Glossary: Ordinary level – basic level; upper level; verbal test – spoken test; regrettably – sadly/unfortunately; readiness – preparation; scripted exam – written examination; verse – poem; capacity – skill.
The spoken test – also recognised as the oral test – has been a significant component of the Leaving Certificate Irish test since 1960, much to our pleasure.
The Irish test offers 600 marks in total, with 240 dedicated to the oral component which forms 40 percent of the overall score.
It only takes 30 per cent to triumph at the upper level, while a basic level success mandates a 40 per cent score. This distinction matters, but regretfully, it doesn’t thoroughly measure the students’ skill in speaking Irish.
Within the existing methodology, the oral test can be attempted, and aced, solely by relying on rote memorization.
Merely issuing a greeting to the invigilator, an act of mere seconds and absolutely no complexity, and then reciting a verse is all it takes. Recite a verse, clearly, right there in front of you!
Express a verse that you’ve had the opportunity to learn in the last two years!
The curriculum only includes five verses and there’s no obligation to commit them to memory. They’re also presented to you during the written examination, except for the forty-eight potential verses that could be a part of the English test.
Then, we have the picture series. For me and every other student nationwide, along with their educators, these are an anathema and a waste of time.
In more recent times, we only have had ten possibilities come up.
They don’t assess any linguistic skills. Most students simply memorise the vocabulary they need, then proceed to immediately forget about it once the examination is over.
The core part of the examination that assesses student’s competency and fluency is conversation; it’s rather conspicuous from the get-go if they are adept in Irish or, sadly, if they aren’t.
In preparation for the conversation section, phrases can be memorized, idioms identified, proverbs committed to memory, but the entirety can’t be fully prepared for in advance of being in the examination room.
You cannot anticipate the questions the examiner might pose, hence, a substantial knowledge of Irish is necessary to respond to any potential enquiries. The dialogue allows pupils to utilise various weathers and grammar techniques, which aids in vocabulary expansion and grammar enhancement.
Illustration series and poetic recitations do not yield any benefits in language comprehension while exerting considerable pressure on learners. Rather than enhancing language proficiency, learners use their time memorising how to elucidate certain images.
A recitation of poetry is laughable, in my opinion. It’s a task anyone can accomplish.
Conversational exercises provide learners with a platform to express themselves, address unpredicted queries and hone their auditory skills. This mirrors real-world conversations. No one would reasonably expect you to recite a verse in a casual chat.
It’s a common observation that pupils in this nation obtain a superior standard in modern European languages during their school years. They finish secondary level education with a reasonable level of fluency, but lack the ability to construct a sentence in Irish.
Therefore, there should be a similarity between the Irish syllabus and those of other languages, to provide an equal opportunity for learners to attain the same proficiency across languages. The curriculum should adhere to the guidelines set out by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (FTCE), ensuring a uniform approach to teaching all European languages.
Regrettably, the fact that Irish is a contemporary European language is often overlooked. Its global status should be echoed within the educational framework.
Undeniably, Irish holds a national and European position, given its constitutional recognition. The teaching system must be reformed to produce generations capable of advocating the language as it deserves.
During my teastas Eorpach na Gaeilge oral examination (the certificate aligned with the FTCE), there was a different conversational facet involved.
A set of unseen pictures, similar to image sequences, formed part of the test.
A binary union needs to be established and the analogies/contrasts between them ought to be examined. The proposition posits that this process would surpass the significance of strata, whilst retaining their intrinsic structure to enrich the oratory examination beyond a mere interaction.
For instance, an allocation of 160 points could be endorsed for the dialogue portion, while the residual 80 points conserved for the outlined activity. This system would facilitate students’ acquisition of a broad spectrum of superior idioms, sentence structures, and vocabulary in addition to thoroughly comprehending the grammatical norms.
Moreover, it promises to terminate the grave and concerning trend of rote learning that has surfaced of late. The introduction of these modifications is a straightforward task and shall exert a considerable amount of pressure on the scholars.
Furthermore, it presents an opportunity for boosting the popularity of our national language, Irish, treasured as the most precious heritage in our culture, especially among the younger generation.
* The above content is provided by Eimear Nic Dhonnchadha, a student in her 5th year of study.