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Impact of Revised Oral Irish Examination at Leaving Certificate Level

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Impact of Revised Oral Irish Examination at Leaving Certificate Level 2017 Impact of Revised Oral Irish Examination at Leaving Certificate Level Research Report Máirtín Ó Curraoin 9/5/2017 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS NCCA National Council for Curriculum and Assessment HL Higher Level OL Ordinary Level DES Department of Education and Skills SEC State Examinations Commission DEIS Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools 1 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Allocation of Marks in the Leaving Certificate Irish Examination in 2011 (HL) 7 Table 2: Allocation of Marks in the Leaving Certificate Irish Examination in 2012 and Thereafter (HL) 7 Table3: Allocation of Marks in the Leaving Certificate Irish Examination in 2011 (OL) 8 Table 4: Allocation of Marks in the Leaving Certificate Irish Examination in 2012 and Thereafter (OL) 8 Table 5: Original Oral Examination Structure (2011 and Preceding Years) 10 Table 6: Revised Oral Examination Structure (2012 and Thereafter) 10 Table 7: List of Schools Accepted by the NCCA 14 Table 8: Scoring of Students’ Understanding of Reading Comprehension Material 18 Table 9: Scoring of Students’ Understanding of Aural Material 19 Table 10: Comparison Between Performance of Male and Female Students in 2011 and 2015 33 Table 11: Comparison Between Performance of Students in Irish-Medium Schools in 2011 and 2015 (Oral) 34 Table 12: Comparison Between Performance of Students in English-Medium Schools in 2011 and 2015 (Oral) 37 Table 13: Comparison Between Performance of Students in Irish-Medium Schools in 2011 and 2015 (Written) 50 Table 14: Comparison Between Performance of Students in English-Medium Schools in 2011 and 2015 (Written) 53 2 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Comparison Between Range of Topics Discussed in 2011 and 2015) 21 Figure 2: Comparison Between Spontaneity in Conversation in 2011 and 2015 22 Figure 3: Comparison Between Reading Pronunciation in 2011 and 2015 23 Figure 4: Comparison Between Reading Rhythm in 2011 and 2015 24 Figure 5: Comparison Between understanding of Questions Pertaining to Immediate environment in 2011 and 2015 25 Figure 6: Comparison Between Understanding of Questions Pertaining to Topics Outside Immediate Environment in 2011 and 2015 26 Figure 7: Comparison Between Range of Vocabulary in 2011 and 2015 27 Figure 8: Comparison Between Range of Phrases in 2011 and 2015 28 Figure 9: Comparison Between Accuracy of Verbs in the Indicative Mood in 2011 and 2015 29 Figure 10: Comparison Between Accuracy of Verbs in the Conditional Mood in 2011 and 2015 30 Figure 11: Comparison Between Accuracy of Verbs in Indirect Speech in 2011 and 2015 30 Figure 12: Comparison Between Grammatical Accuracy in Relation to the Correct Use of Nouns, Pronouns, Prepositions, Prepositional Pronouns, Adjectives etc. 31 Figure 13: Comparison Between Handling of Essay Topic in 2011 and 2015 38 Figure 14: Comparison Between Accuracy of Verb Use in 2011 and 2015 39 Figure 15: Comparison Between Accuracy of Preposition Use in 2011 and 2015: 40 Figure 16: Comparison Between Accurate Use of Genitive Case in 2011 and 2015 41 Figure 17: Comparison Between Spelling Accuracy in 2011 and 2015 41 Figure 18: Comparison Between Accuracy of Syntax in 2011 and 2015 42 Figure 19: Comparison Between Question Comprehension in Aural in 2011 and 2015: 43 Figure 20: Comparison Between Language Quality in Aural in 2011 and 2015 43 Figure 21: Comparison Between Spelling Accuracy in Aural in 2011 and 2015: 44 Figure 22: Comparison Between Understanding of Questions in Reading Comprehension in 2011 and 2015 45 Figure 23: Comparison Between Quality of Language when Answers Given in Own Words in Reading Comprehension in 2011 and 2015 46 Figure 24: Comparison Between Quality of Language in Literature Questions in 2011 and 2015 47 3 Contents SECTION ONE: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 6 General Introduction........................................................................................................................................ 6 Background to Research Study ........................................................................................................................ 6 Reactions to the Revised Marking Scheme ...................................................................................................... 9 Revised Oral Irish Component of the Leaving Certificate Examination ......................................................... 10 SECTION TWO: THE RESEARCH STUDY............................................................................................................... 11 Research Aims ................................................................................................................................................ 11 The Research Team ........................................................................................................................................ 12 Research Sample ............................................................................................................................................ 14 Students’ Oral Examination Material ......................................................................................................... 14 Students’ Written Examination Material ................................................................................................... 14 The Oral Examination ..................................................................................................................................... 15 Research Questions Pertaining to Oral Component .................................................................................. 15 Research Approach .................................................................................................................................... 16 Research Instruments ................................................................................................................................ 16 The Written Examination ............................................................................................................................... 17 Research Questions Pertaining to Written Component ............................................................................ 17 Research Approach .................................................................................................................................... 18 Research Instruments ................................................................................................................................ 20 SECTION THREE: RESULTS OF ANALYSIS OF ORAL MATERIAL ............................................................................ 21 Range of Conversation Topics ........................................................................................................................ 21 Spontaneity in Conversation .......................................................................................................................... 22 Reading Elements .......................................................................................................................................... 23 Understanding of Questions Pertaining to Immediate Environment ............................................................ 24 Understanding of Questions Pertaining to Areas Outside of Immediate Environment ................................ 25 Range of Vocabulary ...................................................................................................................................... 27 Range of Phrases ............................................................................................................................................ 28 Grammatical Accuracy ................................................................................................................................... 28 Performance of Male and Female Students .................................................................................................. 32 Performance of Irish-Medium Students ........................................................................................................ 34 Performance of English-Medium Students .................................................................................................... 36 SECTION FOUR: RESULTS OF ANALYSIS OF WRITTEN MATERIAL ....................................................................... 38 Composition Ability ........................................................................................................................................ 38 Quality of Written Composition ..................................................................................................................... 39 Question Comprehension in Aural Examination ............................................................................................ 42 4 Quality of Aural Examination Answers .......................................................................................................... 43 Spelling Accuracy in Aural Examination Answers .......................................................................................... 44 Understanding of Reading Comprehension ................................................................................................... 45 Quality of Answers to Reading Comprehension Questions ........................................................................... 46 Quality of Answers to Literature Question ...................................................................................................
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