March 3rd 2012
Siobhan Ring CAE
Year
LC Candidates
Taking Link Modules
%
2011
54,344
16,298
29.9
2010
54,480
15,542
28.2
2009
54,197
15,096
27.9
2008
52,143
14,545
27.9
2007
50,873
13,935
27.4
Number of candidates sitting Link Modules 2007 - 2011
Year
Total
Dist
Merit
Pass
Ungraded
2011
16,298
12
47
32
9
2010
15,542
11
48
31
9
2009
15,096
11
47
32
10
2008
14,545
12
48
31
9
2007
13,935
12
48
31
9
Percentage of candidates achieving each grade in Link Modules 2007 - 2011
Core Section
Popularity(%)
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CV
Action Plan
Career Inv
Summary Rep
100
99
99
98
Ave mark
20
26
27
29
Option Section
Popularity(%)




Diary
Enterprise Rep
My Own Place
Interview
90
16
14
85
Ave mark
32
33
31
39
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The overall standard of layout and presentation was good.
Portfolio’s in general are well laid out and bound.
( Note: plastic sleeves are not accepted)
Having a limit on the quantity of work presented is in general
adhered to. Student in the majority have all items typed.
Some students do not submit full portfolios for correction.
Using a large size font is a waste of paper and is also in
breach of guidelines.
Marks are lost for poor spelling, grammar and punctuation.

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

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There is an increase in the number of items being
disallowed. Action Plans and Summary Reports based on
non-LCVP activities were disallowed. Also Work Experience
Diary's where dates are outside the two year time frame of
the programme.
Marks are also lost for information missing/brevity of
information/ activities not being described well.
Failure to evaluate or give conclusion/recommendations
lost marks.
Restrictions broken.
Material submitted outside the two year program. Note new
portfolio dates for 2013.

Marks are lost for not reading questions correctly or
misinterpreting the requirements.

Also students not responding adequately to the verb used in
the question i.e.. describe, list, outline, explain.

Failure to expand/develop points given.

Repeating points already stated.

Giving insufficient analysis and evaluation where required.

**Failure to link the learning from their portfolio to the
written exam.
Popularity(%)
Sect A
Sect B
Sect C
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q5
Q6
100
100
94
64
68
56
60
80
Ave mark
22
16
15
13
12
13
15
16

Section A: Audio visual
Students perform well. Listen carefully and develop
answers appropriately.

Section B: Case Study
Students who prepare well are duly rewarded.
Read the questions asked carefully. Answer all parts.
Students should give good explainations or detail in
their answers. Develop their answers well.

Section C: General questions
Give appropriate detail pertaining to the question asked.
Develop answers.
Give the required number points asked for in the
question.
No repetition of points already given in a question.
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Check for presentation, layout and word processing errors.
Make sure a skills/qualities section is present.
Include in the educational qualification section the year on
both the JC/LC. Also Link Modules is taken at common
level. (Note L.C.V.P. or L.C.V.P. Link Modules or Links not
accepted as the subject name)
A title/position, an address and telephone number should be
part of the referees given. Two required.
Students should provide an address/date/duties for any work
experience they have completed.
Students frequently list an e-mail address as a personal
detail; these can very often be of an inappropriate nature.
Keep the CV length to a max of two pages.
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Check for presentation/layout and word processing errors.
Check tenses- Aims/objectives, action steps, schedule of
time/costs, evaluation methods- Future tense only.
Research methods – Past or future tense.
Analysis of research – Past tense only.
A personal objective is required in a group activity.
List some duties pertaining to the day of the event in the
action steps.
Make sure the evaluation methods are present and include
how the evaluation would be apparent.
Plans submitted must meet the criteria of being a link module
activity. Principal objective should show this link.
There should be a link to slo’s or future career plans etc, so
that plans meet criteria.
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Give sufficient detail on the duties involved in the career.
A skills and qualities section needs to be included.
Information given on the two different path ways needs to
include.....
Students in the majority do not give details of the course
content. A brief outline of one course is acceptable.
A link with their own aptitude, leaving certificate subjects and
out of school learning needs to be evident.
Evaluate the career itself AND the career investigation
process.
Students are given the opportunity to show real research and
individual work.


Include a personal aim in a group activity.
Check that reports submitted are not too short and that
objectives relate to the body of the report.

Headings within the body of the report are required.

Conclusions should link to the aims/body of the report.

Recommendations on should be valid to the report submitted.

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Personalised detailed accounts of the work experience
placements should be given.
The reasons for choosing a work placement and the
description of the placement should be well covered.
Candidates need to discuss their aptitudes/link with their
own Leaving Certificate subjects/their career plan.

Analyse their own performance should be included and given
in detail through out the Diary.

Evaluation of their work experience should be included.

Career aspirations, future studies and how candidates could
apply their learning in the home, school or the community .

An author’s name and table of contents should be evident. Also
charts, tables or diagrams should be included. These diagrams
should be clear/labelled and support the content.

A personal objective needs to be included.

A personal/individual contribution paragraph should also be
included.
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Include a summary of the report ( this should read well).

Submit reports on group enterprise activities only.
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Check the length of the report.
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Watch for repetition of the action plan given in the core section
again in the body of the report.
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Include a Table of contents for the report .
Many reports concentrate on one area of their community or
area investigation and fail to give an over view of their
complete investigation. This overview should be included.
Key areas such as identifying their individual contribution
should be included.
The analysis of a key issue/ suggestion for improvement
must be included and well developed – in some reports it
appeared that if this analysis was discussed it was more
stumbled upon, rather than being actually considered.
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Students often lose marks for poor appearance.
Most centres keep within the time frame allowed for the
video presentation i.e. 5 minutes.
Students should be well prepared and show good
knowledge and communication skills.
In some instances interviewers do not ask searching
enough questions so that a student is given the
opportunity to extend him or herself.
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Play DVD’s that are being submitted to the SEC for viewing
on a DVD machine and a laptop.
Make sure good quality DVD’s are used. Mini discs should
not be submitted.
Make three copies of each DVD submitted.
Exam Numbers should be seen for the complete interview.
Make sure DVD packaging is sufficient for post arriving in
the SEC.
Students missing recordings i.e.. First or last few
interviews on the DVD. Check all students are present on
the DVD.
Check sound & profile are appropriate.
Poor interviewers are apparent for some interviews.
Sequences sheets filled according to the running order on
the DVD should be included. A copy of the sequence
sheet should also be included.
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Portfolio items show a wide variety of activities. Some
fabulous portfolio are submitted by students showing their
experience the world of work or enterprise in action.
It is clearly identifiable students who receive good direction
as to the makeup and marking of the portfolio items.
Thank you to all who examine.
Finally thank you to all, who through your teaching
inspire/encourage LCVP students.