An Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta
Department of Education and Science
Subject Inspection of German
REPORT
Sacred Heart Secondary School
Westport County Mayo
Roll number: 64710R
Date of inspection: 6 May 2008
Subject provision and whole school support
Summary of main findings and recommendations
Report on the Quality of Learning and Teaching in German
Subject inspection report
This report has been written following a subject inspection in Sacred Heart Secondary School. It presents the findings of an evaluation of the quality of teaching and learning in German and makes recommendations for the further development of the teaching of this subject in the school. The evaluation was conducted over one day during which the inspector visited classrooms and observed teaching and learning. The inspector interacted with students and the teacher, examined students’ work, and had discussions with the teacher. The inspector reviewed school-planning documentation and teacher’s written preparation. Following the evaluation visit, the inspector provided oral feedback on the outcomes of the evaluation to the principal and subject teacher.
The board of management was given an opportunity to comment in writing on the findings and recommendations of the report; and the response of the board will be found in the appendix of this report.
Subject provision and whole school support
Sacred Heart Secondary School , Westport is a girls’ secondary school with a total enrolment of 608 students. The school offers a broad range of programmes: Junior Certificate, Transition Year (TY), Leaving Certificate, Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) and Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP). Currently, German features in the Leaving Certificate programme only.
German is one of three modern languages taught in the school and there is a long tradition of providing for the subject. For example, an exchange programme with a school in Bad Kissingen in Germany has been in operation since 1994 approximately. Whilst school management is commended for its commitment to languages in the curriculum, it appears that the current structure for modern language provision is militating against students choosing German.
At present, all students choose their subjects prior to entry. All optional subjects are in the same pool and students have open choice. Whilst open choice is commendable, and whilst this arrangement facilitates the study of more than one modern foreign language, it was reported that almost all students study only one modern language: French, German or Spanish. Spanish was introduced in 2003. Management reported that since then the uptake for German in the school has suffered, despite efforts made by the German department to raise its profile among the school population. It was reported that uptake in French has also suffered, but not to the same extent as German.
In an effort to address this, the recommendations are as follows: first, management should introduce a taster programme for all modern languages so that students can make an informed decision about their modern language choice. A taster programme will allow students to experience all modern languages on offer and should allow for the equal status of all modern languages in Sacred Heart Secondary School. Secondly, current first-year students should be surveyed with regard to their modern language choice in an attempt to design a taster programme in all languages that would be appropriate to students’ needs and interests. Thirdly, it is suggested that school management, in co-operation with the modern-language teachers, formulate a language policy outlining the position of languages within the school’s curriculum to ensure their popularity and continuity.
Classes at senior cycle are allocated double periods; sixth-year students have two double periods of German per week. This is not optimal practice for language learning, and it is advised that students have daily contact with a language to provide continuity and sustain progress. Therefore, it is recommended that, where possible, management assign single periods to German.
The German teacher, who is also the Spanish teacher, is a member of the German teachers’ association, Gesellschaft der Deutschlehrer Irlands (GDI)) and regularly attends regional meetings organised by the association. She has also attended German courses in the Goethe Institut. Such commitment to continuing professional development is highly commended.
There is no official budget for the subject but funds are made available as required. There is a dedicated computer room and students are actively encouraged to access the facilities for information and communication technologies (ICT) in the school and at home for the purposes of learning German. This is laudable. However, it was reported that the school’s computer room is difficult to access at times. Therefore, it is suggested that existing ICT equipment could be shared among departments, in particular data projectors and laptops. Otherwise, the German department has very good access to a wide variety of material resources including satellite TV, video recorder, tape recorder, and CD player.
Students have had opportunities to see German films and videos and the department is to be praised for its organisation of a weekly Stammtisch where students and local Germans can come together to communicate in authentic situations. The German teacher was also proactive in organising a special screening of the film Das Leben der Anderen in a local cinema. It is recommended that school management and the German department should further support the teaching and learning of the language by extending the range of co-curricular and extracurricular activities on offer. For example, a wider variety of food-tasting events could be organised, students could participate in the GDI debating competition or activities could be organised around the European Day of Languages. It is also suggested that the school create a German wall to celebrate the students who received scholarships from the German embassy and Goethe Institut. Such activities benefit students and enhance the provision for the subject greatly in that they help to maintain the profile of the subject throughout the whole-school population.
The German lessons are held in base classrooms. These were decorated to a high standard and a good level of students’ work was displayed. This consisted of colourful posters on different themes. Displaying students’ work is very effective and gives students a sense of ownership of their learning environment. Photographs and a poster of the heraldic flags of Bad Kissingen were also on display as well as maps of both Germany and Austria. Enhancing the classroom environment in this manner is to be commended.
Planning and preparation
Planning is well established in Sacred Heart Secondary School and a modern-foreign-language department has been established. Commendably, a co-ordinator has been appointed for the department and formal meetings are facilitated on a regular basis. In accordance with good practice, agenda are set and minutes are recorded. These minutes were available for inspection.
The modern-foreign-language department is aware that planning is an ongoing process and there was evidence that it reviews the subject plan. This is laudable. State examination results are reviewed annually, and the department uses these results to inform its forward planning. As a means to further develop this aspect of planning, it is suggested that the department conduct in-house research and use these analyses to investigate correlations between student uptake and results achieved.
The introduction of a taster programme will necessitate planning. Therefore, it is recommended that the modern-foreign-language department collaborate on its inception and formalise documentation for the programme. In addition it is recommended that all future planning be developed in terms of language skills in the context of mixed-ability teaching and learning.
Teaching and learning
The classroom atmosphere in the lessons observed was very good. Students engaged readily with tasks and were motivated and enthusiastic. It was clear that students felt secure in the learning environment and were comfortable asking questions. Classroom interactions were characterised by mutual respect and students were always addressed by name. Creating a positive learning environment is to be commended as it enhances the learning process.
Lesson content in all lessons was very good. In one lesson, a Wettespiel was used to revise verb tenses and word order. Students were divided into teams and were given fake money. Sentences and verbs in various tenses were written on the board and teams had to decide if these were correct or incorrect. After consulting with their team, team captains had then to openly place bets as to whether the German was correct or incorrect. The team with the most money at the end of the game won. This student-centred, active methodology was an enjoyable way of revising what can oftentimes be a mundane and banal task. Ensuring that lesson content is learner centred is at the core of the communicative approach to language teaching and is most praiseworthy. It is recommended that the use of such active methodologies be extended and utilised where opportunities present themselves.
During the betting game, excellent examples of student-student communication were evident and the situation provided students with myriad opportunities to speak and joke in German in a genuine context. Teacher use of the target language was exemplary.
Very good effort was made to ensure the integration of the skills of language acquisition. For example, a videotaped news programme was used to integrate a listening comprehension exercise. A prepared worksheet was distributed to students at the start of class and students had to complete the worksheet after watching the news items. Such innovative use of the medium of satellite television is excellent practice as students can see both non-verbal cues and visual reinforcers, and learners are immersed in the target language. This caters for the various learning styles and abilities of students and is highly commended. The follow up to this exercise involved the oral correction of a homework exercise and teacher-led questions to the students, thus encouraging further oral work. Other aspects of language learning such as cultural, grammatical and language awareness were all expertly exploited during the lesson observed. This integrated approach is very effective as it ensures that learning is consolidated. It is suggested that the integration of other media and ICT should be exploited in the teaching and learning of German.
The German teacher is the co-ordinator of the Green Schools’ Initiative in Sacred Heart Secondary School. During classes visited, it was obvious that recycling occurs and that it is a whole-school issue. This is commendable.
Teaching and learning were thematic and there was an appropriate examination focus for Leaving Certificate students. Commendably, students’ knowledge was consolidated and extended on a continual basis in lessons observed. For example the verb bauen, to build, was highlighted and extended through the exposition of nouns such as Abbau, Aufbau and Ausbau and the differences in meaning were illuminated.
Reading skills were also integrated in one of the lessons observed as a follow up on grammar work. Written skills were developed in that students had to write a dialogue based on the reading excerpt. This is good practice. As a means of further enabling students to approach texts in the target language, it is recommended that students be exposed to pre-reading, preparatory activities to help them identify the type of text and topic. For example, brainstorming the title of a text and re-activate related vocabulary through word associations.
Assessment
Appropriate homework was assigned in all classes visited. Good practice was witnessed where assigned homework was prepared in class. There is systematic recording of students’ attendance and attainment, and school reports are sent home regularly.
From the sample of copybooks observed, it was noted that some focused and informative feedback is being provided to examination students. It is recommended that this be extended to all classes and that Assessment for Learning (AfL) principles (see www.ncca.ie) be put into practice to encourage learner autonomy. The good practice of encouraging students to re-write their corrections and learn from their errors was noted. There were also examples of a high standard of German in some of the copybooks inspected.
Students of German in the school have consistently performed at a high level in State examinations at both junior and senior cycles over the past few years. In copybooks observed, marking schemes were used to correct letters and Äußerung zum Thema questions for examination students. It is suggested that marking schemes should be applied more generally to other written exercises to allow for more transparency and to condition senior cycle students to address both content and expression marks in their written work.
Summary of main findings and recommendations
The following are the main strengths identified in the evaluation:
· German is one of three modern languages taught in the school and there is a long tradition of providing for the subject. An exchange programme with a school in Bad Kissingen in Germany has been in operation since 1994 approximately.
· The commitment of the German teacher to continuing professional development is highly commended.
· The German lessons are held in base classrooms. These were decorated to a high standard and a good level of students’ work was displayed.
· Planning is well established in Sacred Heart Secondary School and a modern-foreign-language department has been established.
· Lesson content in all lessons was very good.
· Excellent examples of student-student communication were evident and students were provided with opportunities to speak and joke in German. Teacher use of the target language was exemplary.
· Very good effort was made to ensure the integration of the skills of language acquisition.
· The good practice of encouraging students to re-write their corrections and learn from their errors was noted. There were also examples of a high standard of German in some of the copybooks inspected.
· Students of German in the school have consistently performed at a high level in State examinations at both junior and senior cycles over the past few years.
As a means of building on these strengths and to address areas for development, the following key recommendations are made:
· The recommendations with regard to a taster system for modern languages, as outlined in the report, should be implemented.
· The modern-foreign-language department should collaborate on taster programme planning and should formalise documentation for the programme. In addition it is recommended that all future planning be developed in terms of language skills in the context of mixed-ability teaching and learning.
· As a means of further enabling students to approach texts in the target language, it is recommended that students be exposed to pre-reading, preparatory activities to help them identify the type of text and topic.
Post-evaluation meetings were held with the teacher of German and with the principal at the conclusion of the evaluation when the draft findings and recommendations of the evaluation were presented and discussed.
Published September 2008
Appendix
School Response to the Report
Submitted by the Board of Management
Area 1: Observations on the content of the inspection report
The recommendation to facilitate taster system for modern languages can only be implemented if the school receives the extra resources in terms of personnel and extra accommodation including upgrading of existing facilities.
Furthermore further integration of ICT can only be achieved if DES grants are provided for same. The school already has had to fundraise to update all existing IT facilities in the school.