How to study for the Leaving Cert Aural Exams
Preparing for the Irish aural exam can feel daunting, but it’s a fantastic opportunity to boost scores, especially for students aiming for top grades like a H1 or H2. The good news? Studying for aurals doesn’t require hours of intense work. You can fit this study in during your commute or lunch time. Below are some tips to help students excel in the Irish aural exam, with ideas that can also apply to other language exams.
Why Bother with the Aural Exam?
- Easy marks: Aural exams are often understudied, making them a great chance to stand out.
- Grade booster: Strong performance here can push grades toward H1/H2.
- Time-efficient: Many prep activities can be done on the go, saving valuable study time.
Top Tips for Aural Exam Success
💬 Tune into Irish Podcasts
Podcasts offer a fun way to hear Irish spoken naturally, immersing students in the language’s rhythm and vocabulary.
- Why it works: Podcasts mimic the conversational style of the aural exam.
- Recommended pick: The LC Gaeilge podcast on Spotify is tailored for Leaving Cert students.
- Pro tip: Explore other Irish-language podcasts for variety, even if not exam-specific, to broaden exposure. Have a favorite? Share it with classmates!
📝 Practice with Past Exam Questions
Practice makes perfect, and this applies to every subject, especially aurals.
How to do it:
- When answering questions, highlight important words in the question, and listen out for them.
- Use past exams for the best practice. Use a site like aurals.lc to access the recordings.
- Compare answers with official marking schemes.
Benefits:
- Builds familiarity with the exam’s structure and timing.
- Sharpens listening and comprehension skills.
🗣️ Practice with others
Practicing with others makes studying more dynamic and fun. Find a friend, classmate, or teacher (or a grinds teacher) to speak Irish and ask questions about what they say.
- Encourage them to cover topics of interest to keep it engaging.
- Have them prepare questions in Irish, then write or respond with answers.
Why it’s great? Simulates the exam’s question-answer format while keeping things lively.
📻 Catch Up with RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
Listening to Irish radio is both educational and entertaining. You will get:
- Exposure to new words, phrases, and diverse accents.
- Updates on current events, adding context to the language.
Even if you don’t understand everything, this will help as it improves your comfort with the language, and you’ll quickly find yourself saying “Aha!, I understood that”. This is such an easy one to listen during lunch or your commute.
Quick Tips to Stay Stress-Free
- Keep it light: No need to overdo it. Short, consistent listening sessions work wonders.
- Mix it up: Combine podcasts, radio, and practice questions to avoid monotony.
- Use downtime: Pop in earbuds during commutes, lunch breaks, or while relaxing to make prep feel effortless.
Final Thoughts
The aural exam is a great opportunity to get those extra marks, and you don’t need hours upon hours of study to succeed in it. Keep it simple and efficient, and you’ll be amazed at the results you’ll get.
To make sure you don’t fall short in the Leaving Cert, you can contact one of the tutors on our site who can give you that 1-on-1 support, or contact us and we can try help you out or get you in touch with a tutor!