There is a momentum in Ireland towards recruiting students who are
competent in mathematics into primary school teaching. It is hoped that
by doing so, standards of teaching, learning and assessment will improve.
The initiative instigated was to revisit current minimum entry
requirements for mathematics with a view to increasing threshold levels.
This paper attempts to ascertain if there is a correlation between
attainment at Leaving Certificate (LC) level, a state run examination taken
by students aged approximately 18, and competency in primary school
mathematics. It goes further to determine if it is possible to establish a
minimum threshold level. Finally it looks at the potential effects on enrolment into initial teacher education (ITE) should entry grades be increased.
95 first year ITE students completed a standardised attainment test that is typically taken by children in their final year in primary school.
The results were compared with their LC mathematics grades. There was a moderate correlation between the two scores. A possible revised
threshold level would have excluded 40% of students who are competent
in mathematics from entering into ITE. Therefore, mathematics grades at
LC appear to be an unsuitable measure for establishing a threshold entry
requirement for ITE.