Predictable exams had challenges at both levels

LEAVING CERT GERMAN HIGHER AND ORDINARY LEVEL:LEAVING CERT German students were greeted with predictable but challenging exams at both higher and ordinary level yesterday, teachers said.

While there was nothing unexpected in the higher level paper, it was certainly a rigorous test of students’ knowledge. “Sections of it would have challenged even the most talented German student,” said Orla Ní Shuilleabháin, German teacher in the Institute of Education.

As with Irish and French, the aural section of the paper drew praise for the pace and clarity of the recording used. Sections three and four would have held the most challenging vocabulary for students Ms Ní Shuilleabháin said.

A literary reading comprehension piece at the start of the higher level paper was generally deemed more difficult than the journalistic comprehension – an entertaining article about the prevalence of wild animals in Berlin.

“That piece was fine,” said president of the German Teachers’ Association of Ireland Pierce Purcell. “It provided some advice about what to do if confronted by these animals and so-on. The vocabulary would have been fine for students who had done their work.”

Students found the Äußerung Zum Thema section where they were required to write 100 words about one of two photographs very difficult. Ms Ní Shuilleabháin said: “A high level of expression was required to cope with this section.”

The grammar section of the paper would have posed no challenge if a student had studied what was being asked, according to Mr Purcell.

Productive writing is the final section of the paper and generally gives the stronger students an opportunity to demonstrate the level of their German. According to teachers, students were reasonably happy with the topics.

A letter replying to a pen pal was, “eminently predictable”, Mr Purcell said. Many of these topics would have related to topics studied in the oral exam, said Ms Ní Shuilleabháin. The alternative, an essay that mainly discussed jobs – what students would like to do after school, typical male and female jobs and so on – was “doable, but not easy”, Mr Purcell said.

Of the almost 8,000 students studying Leaving Cert German, almost 2,500 of them take the ordinary level paper.

“Students shouldn’t have had any problems at all at ordinary level,” Mr Purcell said.

Teachers agreed that questions on the aural section were fair and would not have caused any undue stress. The written section of the paper was well received, according to Ms Ní Shuilleabháin. “The comprehension sections were relevant to students,” she said.

Candidates were also happy with the productive writing section, which gave students a choice between writing a dialogue about babysitting or an application letter responding to an advertisement from an Austrian family who are looking for a babysitter.

A final set of questions based on a diary of a young man posed no problems in what was judged to be a well balanced paper.