The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has defended the inclusion of a question on short stories that sparked controversy in the Junior Cycle English paper on the basis that it was “fully within the scope” of the curriculum.
In Wednesday’s Junior Cycle English exam at higher level, candidates were asked to respond to a question about “any short story they had studied”. It was worth 15 marks from a total of 180 marks for the exam.
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However, many students reported that they had not studied any short stories during their three years of the Junior Cycle and left the question blank, while parents reported that children felt upset and confused in the middle of their first ever State exam.
While many teachers have covered short stories, others said they have not on the basis that they struggle to cover the full curriculum of the revised Junior Cycle English specification, which has been examined for all candidates since 2017. A question on short stories has not come up in the exam in recent years.
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A SEC spokesman said it was assured that the questions was “fully within the scope of the specification and in keeping with the aims, objectives and learning outcomes for Junior Cycle English.”
The spokesman said its exam papers and draft marking schemes are developed through a “rigorous development process” and those involved are “experts in the subject who are also experienced teachers.”
The spokesman also noted that the Junior Cycle English specification includes guidelines for teachers on the choice of texts which should be studied by students in first year, and by those in second and third year.
“The specification includes short stories among the texts which must be studied by students in both first and second/third year,” he said.
In addition, he pointed to the Department of Education list of prescribed materials for the second and third year of Junior Cycle English which issued to schools in 2022 for those sitting this year’s exam.
This circular states that “second and third year students MUST study texts as described” and includes “a number of short stories” in the list of texts.
In the case of novels, films and dramas to be studied for examination, teachers choose from those on the prescribed lists as set out in the circular. In the case of poetry, short stories, and non-literary texts teachers have the freedom to choose specific examples.
The spokesman noted that “commentary and correspondence on the examinations from students, parents, teachers, professional bodies, and other interested parties” will be reviewed by the subject’s chief examiner in the context of preparing the marking scheme,
“The approach taken by the SEC to the development of marking schemes ensures consistency in the marking and fairness to all candidates. The marking scheme will be published, as will the marking schemes in all other subjects, after the issue of the Junior Cycle results.
About 60,000 students sat the higher level Junior Cycle English paper. While some teachers described the inclusion of the question as a “curveball”, most overall said they were happy with a “balanced” and “fair” exam.
