Junior Cert Spanish and Metalwork: A chance to shine

It started off quite simple, but higher-level Spanish students will have noticed the paper becoming more challenging as they moved through it, according to teachers.

“The vocabulary got trickier and you had to really look for the answers, which didn’t jump off the page,” said Laoise O’Boyle, a Spanish teacher at St Raphaela’s Secondary School, Stillorgan, Co Dublin.

One question would have proven particularly tricky. “In a comprehension question, students were asked about the equipment they would use for canoeing, and would have needed to know the Spanish words for life-jacket, neoprene suits, and oars – hardly everyday vocabulary.”

Topics on the paper included mobile phone apps, food in schools and recycling. “They would have related to these topics, although a piece on preventing burglaries may have been less relevant,” said Ms O’Boyle. She said the final section of the paper would have given students a chance to show their knowledge of tenses.

Overall, however, she said the paper was fair and “very doable”.

The ordinary level paper was slightly more difficult than in previous years, she said. “The answers were less obvious than usual, although the format did not change.” Topics included a piece on a former Miss Bolivia visiting Ireland, bees, and travel.

Gender mix

About 8,700 Junior Cert students took Spanish this year, compared to 32,556 who sat French and 11,597 who sat German.

In the afternoon, just over 8,094 students sat the metalwork paper. Of these, 7,272 (90 per cent) were male while just 822 were female. Donal Cremin, ASTI subject representative at Scoil Phobail Sliabh Luachra, Rathmore, Co Kerry, said the higher-level paper gave students an opportunity to display their talents and knowledge.

“Design and problem-solving featured prominently. Question two, on design process, required students to think on their feet and apply knowledge and skills they acquired over the past three years.”

Mr Cremin said the exam’s graphics and images were of a high quality and used to good effect throughout the paper. He said the ordinary level paper was welcomed by teachers and students.

“Topics covered were modern and relevant with excellent use of graphics to stimulate students,” he said.