English

What is the subject about?

Leaving Certificate English builds on the aims of the Junior Certificate English syllabus, which emphasise the development of a range of literacy and oral skills in a variety of domains, personal, social, and cultural. In the Leaving Certificate course, students will be encouraged to develop a more sophisticated range of skills and concepts. These will enable them to interpret, compose, discriminate, and evaluate a range of material so that they become independent learners who can operate in the world beyond the school in a range of contexts

At Higher Level the study of a Shakespearean drama is compulsory. This may be chosen either for study as a single text or as an element in the comparative study of a group of texts.

How is the subject assessed?

The English course is assessed by the Written Examination which is worth full marks. It is broken into 2 papers.

I. Written Examination (100%)

Paper 1:

This paper will be specifically aimed at testing the comprehending and composing abilities of students. The paper will consist of one or more texts. A variety of texts will be used, e.g., a report, an argument, a poem, a picture, a story extract etc.

Higher and Ordinary Level students will be required to answer a number of comprehension questions, fulfil a functional writing task, and write an extended composition in a specific genre. In the composition students will be expected to demonstrate clearly their engagement with and understanding of the original text(s), reveal their own coherent, evaluative response to the text(s), and put forward their own view in a particular written genre.

Paper 2:

This paper will test students’ knowledge of and response to a range of texts. There will be Three Sections on this Paper.

o SECTION A: In-depth study of a single text

o SECTION B: Comparative study

o SECTION C: Poetry

Students are re-introduced to the study of poetry, novels and drama.

Students will sit Higher or Ordinary Level for the examination. At Higher Level, students are required to study 8 poets, 6 poems each.

At Ordinary Level, students will study a selection of poets with approximately 40 poems studied. Students will undertake a comparative study of 3 texts.

Additional Comments

  • –  By showing maximum effort in the English classroom, students are learning skills that can be adapted to all subjects.
  • –  The study of language and communication skills prepares students for the world of work outside of school.

Career Opportunities

– Journalism

–  Media

–  Author

–  Playwright

–  Directing

–  Publishing editor/proof-reader

–  Teaching

–  Social Media Managing

–  Advertising and Marketing

–  Law