Keano invites students to make their mark

IRELAND might not be playing in this month’s Euro 2004 tournament but soccer hero Roy Keane took his place in the limelight in yesterday’s Leaving Certificate.

Higher level English students saw the Manchester United captain waving to them from a section about work and play in their morning paper.

One of the questions allowed them write a letter to Mr Keane or any of the other pictured professionals, including actress Cameron Diaz and Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson. Doubtless, many students jumped at the chance to give their view of what appeals to them or does not about the work of those in the photographs.

While Keano's return to the international stage has been welcomed by most, the reappearance of poet Sylvia Plath in the afternoon higher level Leaving Cert paper did not warm the hearts of students whose money was on Emily Dickinson coming up.

But Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) English spokeswoman Sheila Parsons said no predictions can ever be certain. "Students have to do quite a number of poets, those that got caught might have been playing too close to the wind," she said.

She said there were a few surprises in Paper II but the morning's paper offered a good choice of essays and reading passages relevant to young people's lives.

Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) senior cycle English spokesman Michael Byrnes concurred about the emphasis the three texts placed on the importance of work and play.

"It contrasted well how some people have glamorous jobs and others find their jobs boring, as in the piece by DH Lawrence about a young man's first day at work," he said.

The consensus was that the ordinary level Leaving Cert English papers contained relevant reading passages and questions that were optimistic and appropriate. The texts included a short story about a poor New York couple in the early 20th century and an article about American billionaire Chuck Feeney.

At Junior Cert English, TUI spokesperson Bill Ryan thought higher level students might have had difficulty with Paper I questions on journalist Hugh Linehan's article about people who make noise at the cinema. "The essay titles were predictable, even though the exams are supposed to try and draw out the best in students. However, Paper II did engage them although it was difficult," said Mr Ryan.

While Ms Parsons agreed some elements of the higher papers were challenging, she said the ordinary level paper was lively and energetic, particularly the humorous extract about the Mona Lisa. Mr Ryan said the essay choices offered to ordinary level students, including dream holidays and favourite leisure activities, lacked originality.

Both teachers agreed that the foundation level Junior Cert English paper was tough, and said the format and questions could easily have been those of an ordinary level paper. Mr Ryan said the layout could have been more visually appealing and, although the paper was not hugely difficult, there were tricky questions.