. Special training had been planned for teachers, but this amounted to only one day of training up to next September. The ASTI also had a problem with plans to bring in continual assessment to replace a terminal examination. “The English teachers simply don’t know what they are supposed to be doing on continual assessment,” she said. “It [the circular] doesn’t address the key issues for teachers, so nothing has changed,” the ASTI spokeswoman added.
www.irishtimes.com
