The higher-level home Leaving Cert economics paper was connected to the real and lived experiences of people in contemporary society, teachers have said.
“It was a fair reflection of a living subject,” said Sandra Cleary, a teacher at the Institute of Education. “Students leaving the exam hall today will likely be happy, satisfied that whatever work they did will have been fairly represented. The paper rewarded those with a forensic engagement with past papers and the curriculum.”
Linda Dolan, Studyclix.ie subject expert and a home economics teacher at Mercy College, Sligo, said that the paper was fair, but challenging in parts.
“The anticipated topic of carbohydrates hadn’t reared its head since 2017, but appeared in question one, which would have left teachers and students relieved.
“The manufacture of food products was a common trend in this year’s paper as the manufacture of yoghurt came up in question three, and the stages in the production of oil was seen in the core question four. This focus on food production and technology was also popular in last year’s short questions.”
On the short questions, Ms Cleary said that unlike last year, they were not overly focused. “This year’s group started this exam with a comprehensive selection that spanned awide variety of different topics. This rewarded those who paid attention to the entirety of the course while not unfairly penalising those who struggled with the full scale of the curriculum. The questions were clear, reasonable and unambiguous.”
Ms Cleary said that students who were alert to the relevance of the subject will have found “great opportunities to fuse their studies and lives in questions that prompted consideration beyond the textbook examples.”
Leaving Cert home economics (higher level) section A
Leaving Cert home economics (higher level) section B and C
On the ordinary level paper, Ms Dolan said that it was straightforward.
“A nice question on fruit and vegetables appeared in Q2 which required designing a three-course menu for a vegetarian.
“Question four on the family was also very doable. Overall, this paper would have put a smile on the faces of teachers and students alike.”
Try this one at home: Leaving Cert home economics, higher level
Q5: ‘The family is a dynamic, fluid, resilient and ever-changing fundamental institution of society.’ (Kristy Hawthorn)
(a) Discuss the role of the family in meeting the physical and psychological needs of young
children so that they will become well-adjusted adults in society. (20 marks)
(b) Analyse the impact of social, economic and technological changes on contemporary family structures. (18 marks)
(c) Describe two supports available to older family members and state how these supports help them to maintain their independence. (12 marks)
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