Junior Cycle German: Common level paper may have challenged some students

The Junior Cycle German paper was accessible to the majority of students, but the new common level paper may have posed a challenge for some.

Clodagh Mackle, ASTI subject representative and a teacher at Holy Faith Secondary School in Clontarf, Dubin, said it may have stretched the “traditional ordinary level student.”

“The sample paper for the new specification, published in 2019, contained a fact file and a blog, but today’s paper contained a blog and two written questions.

“The instructions were not clear and students were unclear as to whether they should respond in the form of an email, text message or other medium.”

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Ms Mackle also said that a question asking students what they liked about school left many students unclear how to answer.

“The listening section was the nicest part of the paper and was doable for most students. In one part, the questions were asked in German which may have proved difficult for the ordinary level student.”

Ms Mackle said that the first few questions on the written paper were accessible to all, but the paper became more challenging as candidates progressed through it.

“My students were very happy with the reading section, where they matched words and pictures. The reading comprehensions included a topic on a small zoo by the zoo and a longer piece on how sport is fun. The last question had a sting in the tail as it asked them about grammar, but it’s good to see grammar being recognised on the paper.”

Try this one at home:

Junior Cycle German exam, common level

Your German exchange partner is coming to visit you in September. He/She has sent you the questions below.  Answer in German.   (a) Wo treffen wir uns, wenn ich ankomme? (b) Was für ein Geschenk kann ich deinen Eltern mitbringen? (c) Was muss ich für meine Irlandreise einpacken? (d) Wann ist mein erster Schultag an der Schule? (e) Was kann man an deinem Wohnort alles machen?