The English and communications paper provided a good introduction to the exams for the nine Leaving Cert Applied students in Ard Scoil na nDeise, Dungarvan, Co Waterford.
LCA co-ordinator Ms Margaret Dennehy said the students were "quite challenged by the four ads shown to them in the audio-visual section. The questions tested their listening skills as well as their comprehension and observation skills." Their knowledge of advertising terminology was also tested with phrases such as "target audience" and "slogan" used.
"Students were very happy with the questions on work experience in the written section. They already had to deal with much of this in their oral English exam last week," she added. The LCA, which is being taken by some 2,500 students this year, is the only Leaving Cert which tests oral English skills.
In section two of yesterday's paper, students had to deal with a CERT recruitment ad. "This overlapped to some extent with vocational preparation and the hotel and catering specialism so students were very pleased," said Ms Dennehy. "However, as a teacher, I was a little disappointed on the emphasis on media."
The questions on the review of the film Saving Private Ryan entitled "Hope and Gory" tested comprehension as well as critical skills, she added.
In section three of the paper, students were asked to write a speech they would make to a gathering of local business people on "My experience of student enter- prise/mini-company". The format may have put some students off, said Ms Dennehy, but they were generally happy with the topic.
In the literature section, an extract from John B. Keane's The Field was given and more students in Ard Scoil na nDeise opted for this than for the novel or short story.
"Students were particularly pleased with the poem The Choos- ing by Liz Lochhead. They found it very accessible and they were able to compare it with others they had done during the year. The comprehension and language of literary criticism were also tested."
Mr John Mac Gabhann, TUI English representative, said students at Tallaght Community School found the time insufficient. "They were under dreadful pressure. Another half hour would have been very welcome," he added.
