Subject Inspection Report

This report has been written following a subject inspection in Presentation Secondary School, Ballyphehane, Cork. 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 two days during which the inspector visited classrooms and observed teaching and learning. The inspector interacted with students and teachers, 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 relevant staff. The board of management was given the 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 to this report.

Subject provision and whole school support

Presentation Secondary School, Ballyphehane is an all girls’ secondary school with an enrolment of 431 students. There is a comprehensive range of curricular programmes on offer in the school: the Junior Certificate (JC), the Transition Year (TY) programme, the Leaving Certificate established (LCE), the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) and Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA). The school is to be highly commended for offering such a range of programmes and for its obvious commitment to addressing the needs of all students. German is offered in all curricular programmes with the exception of the LCA.

There is good provision for modern languages in first year as all students are given the opportunity of studying both German and French. At the end of first year students make a choice regarding German. French is compulsory in the junior cycle. It is admirable that all students may pursue both languages throughout the junior cycle. It was noted that there is no provision for German in the present third year and that next year there will be no second-year German class. Insufficient numbers of students in these years have opted to study the language. The manner in which German is offered has been reviewed on a number of occasions. This is good practice and should continue. It is recommended that activities which raise the profile of the subject be considered.

The time allocation for German is generally good. In the junior cycle, with the exception of first year, German is allocated four class periods per week. It was noted that in second year there is one double lesson of German in the week. It is recommended that where possible double lessons for languages be avoided as regular daily contact with the language is optimal practice. In first year students receive only two class periods of German each week. This shorter allocation is to allow for the fact that all students have the possibility of studying German in this year. In senior cycle students have five class periods per week.

Currently the German department does not hold membership of the Gesellschaft der Deutschlehrer Irlands (German Teachers Association). It is recommended that membership be sought as soon as possible as subject associations can provide very valuable supports for teachers.

There are good resources to support the teaching and learning of German for example, films, DVDs, posters, books, games, tapes and CDs. To enhance the utilisation of these, it is recommended that a comprehensive list of available resources be made and included in the planning documentation. It was noted that some of the dictionaries available in the school are out of date. It is recommended that resources be reviewed and updated, resources permitting.

The school has a computer room and also there are computers in classrooms. Currently students of German in TY have access to the computer room on a weekly basis. These students carry out project work using internet access for research purposes. The students have researched topics such as German food, history and famous people and written projects on these topics. The integration of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) into the German curriculum is laudable.

German lessons are held in a base classroom. This was decorated with posters of Germany, the German flag and project work which had been completed by the students. Displaying students’ work is good practice and ensures that the learners have a sense of ownership. It is commendable that subject-based rooms are available and that an appropriate learning environment is created.

Planning and preparation

Subject department planning is well established in the school. The modern language teachers meet on a formal and informal basis. The school management allocates time for subject department meetings. There is good collaboration within the modern languages department. Yearly plans for German were presented in the course of the inspection. These plans are in the initial stages and require development. It is recommended that the plans state the intended learner outcomes. The plans should also elaborate on the content that will be covered in each year.

The plans for German in senior cycle indicate that different skills of language acquisition such as listening, speaking, reading and writing are to be dealt with on different days. This is not in line with best practice which suggests that these skills should be taught in an integrated manner. It is recommended that in planning for the teaching and learning of German due consideration be given to the integration of the skills of language acquisition in each lesson.

Individual lessons were very well planned. In the case of all lessons observed written lesson plans were submitted to the inspector. These plans documented the objectives, content and methods for each lesson. The plans were clear and comprehensive. In addition, the plans made particular reference to the use of the target language in the classroom. This was divided up into organisational, activity and students’ output target language. Such planning for the use of the target language is exemplary and to be very highly commended.

Teaching and learning

Lesson content was generally good. Themes such as school, clothes, friends and general problems in society formed the basis for lesson content. It is recommended that when themes are being discussed in class that a learner-centred approach be adopted. Students should be asked about their own experiences of such issues. A learner-centred approach makes lessons more interesting for students and is at the core of the communicative approach to modern language teaching.

Different language teaching methodologies were used to good effect in the course of the lessons observed. In senior cycle a sun diagram was placed on the board at the beginning of the lesson and students were invited to recall any vocabulary or expressions they knew relating to a certain theme. In order to advance this exercise students were given dictionaries and worked in pairs to source further vocabulary. Encouraging the use of dictionaries is good practice as it promotes autonomous learning and equips the students with good language learning strategies. It is recommended that in addition to learner contributions students be provided with more advanced linguistic input in terms of vocabulary and expressions. This will ensure the development of their communicative competence.

The skill of listening comprehension was well developed in a lesson observed. In senior cycle students were given questions to answer on a taped extract. As a preparation for this task students were asked to read the questions and anticipate what might be said on the tape. Such pre-listening activities are most effective and enhance the development of this very important skill. In the course of the exercise teacher circulation proved effective in helping to establish how the learners were managing the task. Post-listening activities were carried out as a follow-up. Students were put in pairs and asked to compare answers. This is very good practice and ensured that learning was consolidated. Such an approach to listening comprehension tasks is exemplary.

In some lessons a number of skills were practised in an integrated manner. For example an oral activity was followed by a listening comprehension exercise. It is recommended that this methodology be extended to include other skills of language acquisition such as reading and writing. Integrating the four skills of language aqcuisition (reading, writing, speaking and listening) is considered best practice and should be used in all lessons.

The use of the target language was generally good. German was used for classroom management and for the management of learning activities. In some lessons students were given the opportunity to work in pairs. Student – student interaction is to be commended as it maximises the amount of time students spend producing the target language. It is recommended that student –student interaction be extended to all lessons. In interaction with the inspector, students showed a good level of comprehension and responded appropriately to questions asked of them.

The atmosphere in the lessons visited was positive. Student–teacher interactions were characterised with respect and teacher- student rapport was good. The atmosphere was at all times conducive to learning and students remained task focussed throughout the lessons. The staff and students alike are to be commended for the work-oriented environment which was evident in the course of the inspection.

Assessment

Formal school assessments for non-examination classes take place at Christmas and in the summer. Formal assessments for students taking the state examinations are held each year in February. In German the students are assessed in all the skills of language acquisition. This is very good practice and to be commended. Results of these formal assessments are communicated to the parents/guardians by means of school reports. There is a parent/teacher meeting for all year groups.

Homework was assigned in all lessons observed. This matched lesson content and was appropriate to the needs of the learners. In the course of the inspection a sample of copybooks was examined. In some instances students had completed a number of assignments and had received feedback on errors they had made. However in a number of cases there was little or no evidence of extended written assignments being given on a regular basis or indeed of written homework being monitored regularly. It is recommended that a plan be put in place for the development of the skill of writing. This will involve stating how often students will receive extended written assignments and what type of feedback they will receive. It is recommended that students be required to follow up on mistakes. Valuable guidelines on this approach to assessment for learning (AFL) can be obtained at the website of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) at www.ncca.ie

Summary of main findings and recommendations

The following are the main strengths identified in the evaluation:

There is good provision for modern languages in first year.
Subject department planning is well established in the school. Teachers in the modern language departments collaborate effectively on issues relating to the planning of modern languages.
Individual German lessons were well planned and different methodologies were used to good effect.
Formal assessment takes place at Christmas and in the summer.

As a means of building on these strengths and to address areas for development, the following key recommendations are made:

As German will not be part of the curriculum in second or third year of the junior cycle in the next academic year, it is recommended that the manner in which the subject is offered continues to be reviewed.
The yearly plans are in the initial stages of development. It is recommended that intended learner outcomes be specified in the plans.
It is recommended that a more learner-centred approach to lesson content be taken and that efforts be made to integrate the skills of language learning.
It is recommended that a plan for the development of the learners’ written skill be put in place. This plan should indicate how often and what type of feedback the students will receive on extended pieces of written work.

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.

Appendix

School Response to the Report

Submitted by the Board of Management

Inspection Report School Response Form

Area 1 Observations on the content of the Inspection Report

The Board of Management wishes to thank the Department of Education and Science for the professional manner in which the inspection was conducted. It welcomes the opportunity which the inspection provides to affirm best practice and to give positive and constructive criticism. The inspection was thorough and every aspect of the subject examined. The content of the report was detailed and will be a useful tool for future development of the subject.

Area 2 Follow-up actions planned or undertaken since the completion of the inspection activity to implement the findings and recommendations of the inspection.

Further integration of ICT into the teaching of German is underway. School planning with particular emphasis on subject planning is scheduled for the new school year with a view to bringing about improved subject plans resulting in better teaching and learning outcomes.

Assessments for learning guidelines, from the NCCA, have been made available to all teachers.

The Board looks forward to further development of ICT provision in the school and to ongoing support for the implementation of the recommendations of the report, from the Department of Education and Science.