Geography in the post - primary school. Changing viewpoints in the teaching of the subject

Abstract

This study is the outcome of my experiences and reflections as an Assistant Examiner in the School Certificate Geography examination coupled with the growing conviction as a teacher that what is being taught to senior forms does not encourage the interest and enthusiasm that the study of Geography merits. Examination requirements determine the content of school Geography and these requirements have not been in accordance with the dynamic nature of the subject. Over-emphasis on regionalism in the Fifth Form has led to an unwarranted neglect of the contributions made by geographers who have not used regional methods. Geography is necessarily a broad subject in the post - primary schools and should be eclectic in nature, sampling the various methods used by geographers in all parts of the world. Narrow specialisation on regional concepts employed by Anglo-Saxon geographers hinders the realisation that knowledge is world - wide and that no one path need be followed in order to achieve understanding. The School Certificate Geography syllabus See Appendix Two below. prescribes Geography teaching in the Fifth Form and is the key to the pedagogy of the subject throughout the post-primary school. In the lower forms Geography is often taught as part of Social Studies. Although this is a broadly defined subject See Appendix Four below in which different geographical approaches may be used, the fact that the School Certificate prescription has been regional favours adherence to regional concepts. In addition, Sixth Form work requires a sound knowledge of regional methods since the major part of the subject at this level develops the regional Geography previously introduced. See Appendix Four below. Therefore a consideration of Geography in the post-primary schools must include an analysis of regionalism since this is the approach most commonly used.