Can I Self-Study a Leaving Cert Subject?

jenniferrb

Hi, I’m entering 5th year at the end of August and I want to take Japanese as an extra subject outside of school. Unfortunately Japanese classes are not available in my city, so I would have to study myself at home. I have been studying Japanese for about a year now. Anyone know if this is possible and what the process is for it?

spurious

• Yes it is possible.
• Find a teacher or a way of learning your Japanese.
• Follow the syllabus.
• About October of 6th year, tell your school's examinations secretary you wish to sit Japanese and make sure they enter you for it.

Postgrad10

Tell your principal as soon as you go back. You'll have to travel for an oral exam sometime in the spring. Start looking at past papers yourself. Know someone who did it this year, don't know what they got yet but that they found the exam ok.

rainbowtrout

Postgrad10 wrote: »

Tell your principal as soon as you go back. You'll have to travel for an oral exam sometime in the spring. Start looking at past papers yourself. Know someone who did it this year, don't know what they got yet but that they found the exam ok.

They won't have to travel anywhere. Once the OP is registered to sit the exam the oral examiner will be sent to their school.

cnocbui

My daughter taught herself Japanese, without contact with any teacher, and is currently waiting for her leaving cert results. So yes, it's possible. The examiner came to her school for the orals.

spurious

The really important thing is to make sure you get entered for it. Well, that and to make sure you cover what is required by the syllabus.

I have had experience of schools not entering EU native language candidates for their own languages because the Examinations Secretary involved mistakenly thought the student had to be attending classes in their school.

Sometimes people doing a job do not fully understand all the regulations.

Postgrad10

rainbowtrout wrote: »

They won't have to travel anywhere. Once the OP is registered to sit the exam the oral examiner will be sent to their school.

Such an expert. The student I knew had to travel to Dublin for it.

cnocbui

Postgrad10 wrote: »

Such an expert. The student I knew had to travel to Dublin for it.

From where did they have to travel, and when was this?

My daughter did not have to travel, and that was a few months ago.

randylonghorn

Postgrad10 wrote: »

Such an expert. The student I knew had to travel to Dublin for it.

A couple of possibilities there:

1) She wasn't registered for the subject in her own school, or wasn't registered in time for an oral examiner to be assigned, either through her own error or an error by the Exams Sec (see spurious' post above)

2) she was attending Japanese classes at an institute of some sort, and they were registered to sit the exam there as a group (which would be good for support / morale, but bad for the stress of extra travel)

sullivlo

randylonghorn wrote: »

A couple of possibilities there:

1) She wasn't registered for the subject in her own school, or wasn't registered in time for an oral examiner to be assigned, either through her own error or an error by the Exams Sec (see spurious' post above)

2) she was attending Japanese classes at an institute of some sort, and they were registered to sit the exam there as a group (which would be good for support / morale, but bad for the stress of extra travel)

Yeah, all oral exams are in the school/centre where the candidate is registered to sit the exam. We had Russian oral exams in school this year.

rainbowtrout

Postgrad10 wrote: »

Such an expert. The student I knew had to travel to Dublin for it.

Well actually I'm a practical examiner ....... so yes I am an expert. Maybe less time making passive aggressive responses and more time getting your facts right. Student will be examined where they are registered. They can register in their school even if the subject isn't taught there, or can choose to register elsewhere but that can be more hassle for them for a variety of reasons.