The start of examinations proved a tough hurdle for junior cycle learners, the two-hour English session covered a broad scope of subjects and abilities, according to teachers. Laura Daly, an expert in subjects at Studyclix.ie and an educator at St Benildus College, Dublin, highlighted the consistently demanding timing scale for the higher-standard examination.
All four primary subjects that were studied were present – Shakespeare and a choice of a novel in the first section while poetry and film studies were contained in section three. To the relief of many candidates, unfamiliar poetry was not included.
Kate Barry, a subject representative of ASTI and a teacher at Loreto Secondary School, Fermoy, believes that the difficulty level of the paper was consistent with previous years. She suggests that learners were largely satisfied and that there were multiple choices available. However, she noted that given the broad coverage of the material compared to the old Junior Cert, it can be challenging to delve into topics deeply. She suggested focusing on fewer areas but in much greater detail. For the second consecutive year, students weren’t required to answer a compulsory question on Shakespeare, providing a choice between Shakespeare and the studied novel.
The paper featured an excerpt from a Shakespeare play, Timon of Athens. According to Ms Barry, learners were required to interpret the excerpt and compose a speech recommending Timon for the ‘person of the year’. The task required students to demonstrate skills in speech composition, inference from text and familiarity with Shakespeare’s language, all within a single question.
Ms Daly also expressed concern about the marking scheme, with over 40 percent allocated to Shakespeare’s drama or the chosen novel. She noted that highly specific questions related to character traits through costumes were demanding, but this was offset with broader, more student-friendly questions about relationships.
Additionally, reading comprehension exercises in both sections two and three were considered manageable for most pupils. However, subsequent queries regarding dialogue and stylistic language could have presented problems for some. The ultimate question regarding a crucial scene in a film study would have provided a welcome respite at the test’s conclusion.
Regarding the standard level paper, Ms Daly commended it for providing a comprehensive range of questions.
Though it provided potential complex queries, the manuscript presented certain matters that can be viewed as vague, such as the poster titled ‘What to Wear in Antarctica’. In addition, there was an unidentified poem that was not part of the advanced level paper. The picture description query found in the examined poetry section could induce bewilderment among some learners because of the film-related language involved,” she explained.
For personal trial: English for middle school
Illustrate a moment in the movie you reviewed that possesses a strong ambiance and detail how the movie’s creators brought about this ambiance.