Laura Lynott: Has the row over reducing calculated grades distracted from the Leaving Cert itself?
Has the row over the reduction in calculated grades distracted from the real purpose of the Leaving Cert?
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Irish Examiner
10 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
'Accessible' Leaving Cert history exam will have left some students 'bitterly disappointed'
Students who were hoping to see Charles Stewart Parnell or the Montgomery Bus Boycott appear on this year's Leaving Cert history will be 'bitterly disappointed' with an otherwise accessible exam. The Leaving Cert 2025 exams continued on Wednesday afternoon with history. This year's higher level paper, which requires students to tackle one document-based question as well as three essay-style questions, was 'accessible', according to ASTI subject spokesman Philip Irwin. "I thought it was a good paper for students.' In particular, he liked this year's documents question, which focused on the Jarrow March of 1936. 'That was one of three case studies in the dictatorship and democracy in Europe section. The other two are the show trials in Stalin's Russia, which came up last year, and the Nuremberg rallies," Mr Irwin said. 'I would suspect that students were more looking for the Nuremberg rallies [to appear on the exam].' The sources supplied in the question were good, he added. This included a government statement issued at the time, and the other an extract from a newspaper report about the Jarrow March. 'The questions on it were also good, with one asking students to compare and contrast the documents. It was an interesting question overall, and I think that students would have found it accessible and doable. The Irish history section included some good general questions, but students may have found a question on Éamon de Valera's leadership more challenging, he added. Students were asked to discuss how effective his leadership was during the Treaty negotiations, Civil War, and during the Second World War. 'Quite a bit to deal with there, sometimes those questions are either or, so that was more challenging.' Another challenging question appeared in the US history section, which asked students to discuss how and why religion became an increasingly powerful force in American life between 1945 to 1989. Many students will have been surprised not to see questions on Charles Stewart Parnell or the Montgomery Bus Boycott appear on the higher-level paper, according to teacher and Studyclix subject spokesman Jamie Dockery. 'Those who placed all their bets on these topics, undoubtedly a sizeable number, will be bitterly disappointed," Mr Dockery said. However, there was much to be pleased with in this paper. The ordinary level paper should also have been generally well received by students and teachers, Mr Dockery added. The Jarrow March was also the focus of the documents question, he added. 'I very much welcome the higher and ordinary level exam having similar questions, particularly considering that the average senior history groups will have higher and ordinary Level students learning together in the one class.' "Many of the main personalities from Irish history found their way into the exam, he added. This including O'Connell, Yeats, Cosgrave and de Valera. 'Women will also well represented in the guise of Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington and Countess Markievicz and Maureen O'Hara, among others. "As a history teacher, my hope for any exams is that it will give the diligent and hardworking student a chance to show off all they know, and this exam certainly did that.' Read More Tough French comprehension exam challenges Leaving Cert students
BreakingNews.ie
13 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Leaving Cert history exam looked 'daunting' and rewarded students 'who avoided rote learning'
A teacher has given his first reaction to this year's Leaving Cert history exams, which students completed on Wednesday afternoon. Jamie Dockery, a history teacher at Tyndall College in Carlow, said the Higher Level paper looked like a "daunting prospect" at first glance. Advertisement "Many will have been surprised not to see questions on Charles Stewart Parnell or the Montgomery Bus Boycott," he said. "Those who placed all their bets on these topics — undoubtedly a sizeable number — will be bitterly disappointed." "However, there was much to be pleased with in this paper. The Documents-Based Question focused on the Jarrow March, a topic most well-prepared students would have covered thoroughly. The sources were engaging, and while the contextualisation question – asking whether the march was a failure – was slightly challenging, it was certainly manageable. "The 'Movements for Reform' section featured an interesting question comparing the successes of Michael Davitt and James Larkin, two reformers with shared ideals but from different eras. "Eamon de Valera was widely expected to appear on the paper, given that this year marks the 50th anniversary of his death—and 'the Long Fellow' didn't disappoint. The question was broad, covering his role in the Treaty negotiations, the Civil War, and World War II. Advertisement "Speaking of WWII, its appearance in an Irish context was welcome, as it hadn't featured since 2021. The topic 'The United States and the Wider World, 1945–1989' proved tricky, with challenging questions on the American Dream and the role of religion in American life. However, the inclusion of LBJ will have come as a relief to many. "As with last year's paper, women featured prominently, with questions on Isabella Tod, Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington, Bernadette Devlin, Mary Robinson, Sylvia Meehan, Simone de Beauvoir, and Nadine Gordimer. Overall, this was an exam that rewarded the candidates who avoided rote learning, who didn't cut corners with their revision, and who were able to think on their feet." Mr Dockery said the Ordinary Level exam will have been generally well received by students and teachers, with the Jarrow March also the focus of the Documents Based Question. "In fact, the Ordinary Level exam had many similar (and in some instances, the same) questions to its Higher Level version across the entire exam – I very much welcome the Higher and Ordinary Level exam having similar questions, particularly considering that the average Senior History groups will have Higher and Ordinary Level students learning together in the one class. Advertisement Lifestyle Leaving Cert: French exam used 'challenging vocabu... Read More "When teaching Ordinary Level students, my advice to them is always to focus mainly on the Case Studies for each topic and the key personalities. Candidates who followed this approached will have been satisfied with this exam. "Many of the main personalities from Irish History found their way into the exam including O'Connell; Yeats; Davitt; Roscommon man Douglas Hyde; Collins, Cosgrave and de Valera. Women will also well represented in the guise of Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington and Countess Markievicz and Maureen O'Hara, among others. Eagle-eyed students will notice that many of these personalities appeared in the 2024 edition. "The 'Europe and the Wider World' topics were also varied and offered the well-prepared candidate the opportunity to do well. Just like in the Higher Level paper, the United States topic was not without its challenges, but the inclusion of the Montgomery Bus Boycott here means that the vast majority of candidates should be fine. It was interesting that the Star Wars question included the parenthesis (the Strategic Defence Initiative) to hopefully discourage answers about Luke Skywalker (as opposed to – correctly – Ronald Reagan!) "As a History teacher, my hope for any exams is that it will give the diligent and hardworking student a chance to show off all they know, and this exam certainly did that."
Irish Times
15 hours ago
- Irish Times
Leaving Cert French: tricky vocab and grammar questions pose a challenge
Students sitting this morning's higher-level French paper were tested more than usual by tricky vocabulary and grammar questions in the second comprehension question, teachers have said. Barry Hennessy, ASTI subject representative for French, said this was a literary comprehension test, focusing on an author wishing to write a book about an elderly woman he meets by chance. 'Students here needed to read the full text and the questions very closely, both of which were very nuanced at times,' Mr Hennessy, who is a teacher at Coláiste Eanna, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16, said. 'Students in the middle ground are likely to have found this passage and the questions quite challenging. READ MORE Leaving Cert French higher level 'Specifically, students were asked to find a verb in the passé composé past tense as opposed to just the past participle of the verb concerned, meaning that they ideally should have included the auxiliary verb but not the subject to achieve full marks.' Mr Hennessy pointed out that students should not worry too much about the tricky vocabulary in question two. 'Overall, a high standard of vocabulary and a careful, methodical approach were necessary to do well on this question,' he said. 'However, it must be pointed out that the marking scheme will be carefully designed and, if necessary, modified to ensure that candidates are rewarded for valid attempts, even where these fall short of full marks.' Elizabeth Lyne, who offers tutoring at and teaches at Coláiste Mhichíl in Limerick, said some familiar topics appeared on the paper, including a diary entry about cancelling a party due to a red weather alert. 'This is similar to a question that appeared a few years ago about cancelling New Year's Eve plans,' she said. 'Students may have been expecting a question on vaping, but what appeared instead was a question on drug use. They would have been able to repurpose material about vaping for this question, and my students would also have the vocabulary to write about health and addiction.' Geraldine Dwyer, subject expert and a teacher at Se. ondary School, Macroom, Co Cork, said that a question on gender equality would be a topic which candidates would have prepared, as it is a core topic. 'The question on engagement in political life would be more challenging and would incorporate a range of issues,' Ms Dwyer said. In the listening comprehension section, Ms Lyne said that some students found a question about criminals accessing a pharmacy to be tricky. Corinne Gavenda, a teacher at the Institute of Education, said that some students might have found it tougher than last year as the pace of the speaker increased. 'However, for some this would be a benefit as it was a better representation of the natural cadence of the language,' said Ms Gavenda. 'Throughout the sections students will be happy with both the material and the vocabulary. Section D was particularly lovely as the topic of introducing uniforms in French schools was expected to appear this year – some students could have guessed the answers. 'The biggest challenge came in Section E as the word 'brisant' (breaking) was essential, but students would be more familiar with 'casse' and so miss out on the exact answer.' Ordinary The ordinary-level French paper was fine, overall, teachers said. 'Candidates and teachers will have been pleased to see the recent pattern of the popular form-filling question in written production focusing on applying for a job,' said Mr Hennessy. 'Candidates will have been well-prepared for and reassured by this question.' Ms Lyne said that it was a doable paper, but that a question about fast fashion may have been more suited to higher-level. Leaving Cert French ordinary level Try this one at home: -Leaving Cert French, higher level, section B, Q4 Selon Santé Publique France, en septembre 2024, 29,9% des jeunes de 17 ans avaient expérimenté le cannabis pendant le mois précédent. Il y a une augmentation dans la co ommation des autres drogues aussi. En Irlande, est‐ce que la consommation de la drogue est un problème parmi les jeunes ?
