Irish is generally the third most studied subject out of all the possibilities for the Leaving Certificate Examinations. It is important that you first understand the breakdown of the Irish leaving certificate subject so that you can best prepare for the aural component of the examination.
The Irish Leaving Certificate Exam has three components.
The oral, the written and the aural, also known as the listening part. Notably, the Leaving Cert Irish oral assessment is 40%, while the aural exam is 10% and the written part is 50%.
My aim for this article is to leave you with some clarity on what you can expect from the Irish Leaving Cert Exam and some actionable steps that you can employ in your preparations to help you get the grade you deserve.
Gaeilge, which is what the language is often referred to, is a subject that most students in the Irish education system start studying from primary school all the way up to secondary school, as it is generally compulsory for students to take.
It is beneficial to underline keywords and verbs from the question because students must give their responses in Irish in the exam, which can be a good thing. After all, you do not necessarily have to know the meaning of the answer you are writing.
Undoubtedly, the Leaving Cert is a competition between students to secure their place in their dream course by getting the highest number of points. In this article, I will provide a breakdown of the Irish aural test to help you accomplish just that!
Maximising your Potential in the Listening Exam
It’s easy to throw the listening exam to one side with the volume of work that is required for the assessment. By giving the assessment the preparation it deserves, you can set yourself up for success.
You’ll want to secure high marks in each component of the assessment in order to separate yourself from other students sitting the paper.
The key to excelling in the Irish Listening Exam lies in immersing yourself in the language and practising as regularly as your schedule allows.
The best way to begin is by familiarising yourself with common exam keywords like 'cad' (what), 'cén fáth' (why), 'cé' (who), and 'cá' (where). These words will help you identify the context of what's being asked during the test.
Your revision shouldn’t just be done inside the classroom. Learning from a variety of resources by immersing yourself in Irish media to improve your listening comprehension. Tune into RTE news, movies, TV shows, music, and podcasts to train your ear to the language's rhythms and nuances.
If you have the chance, consider spending some time in an Irish-speaking Gaeltacht area to throw yourself in the deep end and practice speaking with locals with different accents. If you are living along the west of Ireland then you are likely within close proximity of a Gaeltacht region.
This is a great opportunity to brush up on some of the material that you would have revised in the classroom or prepare for that looming assessment.
A helpful way to get ready is to practice with past papers and audio recordings. This will help you get used to the assessment structure and assist you in recognizing common themes and vocabulary.
During the test, it's important to try all sections, even if you're uncertain about the answers. No points are taken off for getting an answer wrong, so it's better to guess than leave a section blank!
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What Topics Are Covered in the Irish Leaving Cert Aural?
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The Gaeilge listening assessment is marked out of 60. The aural is the first component of the exam and is conducted after the oral is completed.
Essentially, the exam is divided into Paper One and Paper Two, so the aural exam is on Paper One, which carries 160 marks in total. The aural itself goes on for about 20 minutes.
The test is divided into three sections: Cuid A, Cuid B and Cuid C. Each part is then subdivided into two sections. For each cuid, you will hear the sub-divided sections twice, then all the way through, and then lastly with breaks like the first time. You will know when the speaker is finished with each section because there will be a long beep.
Overall, it is evident that the topics that come up in the aural assessment are unpredictable because of how diverse it is, which is why it is necessary to familiarise yourself with Irish words. The potential topics are broad but are quite repetitive from past papers, so it is a good idea to practice listening to past higher level papers.
Common Questions that Feature in the Listening Exam
The listening test in Irish usually includes conversational dialogue to assess your understanding of the language. These questions are commonly found in the clips. Being able to identify and understand them can boost your chances of scoring well. To prepare effectively, focus on revising the following:
Get to know the numbers, dates, and times in Gaeilge. These often appear in exams, and being able to identify them can make it easier for you to score points.
Learn the terms for days of the week, months, and numbers and practice them verbally. For example, "Dé Luain, an cúigiú lá d'Aibreán" (Monday, the fifth of April) or "A leath uair tar éis a naoi a chlog" (Half past nine). Repetition is key to solidifying your grasp of these concepts.
Ireland has many interesting place names that might show up on the assessment. Make sure to review the names of counties, towns, and famous spots throughout the country. Focus on how to say and spell these names correctly, especially since they can be tricky for people who aren't native speakers.
Conversations in the assessment often mention various professions and occupations. Ensure you're familiar with the Irish terms for common job titles, such as "múinteoir" (teacher), "dochtúir" (doctor), or "garda" (police officer). Understanding these terms can provide valuable context clues during the assessment.
By immersing yourself in the language and practising consistently, you'll enhance your ability to pick up and understand these aspects during the assessment, which could help increase your score.
Pay special attention to the Donegal dialect, as it features many "ú" sounds that can be challenging to comprehend. Words ending in "adh" or "amh" are often pronounced with an "ú" sound in this dialect. This dialect is infamous for catching people off guard in the test, so best make sure that you aren’t going to be one of them!
Strategies for Success in the Irish Listening Exam
Mastering the assessment will require the right approach, along with a lot of practice! When it comes to squeezing every mark out of your test, there are a number of best practice strategies that will help you accomplish this.
It’s easy to get excited after reading a prompt that you feel you know the response to and jump right into your response. You should pace yourself and ensure that you carefully review what is being asked of you.
Understanding the marking criteria should be a big part of your response mapping. This helps you tailor your response to the area where marks are being awarded.
If it’s not already at the centre of your strategy, you’ll have to pay particular attention to the listening component of the Gaeilge mock test. This is an exam that has been constructed with the Leaving Cert in mind.
Reflecting on these outcomes can uncover errors like poor time management or misinterpretation of what's being asked.
It is also vital to practice listening to speakers and using tools like the Studyclix Aural Revision Tool, which can be extremely helpful. A useful technique is to highlight words in questions to stay focused and identify information.
Preparing for the assessment is also crucial since the topics discussed may appear in Paper 1 as well. Students are advised to practice speaking Gaeilge with friends, expand their vocabulary and phrases, and emphasize delivering quality responses over quantity.
When the day is over, what really matters is practising regularly and having a plan to succeed in the Irish Exam. By sticking to these strategies, students can boost their self-assurance and increase their chances of reaching their desired outcomes.
Ace your Irish listening exam with Superprof!
Have you considered collaborating with a tutor, either face-to-face or through sessions? A tutor can offer support, feedback, and practice sessions designed specifically for the test structure.
They can also assist you in pinpointing areas that require improvement and provide tips to boost your abilities.
Save yourself the hunt for a suitable Gaeilge tutor and streamline the process with Superprof. The platform allows you to refine your search according to the background, hourly rate, and proximity of the tutors who list their services in the area.
Having a mentor to work through Leaving Cert Irish solutions alongside is perhaps one of the more effective methods for preparing for that final exam. If you are solely interested in improving your conversational skills then a tutor can help by providing you with essential vocabulary and verbs that you can rely on for general conversation.
There are many tutors on Superprof who are willing to give you more tips on succeeding in the Gaeilge aural. Some of the tutors on Superprof even come from some of the country's Gaeltacht areas.
The tutors have different abilities in the language and different methods of helping students improve their comprehension and Gaeilge skills.
Your tutor can speak Irish to you, and you can translate it back to them, or you could go through Irish questions with them to help you succeed. Also, they can guide your learning of Irish according to the curriculum.
There are many ways to improve your grade for the aural assessment, and there are several resources to help. Why not kickstart your journey towards acing the assessment today? The right teacher for you is only a few clicks away!
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