From Leaving CertiFiCate to Leaving SChooL a Longitudinal Study ...

Curriculum, Teaching and Learning 45
adapt their methods to the student body, using more active teaching
methods with boys and with students in working-class schools. In contrast,
girls’ schools and mixed/middle-class schools are characterised by
a strong emphasis on the allocation of homework.
2.4.2 Pace of Instruction
Sixth year students were asked about the pace of instruction in their
class. Over half (55 per cent) of students felt that the pace was ‘about
right’, a fifth felt it was too slow while a quarter felt their teachers went
too quickly. There were no marked differences across Leaving Certificate
programmes in the perceived pace of instruction. Female students
were more likely to report the pace of instruction was ‘about right’ than
male students, a gender difference that is evident within individual
schools. There is a clear relationship between prior achievement levels
and perceived pace of instruction (see Figure 2.12). Students who received
higher Junior Certificate grades are more likely to consider the
Figure 2.12: Perceived pace of instruction by Junior Certificate
performance
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
Too fast
About right
Too slow
20%
10%
0%
Lowest
quintile
2 3 4 Highest
quintile
pace ‘about right’. However, a significant minority – just under a third –
of the highest-performing group feel the pace is too slow. In contrast,