English: The teacher's view

There have been no alterations to the English course since 2001, so studying the exam papers since then is an excellent preparation for the test ahead. You should notice the recent changes in character to the Prescribed Poetry questions on Paper 2, though. Last year, two of the questions asked candidates to discuss specific aspects of the poet's work: Frost as a poet of 'sadness' and Plath as 'intense and disturbing.'

For this type of question, you get marks only for material strictly relevant to the aspects mentioned. So be careful. The same applies to Single Text questions, by the way. Pay particular attention to the precise terms of the question or quotation here and avoid dropping chunks of memorised analysis into your answer; it will probably be irrelevant.

But you're a student of the English language. You're expected to examine the meaning and implications of words. Don't be intimidated. Confront each question on the paper by forcing it to reveal its meaning and focus to you. Too many candidates think too lazily about the questions themselves. You're also expected to express yourself decisively, vigorously and colourfully. Timidity is an unappealing trait in writing. On the other hand, you should never offer an opinion without supporting it with extensive reference to a text.

Final thoughts? More marks are lost as a consequence of not answering the question that was asked than through any other error. Each of your essays, creative or critical, must display a coherent development of a topic. The examiners are under instructions to reward evidence of engagement with the texts. You can't 'know' literature, in other words; you can only respond to it.

The above three points in bold print offer a rough guide to the Marking Scheme for English: respectively, Clarity of Purpose (P), which tests the relevance of your material, Coherence of Delivery (C), which tests the organisation of your material, and Efficiency of Language Use (L), which tests your written expression.

Jim Lusby first started teaching Leaving Certificate English in 1975. He is also a novelist, short story writer and playwright. He is a former winner of a Hennessy Literary Award for his short stories and his novels include Making the Cut (adapted by RTE as a television series) and, most recently, Serial. He is a regular contributor to annual Exam Brief and 2FM’s annual Leaving Certificate programme ‘Countdown to 606’.

- Jim Lusby, English Teacher