Open Night Presentation

EXAM SUBJECTS COMPULSORY

• IRISH
• ENGLISH
• MATHS
• HISTORY
• GEOGRAPHY
• SCIENCE
• CSPE

EXAM SUBJECTS CHOICE

• FRENCH
• GERMAN
• HOME ECONOMICS
• MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY-WOOD
• ART,CRAFT& DESIGN
• MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY-METAL
• MUSIC
• TECHNICAL GRAPHICS
• BUSINESS STUDIES

NON EXAMINATION SUBJECTS

• COMPUTER STUDIES
• SPHE
• RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
• PHYSICAL EDUCATION
• SPEECH AND DRAMA (OPTIONAL)

CHOOSE SUBJECTS

• YOUR CHILD ENJOYS STUDYING
• WILL ENABLE THEM TO WORK FROM THEIR STRENGTHS
• CHALLENGE THEM TO MAKE THE MOST OF THEIR CAPABILITIES
• OFFER A RANGE OF STUDY THAT IS MANAGEABLE (BALANCE BETWEEN THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL SUBJECTS)
• PROVIDE LIFE SKILLS
• WILL HELP THEM TO KEEP THEIR CAREER OPTIONS OPEN
• WILL DEVELOP SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES USEFUL THROUGHOUT THEIR LIFE
• THAT ARE THEIR CHOICE AND NOT THE CHOICE OF OTHERS

FIND OUT ABOUT THE SUBJECTS

• READ SUBJECT DESCRIPTIONS (www.examinations.ie www.education.ie)
• TALK TO SUBJECT TEACHERS
• LOOK AT TEXTBOOKS AND RESOURCES USED BY STUDENTS IN THE SUBJECTS.
• TALK TO STUDENTS WHO ARE ALREADY STUDYING THE SUBJECT
• LISTEN CAREFULLY AT CLASS TALKS
• DOES THE SUBJECT MAINLY INVOLVE LEARNING FROM A TEXTBOOK?
• ARE THERE ANY FIELD TRIPS,PRACTICAL WORK, OR EXPERIMENTS?
• HOW MUCH ASSESSMENT IS BASED ON THEORY COMPARED TO PRACTICAL WORK, WRITTEN COMPARED TO ORAL WORK?

KEY FACTORS TO CONSIDER

1. INTEREST- WHAT DOES YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER LIKE TO DO? WHAT ARE THEIR INTERESTS AND ABILITIES AND HOW DO THESE RELATE TO SCHOOL SUBJECTS.
   • CHOOSING SUBJECTS THEY ARE NATURALLY INTERESTED IN MAXIMISES MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT AND INCREASES THEIR LIKLIHOOD OF SUCCESS
2. ABILITY- WHAT ARE YOUR CHILDS STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES?
   • ARE THEY VISUAL LEARNERS OR GOOD WITH WRITTEN MATERIAL?
   • DO THEY EXCEL AT PRACTICAL HANDS-ON LEARNING?

SEEK ADVICE FROM

• GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS
• SUBJECT TEACHERS
• OTHER PARENTS
• FRIENDS
• STUDENTS WHO ARE CURRENTLY STUDYING THE SUBJECTS

WHAT NOT TO DO!

IT IS UNWISE TO EITHER TAKE OR AVOID A SUBJECT BECAUSE:

• SOMEONE TOLD YOUR SON/DAUGHTER THAT THEY WILL LIKE OR DISLIKE IT
• THEIR FRIENDS ARE NOT TAKING IT
• THEY HEARD THE TEACHER IS NOT LIKED OR IS TOO CROSS
• IT IS AN ALL “BOYS” OR ALL “GIRLS” SUBJECT
• ONLY SWOTS DO THAT SUBJECT.
• CHOOSE THE SUBJECT BECAUSE IT IS A DOSS!.
• IF I DON’T DO IT I WONT BE ABLE TO DO IT AT COLLEGE.
• SOMETHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO DO BUT YOU NEVER GOT THE CHANCE

WHAT TO DO IN BANAGHER COLLEGE

• ON THE SUBJECT CHOICE FORM CHOOSE 5 SUBJECTS IN ORDER OF PREFERENCE FROM THE CHOICE SUBJECTS LIST
• PLEASE ENSURE YOU WRITE YOUR SUBJECTS IN ORDER OF PREFERENCE i.e. No.1 being the subject you most want to do and so on.