Perhaps the Department of Education was unsure whether it was dealing with tots or teens when it set a comprehension question on the Teletubbies in yesterday's Junior Cert higher-level paper.
"It was very uncool - not exactly suitable for 15-year-olds," Treasa N∅ Chonaola, a teacher in St Michael's College Ballsbridge said. However, the piece itself was short and quite easy to understand, as were the other three pieces in the section, she said.
The longer comprehension question in section 1 was more challenging. "Without the use of graphics this would have been confusing," N∅ Chaonola said. On the poetry, she said: "Students always find the poetry difficult but it was the same as previous years.
"Overall, I thought it was a demanding paper, but it was pitched correctly at honours students," she said.
Hilari de Barra of Comhar na M·inteoir∅ Gaeilge said he was "happy overall" with the higher-level paper.
"The paper is very long and generally it's very dreary, but this year the layout was much improved, with good use of colour," he said.
The comprehension pieces were shorter than usual, which was, he said, a welcome development, and the whole paper was more accessible than previously.
The foundation-level paper was also well laid out, but de Barra was disappointed that colour had not been used as in the higher level. "It would have been better if colour photos had been used, but overall the paper was well balanced."
