LEAVING CERT IRISH HIGHER LEVEL PAPER 1:"BRUTAL," WAS the reaction of some teachers to parts of the higher-level Irish Paper 1 yesterday afternoon.
Overall reaction to the paper was very mixed, however, with some believing it struck the right balance of challenging and approachable, while others considered it “difficult and even unfair”.
There was something to suit every candidate in a set of essay titles that were “varied and topical”, Clare Grealy of the Institute of Education said.
However, most students opted for the “aiste” in the composition section and these titles – social interaction in the age of the internet, child rights and public leaders – were “horrendous”, according to ASTI teacher union representative Robbie Cronin. “They were geared for adults, not 18- or 19-year-olds,” he said.
There was some reprieve in a newspaper article that required students to imagine interviewing foreign peers who had spent their last few years in Ireland. And in a debate which asked students to write a speech about how it was difficult to have hope for Ireland’s future.
Other topics required students to argue for their choice of president, to debate society’s duty to the elderly and to write a story about loyalty. They were “too difficult, too abstract and not age-appropriate,” Mr Cronin said.
The comprehension pieces also elicited a mixed reaction. One, which told the story of a man’s decision to go and teach Irish in the Catholic University in Lublin Poland, was described as “interesting enough” by Mr Cronin.
“The language in that piece was fine and the questions were reasonably straightforward,” said Bláithin Ní Liatháin of the TUI, a teacher in Kylemore College, Ballyfermot.
The second, a piece on Mary Robinson as one of Ireland’s heroes was, “accessible”, according to Ms Grealy. “The vocabulary used should not have posed any difficulty.”
Mr Cronin, however, wondered why the article was about Mrs Robinson and not the present incumbent. He also found problems with the questions. “Question 3 (a) and 3 (b) will give the same answer,” he said.
After completing the written paper, the students were given a 10-minute break before returning to the exam halls to sit the listening exam.
This drew a happier reaction all round. “Cluastuiscint was much better received,” Mr Cronin added.
