Remember that the scrúdú cainte represents a very large proportion of your overall Irish examination and should be prepared for on a daily basis in the weeks beforehand.

PREPARATION FOR THE SCRÚDÚ CAINTE

If you prepare slowly and comprehensively in advance you will gain confidence and no doubt be successful in the examination. Preparation should also take place outside class in addition to formal class preparation.

Note the following points as you prepare for your scrúdú cainte:

• Watch TG4 as often as possible.

• Watch An Nuacht.

• Listen to Raidió na Gaeltachta and Raidió na Life.

• Try to speak to your friends in Irish.

• During class always try to ask questions in Irish.

• Write out sample answers to some of the common questions asked in the scrúdú cainte.

• Take part in Irish debates.

Practice is the most important preparation for the scrúdú cainte. As you build confidence your fluency will improve. Often minor grammar mistakes will correct themselves once you gain confidence and become less self-conscious.

TOPICS TO PREPARE

SCHOOL: All areas associated with school are important to prepare for the examination. Pay close attention to the following topics:

• Áiseanna na scoile/ acilities in your school

• Seomraí na scoile/rooms in your school

• Rialacha na scoile/rules of the school

• Ábhair scoile/school subjects

• An Córas Oideachais/the education system

COLLEGE/CAREER: You should have prepared in some detail the college course or career you have chosen. Know the name of the course and college in Irish. You should be able to briefly describe the course and the main reasons you have chosen this area to study.

Possible questions:

• Cén obair ba mhaith leat a dhéanamh?

• Cén fáth?

• Cén saghas traenála a bheidh i gceist?

• An bhfuil an pá tábhachtach duit?

• An mbaineann aon mhíbhuntáistí leis an bpost sin?

AN GHAEILGE AGUS AN GHAELTACHT: It is important to prepare topics that may be of particular interest to the examiner in the scrúdú cainte. Your examiner may ask for your opinion on TG4 or Raidió na Gaeltachta. You should prepare some short answers on a few of your favourite programmes. If there are programmes that you dislike say why.

Possible questions:

An maith leat aon chlár ar TG4?

An raibh tú riamh sa Ghaeltacht?

SOCIAL ISSUES: Some students are concerned that the examiner may focus on social issues such as na teifigh (refugees), sceimhlitheoireacht (terrorism), fadhb na ndrugaí (drugs problem), an euro (the euro), an toghchán (the election), turasóireacht (tourism) and dífhostaíocht (unemployment). If you show an interest in any of these issues it is possible you may be asked some related questions. Always remember that the scrúdú cainte is not a knowledge-based test and if you have no interest in a topic tell the examiner. You could say: "Tá brón orm ach níl suim ar bith agam sna fadbhanna sóisialta ach tá an-suim agam i spórt."

NATHANNA CAINTE: It is useful to learn and use some nathanna cainte in the scrúdú cainte. These often show the examiner that you are confident and fluent. In some cases such expressions will give you a moment or two to think on a topic before you have to answer. Make a note of the following phrases:

• leis an fhírinne a rá - to tell the truth

• ní aontaím leis an tuairim sin - I do not agree with that view

• gan amhras - without doubt

• déarfainn - I would say

• ní dóigh liom go bhfuil - I do not think

• is deacair a rá dáirire - it is difficult to say really

• dá bhrí sin - therefore

• braitheann sé - it depends

GRAMADACH

There are 45 marks awarded to grammar in the scrúdú cainte. Ensure you have a good knowledge of regular and irregular verbs in the aimsir láithreach, aimsir fháistineach, aimsir chaite and modh coinníollach.

Try to use the same verb in answering the question that the examiner used in asking the question.

Ceist: An dtéann tú chuig an phictiúrlann go minic?

Freagra: Téim nó ní théim

Ceist: Céard a dhéanfaidh tú an bhliain seo chugainn?

Freagra: Déanfaidh mé céim eolaíochta

Avoid very short tá / níl /sea / ní hea answers. Try to say as much as possible on every topic that the examiner introduces. It would be wise to learn a wide range of adjectives.

Samplaí: corraitheach - moving/leadránach - boring/suimiúil - interesting/taitneamhach - enjoyable/spreagúil - inspiring

• Learn the following adjectives as they occur regularly in the scrúdú cainte.

óg - níos óige - is óige

sean - níos sine - is sine

beag - níos lú - is lú

mór - níos mó - is mó

• You may be asked your age or the age of family members in the examination so have these prepared in advance. It is also wise to prepare the following questions that relate to numbers:

Ceist: Cé mhéad atá sa teaghlach?

Freagra: Tá cúigear / seisear /seachtar / ochtar sa teaghlach

Ceist: Cé mhéad ábhar atá agat i mbliana?

Freagra: Tá seacht nábhar á ndéanamh agam i mbliana

Ceist: Cé mhéad atá sa scoil seo?

Freagra: Theart ar ocht gcéad / Theart ar sé chéad i mo scoilse

• It is very important to prepare the following questions in the aimsir fháistineach (future tense):

Ceárd a dhéanfaidh tú an samhradh seo chugainn?

Ceárd a dhéanfaidh tú an deireadh seachtaine seo chugainn?

Freagra: An samhradh seo chugainn rachaidh mé thar lear le mo chairde ar saoire. Tiocfaidh mé ar ais agus gheobhaidh mé post san ostán i mo cheantar. Beidh mé ag obair mar rúnaí. Ag deireadh an tsamhraidh tógfaidh mé sos agus ceannóidh mé na leabhair a bheidh ag teastáil don ollscoil.

Often examiners will ask one or two questions in the modh coinníollach or conditional tense. In your answer it is important to show a good range of regular and irregular verbs. The following are the most common questions asked:

Céard a dhéanfá dá mbuafá a lán airgid?

Céard a dhéanfá dá mbeifeá i do Thaoiseach?

Céard a dhéanfá dá mbeifeá i do Phríomhoide?

Freagra: Dá mbeinn i mo príomhoide thabharfainn leath lá do na daltaí gach seachtain. Rachainn thar lear leis na daltaí ar thuras scoile gach bliain. D'athróinn rialacha na scoile agus bheadh cead ag na daltaí teacht isteach ar a deich. Ní thabharfadh na múinteoirí mórán obair bhaile agus ní bheadh na daltaí faoi bhrú. Bheadh deireadh leis na héadaí scoile agus cead ag na daltaí gnáth éadaí a chaitheamh ar scoil.

CEISTEANNA SA SCRÚDÚ CAINTE

The scrúdú cainte is not a test of knowledge so facts and statistics on any topic are not required. It is a general conversation so you should try to direct the conversation towards topics in which you have an interest. At the beginning of the scrúdú cainte the following topics are often examined:

Do shaol/do theaghlach/do chairde - An Scoil - Caitheamh aimsirí - Áit chónaithe - An teilifís /an phictiúrlann - Spórt - An samhradh seo caite - An samhradh seo chugainn - An ollscoil agus rás na bpointí - An deireadh seachtaine/do shaol/gach lá/gach maidin - Laethanta saoire - Post sealadach - Daoine óga agus a bhfadhbanna - An saol thart timpeall orainn/cúrsaí reatha - An Lotto/cúrsaí airgid/cúrsaí reatha - Feirmeoireacht/An Tíogar Ceilteach - An Tuaisceart - Stailceanna/cearta daonna /cearta sibhialta - Foréigean/fadhbanna sóisialta

• These topics should be thoroughly prepared. Try to say as much as possible on each topic showing the examiner that you are confident and fluent.

• In your answers try to avoid lists as this does not show the examiner the level of your conversational Irish. Incorporate details into full sentences if possible. Also try to lead the conversation by informing the examiner of your interests thus hinting that you would like to discuss them in further detail.

• Try to be positive in your attitude throughout the scrúdú cainte. Examiners are very aware that you are very busy studying for your exams and that you may not have much spare time for extra curricular activities and other hobbies. If you are asked about your caitheamh aimsire, or pastimes, be prepared to discuss past, present or future hobbies, e.g. ones will resume once the Leaving Cert exams are over!

What should I do if I do not understand the question?

Do not panic! It is quite acceptable not to hear or understand a question clearly. Simply explain your problem and the examiner will repeat the question using different vocabulary.

You could say: "Tá brón orm ach níor thuig mé an cheist." or "Gabh mo leithscéal ach níor chuala mé an cheist."

If you have no interest in a question...

Don't pretend that you are interested because you may be asked questions that you cannot answer. Explain that you have no interest in that particular topic, but also state that you're interested in a number of other topics. If the examiner then wishes they may choose one of those topics.

Sampla: Ceist: An bhfuil suim agat i gcúrsaí timpeallachta?

Freagra: Caithfidh mé a rá nach bhfuil suim agam i gcursaí timpeallachta. Níl tíreolaíocht mar ábhar scoile agam ach oiread. De ghnáth ní bhím sa bhaile nuair a bhíonn an nuacht ar an teilifís chun na scéalta móra timpeallachta a chloisteáil.Ach tá an- suim agam i gcúrsaí spóirt agus imrím leadóg bhoird agus cispheil gach deireadh seachtaine sa chlub óige.

Go n-eirí an t-ádh leat!

EXAM STRUCTURE AND STRATEGY

150 marks are awarded for the scrúdú cainte, 25 per cent of the total marks for the Irish examination at Leaving Certificate. As such a significant percentage of marks are awarded for the oral examination, it is extremely important that you prepare carefully and comprehensively. There is no differentiation between higher and ordinary levels.

This year the examination will take place during one of two weeks:

April 15th - 19th or April 22nd - 26th.

The marks for the scrudú cainte are awarded as follows:

léitheoireacht prós 30 marc

scrúdú cainte cumas teanga (grammatical accuracy) 45 marc

stór gaeilge (range of vocabulary, fluency)75 marc

Total: 150 = 25%

Léitheoireacht

You are required to prepare five set passages, one of which the examiner will ask you to read in the scrúdú cainte. Foundation-level students are not required to read a passage.

Try to relax! Remember, if you are prepared this task should not prove too difficult. Remember that you may read from your own text in the scrúdú cainte.

Scrúdú cainte

Once you have completed the reading tasks the final and most important part of the examination is a general conversation. The total length of the examination should be 13 - 15 minutes.