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Irish Times
9 hours ago
- General
- Irish Times
Junior Cycle English exam: ‘Balanced and fair'
The first of this year's Junior Cycle exams, English, was a balanced and fair paper, but with some surprises, teachers have said. Aoife O'Driscoll, junior cycle English teacher at the , said that the paper focused on the theme of perception. 'Overall, it struck a good balance between familiarity and challenge,' she said. 'The poetry question asked students to reflect on how two poems gave them a broader understanding of the world. This is a task that many will have practiced, though it's worth noting that the expectation to discuss more than one poem is becoming more common.' READ MORE Kate Barry, a teacher at Loreto Secondary School in Cork and ASTI subject representative for English, said that students and teachers alike were happy with the paper. However, she said that a question on the moral or lesson an audience may draw from a Shakespearian play may have been tricky for some candidates. 'I would have preferred a more thematic approach, perhaps asking how the playwright ties it all up at the end, as people and life are complicated, and it isn't always easy to draw simple moral lessons from Shakespeare,' Ms Barry said. Studyclix subject expert Sue O'Sullivan Casey from Pobalscoil Inbhear Scèine, Kenmare, Co. Kerry, agreed that this may have been tricky for some candidates. 'They may have had some difficulty with this terminology,' she said. 'Another curveball was the question asking candidates to write about a short story in class. This is a new style of question for JC English and candidates may not have prepared for this going into the exam.' Ms Barry said that the ordinary level paper was 'really lovely, and it gave good opportunities to write.' There was a lot of content that students would have felt comfortable with, said Ms O'Driscoll, including an unseen piece based on Kensuke's Kingdom, a novel by the author Michael Morpurgo, whose books would be familiar to many students.
BreakingNews.ie
11 hours ago
- General
- BreakingNews.ie
Leaving Cert: Teacher analyses English paper one as students complete first exam
A teacher has given her initial reaction to Leaving Cert English paper one, which students completed on Wednesday morning. Overall, students would have been very happy with the paper's accessibility, Sue O'Sullivan Casey from Pobalscoil Inbhear Scèine, Kenmare, Co Kerry, said. Advertisement She added: 'The three reading comprehensions centred on how perspectives can change either on a personal or societal level. Candidates would have been pleased with the variety of text types, which included an article on 'underdogs', a speech by novelist Margaret Atwood and a narrative extract from the Booker-prize winning novel, Orbital by Samantha Harvey.' 'The 2025 paper was student-centred and would have appealed to the candidate who had diligently worked hard on the language aspect of the course over the two years. Those candidates who used past papers in their own study would have benefitted from seeing familiar or similar tasks appear and would have had the confidence and ability to execute each question successfully.' Ms O'Sullivan Casey, who is a Studyclix subject expert, said candidates sitting the Ordinary Level paper would have been pleased with the accessibility of the three texts to choose from. 'An article, narrative extract and a series of quotes, lyrics and images were all on offer and the Question As were easy to navigate and manage. Advertisement 'The Question B writing tasks were familiar to those candidates who had diligently prepared. A pamphlet, letter and interview were available to choose from and the tasks were clear in their requirements.' She added: 'The Ordinary level paper was clear and straight-forward, asking students to demonstrate their understanding of language and their writing skills.' Junior Cert In the Junior Cert, Ms O'Sullivan Casey said the Higher Level paper was 'fair'. 'There were some surprises but nothing too challenging for those candidates who had prepared', she said. Advertisement 'An unseen poem formed part of Section A and was accessible in its subject matter and themes. However, candidates would have been surprised to see the studied poetry question require them to write about two poems that they have studied in Junior Cycle – a departure from recent years that only the prepared candidates would have managed well. 'The studied drama question asked candidates to write about moments of suspense, but the latter question asked candidates to identify the 'moral lessons' of the play. Some candidates may have had difficulty with this terminology. 'Another curveball was the question asking candidates to write about a short story in class. This is a new style of question for Junior Cert English and candidates may not have prepared for this going into the exam.' She said the Ordinary Level paper would have been welcomed by some students who had a good understanding of their studied texts. Advertisement 'The short questions were easy to navigate and accessible. The paper required candidates to answer questions on studied poetry, a drama and a novel which is challenging but the style of short-answer questions allowed for candidates to navigate the paper in an easy and straightforward manner. Writing tasks included writing a letter and candidates would have been well prepared for this.'
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
‘I'm getting paid to actually study' – meet the TikTokers who earn cash for Leaving Cert videos
How to get to 635 points, the finer points of the tuiseal ginideach and concerns around grade inflation are among issues covered in the online ecosystem of the TikTok influencer. Ella Martin (19), from Co Meath, has a place in a dance college in Dublin secured already, so points are not too relevant for her. Her 'Spend The Day Studying with Me' TikTok content features video of her at her desk interspersed with other activities and hanging out with friends. Ella is a brand ambassador for Simple Study, an online subscription platforms that provides access to revision notes, past papers and quizzes. 'I got a message from them about four weeks ago asking would I be interested in doing one video for them and I said absolutely. I was earning commission off however many people used [my discount] code,' Ella said. 'Now the videos I'm making up to the Leaving Cert are all paid for as well. It's €20 a video, which is really good for just videoing what I'm going to be doing during the day anyway. I'm getting paid to actually study. 'It was really motivating. It meant I had to get up and make my bed tidy, make my bedroom presentable, and then actually sit down and study.' Eighteen-year-old Ryan Dolan, from Co Westmeath, needs to get at least 500 points to study law in Galway. He started his TikTok account this year after an injury left him unable to play Gaelic football. 'It was quite nerve-racking, I won't lie. I didn't know what the perception was going to be at the start,' he said. 'It felt like there was a lot of slagging going on at first. But people started to realise, 'oh, Ryan's able to put up a TikTok in the evening and he makes as much money as I'm making [at a part-time job] over the weekend'.' At one point he was getting so many negative messages, he had friends logging into his account to filter what was coming in. But he said things have calmed down since. Ryan works with a company called Grinds 360, whose investors include former rugby star Brian O'Driscoll. He describes himself as a Leaving Cert creator, and makes videos that are typically 'day-in-the-life' content. 'I don't get paid to make the videos, but for anybody who uses my code, I get €50 for a referral,' he said. Ryan recounted an incident in which a 'random account' posted a video accusing him and other exam TikTokers of scaremongering. 'That wasn't very nice,' he said. 'There is a lot of scaremongering out there, but I try to motivate people away from the fear of the Leaving Cert.' Catríona Lawless-Molyneux (19) sat her Leaving Cert last year. From outside Mullingar, she now lives in Belfast, and has just finished her first year studying English and Irish at Queen's University. She's an ambassador for study website Studyclix. 'Last year they gave us free full access to the website, and Studyclix merchandise,' Catríona said. 'This year I have been involved in a number of paid promotions for them, receiving up to €250.' She posted recently about fearmongering. 'Looking back at myself last year, I was definitely part of a group of people that I'm sure people were sick of seeing on their social media just talking about the Leaving Cert. But I feel like this year it has taken on a whole new form. I've seen videos of people saying they're waking up at 5:30 in the morning to do a 12-hour study day,' she said. Aisling Walsh, from Co Mayo, is currently in Australia on exchange as part of her studies in law and politics in UCD. The 21-year-old sat her Leaving Cert in 2022, the year that several people pinpointed as the year this kind of content really took off. She became known at the time as The Leaving Cert Girl. 'I started to do day-in-the-life videos. I was doing these study days that were between five and eight hours, which obviously was a lot of study. It blew up because of people's reaction to the amount of study that I was doing,' Aisling said. She now works for Studyclix's social media team, having posted sponsored content for the company when she was studying for her Leaving Cert. Jake Glendon, a 19-year-old from Kilkenny, sat his Leaving Cert last year and still posts online advice for students. He also runs grinds on Zoom for a €15 hourly rate. He previously worked with Studyclix, and now works with Simple Study. 'If the video does really well, and you do 20,000 views, you could get anywhere from €70 to €100. They give bonuses depending on how the content does,' Jake said. Caoimhe Graham's 'Day in the Life' TikTok videos have a slightly different context. The 18-year-old, who lives in Galway, has a kidney condition – IgA nephropathy – that has flared up in the past few weeks. It means she is studying and posting videos from her hospital bed. Last November, her mother Susan died. 'Considering everything, I definitely think I am doing really well,' she said. Caoimhe went back to school two weeks after her mum died, and sat every paper on her mocks. 'They were fine,' she said. She is hoping to get Advanced Therapeutic Technology in RCSI. She describes her TikTok as 'a studying account. I've really enjoyed it, and being able to help people. I've had messages from people all over the country. People come up to me and thank me for posting videos'.
Irish Daily Mirror
24-05-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Three in four students worry AI will negatively affect career but more using it
Nearly three in four secondary school students worry Artificial Intelligence will negatively affect their career - but more are using it than ever before, a survey has found. There is so much worry that 30 per cent are considering alternate professions. The research, which was carried out by StudyClix, also found one in 10 young adults were planning to actively avoid careers which they think AI will dominate. While one-in-four said they will consider the impact machine learning bots will have on whatever field they want to go into. Despite the worry, a third of the students quizzed said they regularly use AI tools like ChatGPT and image generators. In addition, comparison with previous survey results reveals a growing take-up of AI tools among students, with just one in five (20 per cent) using AI in 2023 versus four in five (81 per cent) of respondents this year. But the research also highlighted the need for schools to properly address how and when AI should be used. More than four in five (86 per cent) said that AI has only been mentioned informally in class or not discussed in-depth in terms of its utilisation for homework or exams. Luke Saunders, a former secondary school teacher and co-founder of Studyclix, said: "The survey results suggest that students are extremely savvy, first in how they use AI, and second in how they are anticipating the ways in which it will impact their future career prospects. "AI tools are already revolutionising the way that we learn and work, yet schools are already playing catchup with very little guidance or awareness on how to manage AI use in the school setting. "We would urge school staff to begin taking account of AI development when offering career guidance. "The concerns of students are founded, and it is credit to them that they recognise the direction in which the technological winds are blowing and are responding accordingly. It's up to schools to do the same and help these students to navigate the uncertainty." In addition to quizzing students on AI, it also revealed three quarters said their parents do not monitor their online activity. Digital technology is also a major source of tension in the household after one in five (22 per cent) reported that their phone use is the single biggest cause of conflict between them and their parents. Meanwhile, almost four in 10 (38 per cent) said their biggest cause of conflict is not studying enough. Mr Saunders added: "The discovery that three quarters of all respondents are not having their online activities and phone use monitored by a parent is surprising given the public debate earlier this year around Adolescence, the Netflix drama which follows the fallout of a young boy's murder of a female classmate. "That more are reporting the introduction of rules around phone use in the home, and that phone use has become a significant source of conflict in the home, shows that parents are increasingly aware of the need to curtail phone use. "However, in that context, it's concerning how little oversight many have over the content their children are consuming." The survey also found students' favourite social media app was Snapchat followed by TikTok and Instagram - which has been declining in popularity. Meanwhile, more than one in four (27 per cent) reported encountering racist, homophobic, or sexist online content each day, while three in 10 (30 per cent) said they see it several times a week. Almost seven in 10 (66 per cent) said the content was most visible on the social platform TikTok, while six in 10 (60 per cent) said Instagram. The number of students who reported rarely or never seeing racist, sexist, or homophobic comments has decreased over the past 12 months, from 18 per cent in 2024 to 16 per cent in 2025.
Irish Examiner
20-05-2025
- General
- Irish Examiner
What to say and what to avoid saying to the exams student in your home
Over the next few weeks, 135,000 students will sit the State exams. Others will grapple with school exams. All of which translates to a high degree of household stress with last-minute revision, panicked regrets, and mounting anxiety. In such circumstances, it is easy for parents to say the wrong thing. We ask five experts about what not to say to young people facing exams. 'It's only your Junior Cert' Exams are challenging and it is natural for your child to feel anxious. But saying, 'It's only' this, or, 'It's just' that is not helpful. 'It undermines the natural anxiety they have and makes them feel silly,' says Luke Saunders, teacher and co-founder of revision website Studyclix. But he understands that 'parents are wired to remove challenges from their children'. 'I was rubbish at maths' 'To say, 'I'm bad at this, therefore you should be' is one of the worst things you can say. You're giving them a get-out-of-jail card. It's deflating and lowers expectations,' says Saunders. 'You'll be fine. You'll fly through it' It fools nobody and does not address what your child needs, Saunders says. 'The student hears their parents saying 'This isn't going to be challenging'. They think 'We all know it will be, so my parent is lying to me'. 'It's much better for parents to say 'It will be challenging and we're going to do our best to support you'. Removing challenges from our children doesn't help their resilience,' says Saunders. Luke Saunders, Studyclix co-founder. 'You can't remove the exams. You can only support your child. Exams are challenging and a part of life, a part of growing up. It's about building resilience. As a parent, you can say, 'I'm here to help'.' Gemma Lawlor, guidance counsellor at Tyndall College, Carlow, says parents need to tune in to their children. 'Allow them to say what they need to say. Really listen, absorb it for them — you're their cushion.' Saying 'We know you'll do great' sounds supportive, but can carry a hidden pressure, says Eoin Houlihan, guidance counsellor with the Institute of Guidance Counsellors, who works at Firhouse Educate Together Secondary School, Dublin. 'It suggests failure isn't an option.' 'Don't be nervous' It feels so natural to say, says Dublin- and London-based counselling psychologist Dr Sheena Kumar. 'But, from a psychological perspective, you're dismissing their feelings. And you're adding pressure to be calm, rather than helping them navigate natural nervous symptoms.' She suggests you say 'It's OK to feel nervous — that just means you care' and then support your child while they feel nervous. Eoin Houlihan, guidance counsellor with the Institute of Guidance Counsellors, who works at Firhouse Educate Together Secondary School, Dublin Saying 'Don't worry, it's just a few exams' is meant to reassure, but, for the young person, it can feel dismissive and minimise what they're facing, says Houlihan. 'It could make them feel alone in their distress. Better to say 'Talk me through that. What's causing the stress?' Put the question back on them — then you're listening.' 'You're just lazy' 'The word 'lazy' attacks their character rather than addresses the behaviour obstacle,' Houlihan says. 'It's demoralising and might lead them to resent the exam and their parents. Better to say 'What are you finding difficult?'' 'If you don't do well, you'll regret it' 'Parents say this because we have hindsight around how important results can be, but we don't want to use fear as a motivator — it doesn't give them intrinsic, lasting motivation,' says Kumar. The brain responds to positive messages, so Kumar suggests parents say 'No matter what happens, we'll figure this out together'.' Counselling psychologist Dr Sheena Kumar Anton O'Mahony, Skibbereen Community School principal and president of the National Association for Principals and Deputy Principals, says focus on the moment. 'Ask 'What can you do today?' Break things down into small chunks. The small bit you learn every day all adds up, even in the last few weeks.' Lawlor, who runs Reach Guidance, which offers educational and career counselling for young people and their parents, has occasionally fallen into the trap of saying to her child, 'If you don't do well, it'll have a serious impact on your life'. 'I've realised it's better to say 'These exams are giving you the opportunity to demonstrate all the work you've done in the last few years — by showing what you've done, you're going to be rewarded'.' 'Come on, you can do it!' It counds harmless, even encouraging, but it is not helpful if your child is unmotivated to study, says Kumar. 'What's key for parents is finding out why their child isn't motivated. Is it low self-belief? Are they overwhelmed? Parents could say 'It's OK not to feel motivated — let's figure out small steps together for how you can get started'. Ask 'What is the one thing that would make study easier for you today?'' 'Shouldn't you be studying?' 'You're creating an argument immediately: 'There's something you should be doing and you're not',' says O'Mahony. 'Parents' language is important. We say things that can be misinterpreted. It's hard to get it 100% right and we can only do our best, but we really need to encourage our children. Anton O'Mahony, Skibbereen Community School principal and president of the National Association for Principals and Deputy Principal 'No matter what the question, frame it positively: 'Have you everything you need for your study? Would you a cup of tea before you start?' You're still putting study in their mind, but in a positive way.' 'Your sister studied so hard for her Leaving Cert' Avoid comparison, says O'Mahony. 'Parents can inadvertently compare. It puts your child in a space where they're not good enough. This isn't a great motivator — straightaway, they're not doing something correctly.' Focus on the child in front of you —every child is different. Remind them of their own best efforts: 'Do you remember when you worked really hard ahead of your Irish oral and you did great?' 'Focus on the effort: 'You did well today, you got a lot done, what will you do tomorrow?' 'You should have worked in Fifth year.' 'It's not helpful at this stage,' says Lawlor. 'The key thing to do is to ask 'How can I help make it easier for you? Shall I make dinner at this stage, or when would suit you?' Gemma Lawlor, guidance counsellor "Let them know you're proud of them, you're here to help, and they are loved.' 'You must have time limits on your phone until after the exams' 'Talk to them about their phone use, but the older they are the less dictatorial this should be,' says Saunders, who believes young people want to do well. 'Help them control their phone use by saying something like 'For the next three weeks, let's see if it would help to change the notification settings on your most-used apps, so you're not constantly getting alerts' — rather than 'You must do this'. 'Tell me again what you got in maths in the mocks' Saunders recommends not getting bogged down in pre-exam results. It is dispiriting, but true, he says, that students often don't learn from mistakes they made in the mock exams. 'A geography student runs out of time in the pre-exam and doesn't get the last question started and drops a grade — that same student could make the same error in the Leaving Cert. You have to help them learn from their mistakes.' Ask your child: 'Based on your mocks in this subject, what did you learn from it that would help you tomorrow?' 'We got the electricity bill and it's shocking' Lawlor says our job as parents when young people are preparing for exams — and during the exams — is to keep stresses that are not theirs out of their orbit. 'If you're stressed with your partner, or had an awful day at work, don't load your child with worries that aren't theirs. They don't need anything extra — except support, love, calmness.' 'Just study, don't worry about anything else' Houlihan says this disregards social needs, physical wellbeing, and emotional health. 'That whole balance — including taking breaks — is crucial for effective learning. Some people think 'I'm going to pull back on my sports, my hobbies'. That might work for some, but not always. I didn't give up part-time working when I was doing exams — it's what kept me going. 'Say to your child 'Let's take a break — what would help you recharge?' Read More Why you should think twice before posting photos and videos of kids on social media
