The New Junior Cycle

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The New Junior Cycle An Introduction
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Starting in September, your son/daughter will do
the current Junior Certificate exam in all
subjects except English. Those exams will follow
the same format as currently exists, with results
released in September 2017
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In English, however, they will be examined
according to the new Junior Cycle format.
Students will receive the Junior Cycle Student
Award in autumn 2017 assessing their performance
in English
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This is the first student group to be examined
under the new Junior Cycle formatOther subjects
will move to the new format in the years to come,
but for your son/daughter, English will be the
only subject following the new format over their
three years
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Why change to the new Junior Cycle format?
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ESRI Research showed the following

• 2nd year students being taught to the test.
• Large minority of these students disengaging
• This disengagement not just a phase
• Negative impact of teaching to the test on
  teaching methodologies
• Narrow range of assessment activity
• Too much teaching to the test
• Too much rote learning

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PISA survey results

• A need to focus on literacy and numeracy
• A need for connections and progression

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In English, one of the big changes is that
students will now be taught key skills in their
subject. Many teachers have taught a lot of the
key skills indirectly over the years, but now the
curriculum is being set up in a way to promote
these skills as much as possible
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The key skills
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In recent months, the staff have begun to work on
incorporating the first of these key skills into
all subject department plans. This will ensure
that not only are the key skills taught in
English, but that staff can begin to teach
promote them in all subjects for next years
first year students
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Why are key skills so important?
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- Students are more engaged- Learning is more
effective- Students are aware of themselves as
learners- Students think critically for
themselveshttp//vimeo.com/ncca/review/16471534/
a4633287e3
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What are the main differences between English and
all other subjects next year?

• Their certification at the end of the process
  will be different
• They will be assessed differently at the end of
  their three year cycle. 40 of their marks will
  be allocated for Continuous Assessment. This 40
  will be spread across two tasks in second third
  year
• The remaining 60 will be assessed by one written
  paper in June 2017. This will be linked to
  students engagement with texts in 2nd 3rd year

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All their other subjects will follow the current
Junior Certificate model
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