3 days ago
Junior Cycle English short story question sparks criticism from teachers
English teachers have criticised the inclusion of an 'unwise and unfair' short story question that appeared on this year's Junior Cycle exam paper this week.
Many students reported their surprise at the question on the higher-level paper, which asked students to outline how a setting has a vital influence oin a short story they studied.
The Irish National Organisation for Teachers of English (INOTE) said it 'noted with dismay' the question exclusively on short stories.
Students will have encountered short stories during their three-year study, and the study of short stories is required by the English specification, it added.
'However, practically in the classroom, short stories are rarely studied in the deep analytical way required of the exam paper.'
Short stories are often read for enjoyment or as "stepping stones" to studying longer fiction texts, rather than for detailed narrative analysis, INOTE added.
"Additionally, and sensibly, most students would instead have concentrated on their two studied novels, their studied Shakespeare play, their studied film and the array of poems they would have prepared for the exam."
It would have been much fairer to pose a question about how the setting was used in a short story or a novel read by students, it added.
"Narrowing the focus to short stories exclusively will have disadvantaged a significant number of students, something we absolutely reject as useful in a Junior Cycle exam."
INOTE said it has felt disappointed every year with some of the questions asked in the Junior Cycle English exam, which are "either much too narrow in focus or much too ambitious in scope to allow meaningful student engagement."
"Our students deserve the time and opportunity to showcase their learning rather than being punished by an exam that sometimes seems, whether intentionally or not, designed to catch them out," it added.
A spokesman for the State Examinations Commission (SEC) it has been assured the exam, including the short story question, was "fully within the scope of the specification and in keeping with the aims, objectives and learning outcomes for Junior Cycle English."
He added that commentary and correspondence on the examinations from students, parents, teachers, professional bodies, and other interested parties is a normal part of the examination process.
"Such observations regarding test instruments are an intrinsic part of the feedback that we would expect to receive in any year. All observations received in relation to a subject are reviewed by the Chief Examiner in the context of preparing the marking scheme for that subject."
The marking scheme will be published, as will the marking schemes in all other subjects, after the issue of the Junior Cycle results, he added.
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