22,000 students clean up with home economics exams

Almost 22,000 students ended the second week of Junior Certificate 2013 with home economics exams.

Maura McCaul of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) said both papers covered a broad range of issues and were fair, but ordinary-level students were probably asked about more topical subjects.

The higher-level exam nonetheless featured plenty aspects of modern living, like income deductions, the impact of alcohol abuse in the home, and fire safety measures. She liked a question on nutrition and vegetarian diets, and said a straightforward question on the female reproductive system linked with the curriculum for science and in social, personal, and health education.

The ordinary-level paper asked about how to deal with bullying and conflict with parents, as well as questions on packaging and water conservation which Ms McCaul thought very relevant to everyday living.

- Almost 8,400 students entered for Leaving Certificate construction studies and Brian Doran of the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI), said the higher-level exam was in tune with current trends and issues affecting everyday life.

Asti’s Noel Scott said questions had an even mix of modern green-technology issues and more traditional topics like plumbing and architectural design. He praised a question asking for students’ thoughts on an article about passive homes and environmentally sustainable housing.

He said the ordinary-level paper was suited for students at this standard, with questions on housing insulation, plumbing systems, and site safety. Mr Doran thought the broad range of topics examined suited most well-prepared students.

- The listening test for the Junior Certificate German exam was considered well-paced for students at all levels by TUI spokeswoman Scatha Ní Fhearghail. She said the ordinary-level written paper was well-pitched with clear language.

She said higher-level candidates got an accessible exam with a nice letter question replying to an Austrian pen pal after a recent stay in hospital. Although a comprehension piece may have been tough as the new geocaching hobby featured was likely to be unfamiliar, Ms Ní Fhearghail said questions on it were fair.

ASTI’s Barbara Capper said the comprehensions directly referenced the syllabus, although teachers also felt the geocaching topic required a high level of flexibility from students.

She said ordinary-level students were also examined on very fair comprehension pieces on topics like pets, food, and drink. A letter question was in line with expectations and there was a very answerable question about a summer camp.

Ms Capper said the higher-level Leaving Certificate German paper contained interesting reading passages, although the first one needed close attention. A piece about house exchanges was a nice topic, but some questions required students to think outside the box.

The ASTI spokesperson thought the picture story on the ordinary-level exam needed a certain level of cultural awareness, but all three texts were fine with clear questions.