Leaving Certificate French Oral
Ellen O'Rourke - Higher Level French Oral
Word of advice: Eat a good breakfast on the day of the exam. It sounds like such a clichéd, teacher-y thing to say, but trust me, I learned the hard way. I thought I'd get into the spirit of things with a pain au chocolat and a cup of really strong coffee to start the day. Bad idea. I was starving all day and all I wanted to do was stress eat. On top of that, when my palms were sweating and heart was hammering in the run up to the exam, I put it down to nerves - but it was probably just the caffeine! Next time, I'll go for porridge s'il vous plaît.I put lots of pressure on myself in the weeks leading up to the exam - I need at least a B in French for the course I want - until someone said something which made me see it in a whole different way: 'the most important thing to have is confidence'. It's true - 50% of the marks are going for communication and pronunciation, which can't be learned from a book, and can easily go down the drain if you're a bit wobbly on the day. I began to relax a bit then, and trust all the work that I've put in over the last few years. To prepare, I wrote paragraphs on everything from l'uniforme to l'avenir, recorded myself saying them, and listened to it tous le temps. I don't even remember learning it, it just sort of osmosis-ed in and I was able to spiel it all off on the day. There was a number of benefits to this- I knew I had my grammar and phrases on point because they came straight from my notes, but there were also a few pitfalls; whenever she asked a question that I hadn't prepared, it sort of threw me off my flow, and then when I didn't get through all the stuff I had prepared, I became frustrated with myself. Not the best way to learn a language, I know now, but it worked. The other way to do it is completely wing it, which worked insanely well for one of my friends. While her french is not parfait, she made the examiner laugh and had general banter, which will get her a high grade no doubt.I did my document on my trip to France which I found immensely helpful. I had all the vocab on la gastronomie, le paysage, les differences etc and was able to recite word for word what I had prepared for a solid three minutes. This led to some questions on the importance of languages including "est qu'il y a beaucoup de débouchés pour les jeunes?" which really stumped me. I panicked and said "oui c'est trés important", which seemed to get me off the hook (I later was informed by my French friend that déboucher can mean to open up, uncork, or very very rarely, job opportunities...).It's finally over – it’s so strange to think, all those years of studying and travelling and speaking in French – not to mention pages and pages of notes (sorry rain-forest!) – and it all comes down to a ten minute conversation with a stranger.It could have gone better I feel, but then again it could have gone worse. Il faut voir la vie en rose - comme on dit en francais.Please note: Blog posts reflect the opinion of the author and not necessarily the opinion of the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union. If you are interested in becoming an ISSU Exam Blogger, contact info@issu.ie with your name, school year and mobile contact details.
Press Statement: Mental Health Funds
PRESS STATEMENT 20th April 2016
The National Student Executive of the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (ISSU) is highly concerned in relation to the proposed reallocation of €12 million mental health funds. They are advocating for the reintroduction of guidance counsellors to all second-level schools.Speaking this morning, Rob O’Donnell (President) said;“All efforts should be made to protect every young person within their time in second-level education. The mental health of students is of the utmost concern, and we are deeply concerned with the proposed cutbacks to funding. Guidance counsellors, teachers and school management are already under extreme pressure due to education cutbacks. Adding this cutback will be a huge step backwards in a time when there is wide recognition for the need of adequate nationwide mental health services.”***ENDS***Contact ISSU Main Office 01 443 4461 / communications@issu.ie
ISSU NSE 2016-2017
ISSU National Student Executive 2016-2017Election ResultsInternational Officer: Ellen O' RourkeCampaigns and Communications Officer: Chloe GriffinIrish Language Officer: Liam MorrisStudent Council Support Officer: Kate LehaneWelfare and Equality Officer: Joe MeeEducation Officer: David BoyceSecretary: Alex FogartyHon. President: Rob O'DonnellDeputy President: Cárthach ó FaoláinPresident: Jane M. Hayes Nally Elected at the ISSU AGM, Liberty Hall Theatre, 24/02/2013
AGM 2016
Annual General Meeting 2016 "Creating the Student Proclamation".
Our Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2016 of Student Councils will be taking place on Thursday 24th of March in Liberty Hall Theatre in Dublin city centre.This is a one day event which will involve Student Council members and other students coming together nationwide!
Our National Student Executive elections will be taking place at our AGM also. This is a fantastic opportunity for any student who wants to represent students on important issues that affect their time within second-level education. The student officers drive the work of the ISSU on a yearly basis, so if you are interested or know someone who is interested make sure to put yourself forward for a position! Nominations and registration for AGM 2016 are now open! Students must register online to attend!
Our first information letters have been sent to all schools. If you would like a hard copy of a registration form or have any other queries, please email us at info@issu.ie or call 01 443 4461.
Each member school can send two voting delegates, and one non voting delegate! Non-member schools can send two non-voting delegates. Any student of a member school can run for any position on the National Student Executive! See below for registration and nomination forms!
[mbuttons color="b_orange" transition="Write buton-1 or ...buton-6" url="https://form.jotform.com/60532531103945"]Register for ISSU AGM 2016[/mbuttons][mbuttons color="b_green" transition="Write buton-1 or ...buton-6" url="https://form.jotform.com/60533389025960"]Nomination Form for National Student Executive[/mbuttons][mbuttons color="b_blue" transition="Write buton-1 or ...buton-6" url="https://form.jotform.com/60533509422955"]Motion Submission[/mbuttons]
1916 Dublin Event
We are delighted to invite students from the Dublin region to our 1916 event "The Student Rising - honouring a past Ireland and changing her future" which is taking place in Trinity College Dublin on Friday the 26th of February.
We extend this invitation to 2 students from each second-level school in Dublin. Student's must complete the registration form below to attend. Make sure to complete the Parental / Guardian consent form which will be emailed to you and bring this with you on the day!
If you have any questions please contact our offices at 01 443 4461 / info@issu.ie
[mbuttons color="b_pink" transition="Write buton-1 or ...buton-6" url="https://form.jotform.com/supportingstudentvoice/1916"]*1916 Dublin Registration*[/mbuttons]
CAO Applications - Deadlines & top tips!
What you need to know about the CAO
It's that time of year again when 6th year students are deciding upon their college options. The CAO officially opened for online applications on November 5th 2015.Start filling out your CAO as soon as you think you're ready, don't rush into it but don't leave it until the last minute. It's easier (cheaper) and quicker to fill out your application online on the CAO website. It would be wise to register early and get the discounted online rate of €25 before January 20th @ 5.15pm. Once you've registered you can go back later and add or change courses until the first closing deadline; February 1st. After this date any changes made incur a fee.
Dates for your diary
January 20th at 5:15pm- Closing date for early bird price €25 CAO application (it is €40 after this date).- Closing date for early bird HPAT-Ireland price €120 (it is €190 after this date).February 1st at 5:15pm- Closing date for €40 CAO application.- Late registrations for HPAT-Ireland are accepted costing €190. The HPAT-Ireland test will talk place nationwide on February 27th 2016.
Restricted Courses - make sure you apply in round one
For anyone who's interested in restricted courses i.e. courses that require a portfolio, interview or aptitude test you need to make sure that your choice is listed before February 1st – it may be too late after that date for restricted courses.Don't panic, once you've register you have until March 1st @ 5.15pm to submit your final round 1 application. Late applications are accepted up to and including May 1st – but try not to leave it this late if you can – extra fees apply. You should expect to receive a paper copy of your statement of applications during the last week in May.After the Leaving Cert you have until July 1st to change your CAO if you're really unsure of a course. Always consult your career guidance counsellor before making changes like this at such a late stage. CAO round offers will be made available at 6:00 am on the 22nd of August 2016.
Deciding what to apply for:
* Look at lots of college brochures and get an idea of what courses interest you. If your school doesn't have prospectuses ask them to order some or phone the college yourself and ask to be sent one.* Make sure to check the basic entry requirements for the courses you're interested in. This info will be in the prospectus. For example, many Irish universities require that you have minimum grades in Irish and English as well as the necessary points.* Consider what you want to study AND where you'll be happy living. If you want a taste of city life then check out Dublin, Belfast, Galway, Limerick, Cork, Derry and UK universities. If you're more comfortable living somewhere smaller look at what's on offer in places like the University of Ulster at Coleraine or Sligo I.T.* Once you have an idea of what you're interested in, call the colleges and ask if there's someone you can talk to about the courses on offer.* If possible, visit the universities or colleges you plan to apply for. Most universities have open days, which give you an opportunity to visit the college. There is usually a tour of the facilities and information about everything the university has to offer.* You can usually download the university or college prospectus from their website.
Useful websites:
QualifaxCareers Portalwww.cao.ie
Top Tips!
* When filling in your CAO make sure to put the course you really want to do as first choice. NOT what you think you'll have the results to study!* Fill out the CAO form in plenty of time. Don't forget there is a ‘change of mind' form that you can use if you decide you want to apply for different courses.* Practice filling in the CAO. Make a photocopy of each one and get a teacher or family member to check that everything is filled in properly before you post them off. Or apply online and get someone to look over the application before you finalise it.* The more research you do, the more confident you'll feel when you finally get to that chosen college!* Finally, this is important so swallow your pride or shyness and ask the career guidance teacher to help you. Spend time researching the best options and deciding what you really want to do!