Transition Times: Teachers tell us how they approach the freedom of transition year

Maire Ni Chiarba, Coláiste an Phiarsaigh, Cork

"Coming from an Irish-speaking school puts me at an advantage when I'm teaching transition-year French. The students here are already open to learning languages and are happy to experiment with language in the classroom. Transition year gives us the space we need to focus on language skills such as listening and conversation. I try to conduct as much of the class through spoken French as possible.

"Every year I set the students a project to research and report on an aspect of French culture. They choose the topic according to their own interests and abilities. Every year the range of subject matter is vast; this year there are projects on French fashion [ right], French cookery and the French education system. Some students will choose to focus on a particular town or region of France that they have visited.

"The project runs over six weeks, and I grade them each week according to the amount of work and progress they have made. I prefer this grading system in transition year: it focuses students on the process rather than the outcome.

"As part of their research they write to French pen pals, to French tourism offices or to the embassy in Dublin, so they learn plenty of skills useful to the Leaving Cert. They are also required to interview French speakers and read French newspapers and magazines.

"Each year transition-year students write, produce and perform a French-language play for their parents and peers. We base the play on some aspect of what they have been learning in class. This is a great learning tool.

"I try to spend as much of the transition year as possible involving the students in language application rather than book learning. Of course, we do not abandon book learning altogether: it's important for the students to keep an eye on grammar. To help them develop their grammatical skills we often play French board games in class. They're enjoying themselves too much to notice that they're learning."

Send your thoughts on teaching in transition year to lholden@ irish- times.ie