Teacher views on both levels mixed
June 13, 2012
Exams Daily – Leaving Cert Irish: It was a rocky start for some, a breeze for others.
The views of teachers of Leaving Cert Irish at both levels were mixed. Some thought the ordinary-level paper the more difficult. Others disagreed.
The higher-level paper was “not a good start”, according to Clare Grealy of the Institute of Education. The essay titles were, she said, “uninteresting, unimaginative and, in a several cases, unreasonable”.
However, Robbie Cronin of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland described the paper as “f air”. An essay title, “The dilemma in the health service – My solution”, split opinion.
“This type of essay required knowledge of the health service,” Ms Grealy said. “Even through English this essay would challenge students to have an insight into something that they probably have not encountered directly.”
Mr Cronin did not take issue with the health service topic. “The essays offered variety, although there was no sign of the much expected essay on the Olympics or the importance of sport,” he said.
“If students were adequately prepared and took their time with it they would have been fine,” said Teachers Union of Ireland representative Ruth Morrissey.
While there was one question on a sporting topic, it required students to imagine interviewing the president of the GAA.
“That might have thrown some students. A lot of people would have found that very challenging,” Ms Morrissey said.
One essay title, “The worthiness of this school”, raised eyebrows. “Would students be inclined to name their school?” Ms Morrissey asked. “It may somewhat undermine the premise of candidate anonymity,” Ms Grealy agreed.
“The ordinary-level students felt harder done by than those at higher level,” said Mr Cronin. However, he pointed out that the paper was topical and fair in the most part.
Ms Morrissey described the paper as “very accessible”.
“There was a wide choice of titles and the language used was such that the students were well able to interpret it,” she said,
The exam consisted of an aural exam followed by a written composition section. This was the first year for this type of paper, with the aural exam and the essay titles on the one paper.
“The aural component of the exam seemed to be okay,” said Ms Grealy. “However, students would have been distracted as they would have had an opportunity to review the essay titles before the aural commenced.”
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