Gentle start all the more so after 'delightful' paper

LEAVING CERT ENGLISH HIGHER LEVEL:THOUSANDS OF relieved students downed tools at lunchtime yesterday after the first day of the new Leaving Cert timetable.

The traditional five-and-a-half hour English marathon on day one has been replaced by a combination of English Paper I and Home Economics. Students reported a gentle start to the exams, with a "delightful" higher English Paper I focusing on teen identity, fashion and consumerism.

Yesterday's higher level paper opened with an excerpt from John Savage's book, Teenage, the Creation of Youth. The book traces the development of the concept of the modern teenager: "The ultimate psychic match for the times: living in now, pleasure seeking, product hungry, embodying the new global society." Students were invited to give their response to Savage's take on the modern adolescent.

Tenderwire, the best-selling novel by Irish author Claire Kilroy, also featured in Section 1, followed by a photo article from the Guardiannewspaper on writers' rooms. Students were shown photos of the writing rooms of John Banville, Nicola Barker and Russell Hoban.

"We are what we wear" was the subject of the media composition on yesterday's paper.

Higher level essay topics were considered broad and accommodating, leaving plenty of wriggle room for students who had prepared essays for Section Two.

Subjects included an advice piece on coping with adolescence, a speech on the importance of national identity, and a magazine article on the subject of happiness. One of the more challenging titles asked students to write a short story on the subject of a rebellious teen.

"Students were pleased with the subject of identity, which they would have covered over the course of the year," said ASTI subject convenor Christina Henegan. "The essay titles went down very well, except that some students remarked on the lack of personal essay choices."

TUI subject representative Alan Thompson agreed that the themes featured in yesterday's paper were age-appropriate and appealing. "In general, this paper was sturdy but fair. Many students would have explored themes of identity in class, and the comprehension on the subjects of teen culture eased them into the first day of the Leaving Cert."

"There was nothing frightening on this paper, but it was a bit on the long side," commented teacher Alan Thompson. A handful of students complained that the paper invited even more writing than in previous years, but the prospect of a half-day helped them to cope. This is the first year that English has been split over two days, after then education minister Mary Hanafin announced a revision of the timetable last October. Students and teachers have broadly welcomed the change, initiated after consultation with 100 Leaving Cert students.

Two out of three Leaving Cert students sat yesterday's higher level Paper 1, with the remainder opting for the ordinary level paper. There is no foundation level paper in English. English Paper 2, which features set texts such as poetry and drama, takes place today.