In the Examwatch 2024 analysis, the Leaving Certificate examination for higher-level Mandarin Chinese is described as more complex than those of preceding years, with students needing a comprehensive understanding of the language. The Institute of Education’s Mandarin Chinese teacher, Yun Wu, stated that the third-ever Mandarin Chinese exam for the Leaving Cert involved a combination of critical skills and a deeper connection between language and culture.
The examination assessed the students’ competencies in different areas such as reading, grammar, and vocabulary from various perspectives. Though some minor alterations to the paper were observed, they didn’t contribute to an increase in difficulty.
In Section A, Ms Wu pointed out that the opening question on weather, time, and numbers was quite favourable. The clear questions tested applicable knowledge that would be beneficial if a student were to ever visit China.
The second question highlighted national gems in the form of animals, reflecting a thoughtful consideration of the students’ cultural background by the exam setters, as noticed by Ms Wu. The task related the familiar symbol of the Chinese panda to the black and white wool of Irish lambs, within the cultural context of the exam, testing the vocabulary of colours and the body.
Question 2 (E) was praised by Ms Wu for being excellent in evaluating students’ grasp of the Mandarin language’s logic, especially the understanding of the radical of each character. This understanding is crucial not only for knowing what to say but also why it is being said in that way, thereby strengthening the student’s foundation for extensive learning.
The exam’s fourth question, a translation task, debuted for the first time at higher level. Despite testing an essential skill, question 4 (F) called for a mature understanding for its solution.
According to Ms Wu, students were asked to contrast the email writing methods in English and Mandarin Chinese. Beginners might face difficulties in comprehending the different intentions, while those familiar with the language might struggle to articulate something they might subconsciously feel through English. She found the question achievable but still presenting an interesting and fair task to all students irrespective of their backgrounds.
In Section B, the examination commenced with three very practical writing prompts, as mentioned by Ms Wu.
Highlighting the key emphasis on common phrases likely to be used in everyday encounters, she explained that the initial two queries touched on aspects such as invitations and meetings. She mentioned that the fifth question required pupils to pen a detailed message to their companions, perhaps not a very accurate portrayal of a typical teenager’s communication style today. Nevertheless, the theme and terminology used were quite apt. Students who were unsure about how to structure their response could take cues from the email in the fourth question.
She continued to explain that the strategy of tailoring questions around students’ experiences was further pursued in the lengthier compositions of the sixth question. The introduction of ‘festivals’ as a topic under question 6 (A), was a novelty in these exams. However, its open-ended nature allowed learners to express their culture without restrictions. She said that any choice of festival, be it Chinese New Year, mid-autumn festival, St Patrick’s Day, or Christmas would be equally valid options.
Option (B) mirrored the resources furnished for the oral’s language portfolio section while making relevant updates about the completion of secondary school curriculum. Question (C) dealt with a topic – ‘the student’s family’, which should ideally be quite familiar to the students. She stressed that teachers often delve into this vocabulary in the early phases of Mandarin education, hence students could leverage that foundational knowledge.
Speaking in broader terms, Ms Wu mentioned that this exam was challenging in comparison to previous years, demanding a more detailed understanding of the Mandarin language among students. She assured though, that its complexity was mitigated by focusing a significant number of questions on the tangible experiences of a Mandarin learner in Ireland.