The Leaving Certificate syllabus for German allows for the following four broad outcomes:

• A communicatve ability in German.
• An awareness about language and communication.
• An awareness of the culture associated with the German language.

Assessment

The leaving Certificate student is being assessed at three levels :

1. Oral (25 % for honours and 20 % for ordinary level). The following criteria is used to assess oral competence:

• Range of vocabulary.
• Range of expression.
• Awareness and use of grammar.
• Independence from examiner support.
• Appropriateness.
• Fluency.
• Pronunciation.

2. Aural (20% for honours and 25% for ordinary level)

3. Comprehension and Written sections. The following criteria is used to assess the written production:

At higher level :

• Range and appropriateness of vocabulary
• Range and accuracy in use of structures
• Development and/or manipulation of stimulus
• Organisation of content

At ordinary level:

• Intelligibility of message.
• Development and/or manipulation of stimulus.
• Awareness and use of grammar.
• Range of vocabulary.

For further information on Leaving Certificate or Junior Certificate see: http://www.irlgov.ie/educ/Exams/exams/htm

German Exchange

An exchange has been offered every second year to Transition and Fifth Year students. On this exchange, students are accompanied by a German teacher and stay with their exchange family for about 10 days. During this time, they attend school in the mornings and go on trips in the afternoons.

The advantages of this exchange system are:

• Full immersion in the target language is assured.
• A greater appreciation of the culture of the country is fostered, by socialising exclusively, or almost exclusively, with German students and their families.
• Costs are limited to airfare, trip costs, and spending money.

For further information see http://www.oranienschule.de