Overview:

The course provides skills and the appropriate preparation for the senior school cycle. Principally three areas are covered: language, culture/literature and the acquisition of the requisite skills for independent learning. As regards language, emphasis is placed on the ability of the pupils to express their own thought through the medium of Irish and this is achieved by their participation in interschool debates, multimedia presentations and short video which the pupils themselves create.

Course Content:

In the first term the pupils choose from their personal project for the year. They are given a reasonably wide-ranging choice of topics from cultural events, historical matters, sport, the geography of Ireland and subjects may also be chosen because of a personal interest such as: their family tree, their parents’ company, or the achievements of their relatives. The main focus of the project is the development of effective communication skills through the medium of Irish. In the second term special work is carried out to develop the spoken and aural skills of the pupils. Included are elements of functional grammar which are considered to be an integral part of any such process. Pupils are given exercises to improve both their active and passive vocabularies, written and reading assignments along with competitive strategies that are organized in pair-work or in group-learning activities. In regard to literature and culture, pupils are presented with texts and commentaries that are considered to be of interest to teenagers. In the second set, a detailed study is made of life on the Blasket Islands at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries. In the third term, pupils in the higher set prepare a play in Irish which is performed by them in front of the whole school at the Modern Language Plays Festival that is held annually here at the College. The pupils’ performance on an individual basis is assessed by formal examinations in both the Michaelmas and Hilary terms but in the final Trinity term, their work is primarily assessed on the quality and presentation of their personal projects.

Teaching & Learning:

Various teaching methodologies are employed in the classroom. Sometimes the classes are teacher-led but on other occasions, the pupils are encouraged to work in groups or in pairs. An effort is constantly made to keep all the pupils engaged, active and curious about the work they are doing. The general aim of the teacher in any class is to identify the most effective learning strategy that will work with the particular dynamic and general demeanour of each and every class.

Assessment:

(60%) of the total assessment is based on oral competency during activities such as: presentations, debates, class talks and participation in plays & videos; (10%) is based on aural tests and (30%) on written tests and examinations.