Spanish and metalwork challenge exam candidates

Metalwork and Spanish were on the timetable for Junior Certificate students yesterday.

Robbie Cronin of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland said the higher level Spanish paper was fine, with a variety of reading comprehensions.

One of his students at Marian College in Ballsbridge in Dublin, said it was challenging but do-able.

Students felt the letter was disjointed, particularly the last point about two things they like and one they dislike about their school, as it did not seem to fit in with the rest of the exam.

The listening test was also reported to have been quite hard, he said.

lThe ASTI’s metalwork spokesman, Donal Cremin, thought both higher and ordinary level papers were fine exams, with internet inventor Timothy Berners-Lee’s contribution to technology among the questions for honours candidates.

He said the exam required students to apply knowledge of many aspects of engineering technology, and good use was made of graphics and photographs.

Students needed good design and problem-solving skills for a question about making a doorway wheelchair accessible.

Metalwork students had designed and made a model Chinook helicopter for their course work earlier in the year, and a question on that topic would have proved popular.

Elsewhere, a full question asked for comparisons of the design, safety, and environmental features of vintage and modern trains.

Mr Cremin said that the ordinary level exam was appropriately challenging and students were given good stimuli with the use of modern graphics and photos.

He thought that a full question on the use of engineering technology in sport brought a very modern approach to the paper, and it should have actively engaged students.