CBA 1 – Oral Communication (Junior Cycle English)
Ace your first CBA with confidence — from choosing your topic to delivering your talk, ClisteLearn’s got your back.
What we need to know first:
What is CBA 1?
CBA1 is your first Classroom-Based Assessment in Junior Cycle English. It takes place in 2nd Year and is worth 10% of your final grade when combined with the Assessment Task in 3rd Year.
You’ll be graded by your teacher using Features of Quality: Exceptional, Above Expectations, In Line With Expectations, or Yet to Meet Expectations.
What Are the Format Options?
Let students pick what suits their strengths:
Format Examples:
Presentation Speech about climate change, favourite author, book review
Interview Q&A with a classmate, mock celebrity chat
Performance Skit, scene from a play, monologue, drama piece
Response to Stimulus Commentary on an ad, poster, photo, song lyrics, video clip
💡 Tip: Choose something you care about — you’ll find it easier and more fun to present.
Step-by-Step Checklist
Here’s your student-friendly preparation flow:
Pick a topic you’re genuinely interested in
Choose a format that suits you
Research your topic
Time yourself (aim for 3 minutes)
Fill in your Reflection Note (we’ve got a template below!)
Write bullet points or a script
Practise speaking clearly and confidently
Submit on time and stay calm — you’ve got this!
Key Details:
What You Need to Do
Choose a topic or issue and present it orally
When It Happens
3-week window in 2nd Year
Individual or Group?
Either — but everyone is marked individually
Reflection Note Required?
Yes, a short personal written reflection
What Will I Be Marked On?
Features of Quality – In Simple Language:
There are four levels your teacher can give you after looking at your work. They’ll use something called Features of Quality (basically, a checklist) to help decide.
✅ Exceptional
This is top-level work — really well done. You’ve clearly understood the task and gone above and beyond. Any small mistakes are minor and easy to fix.
Think: “Wow!” work that really impresses.
👍 Above Expectations
This means your work is of a high standard. You’ve covered everything well, and it’s clear you put in great effort. There might be small things to tidy up, but overall it’s strong.
Think: “Very solid, with just a little room to polish.”
🙂 In Line With Expectations
You’ve done a good job and shown that you understand what was asked. There may be a few things to work on, but the overall result is accurate and well done.
Think: “On track – good job!”
⚠️ Yet to Meet Expectations
You’ve given it a go, but there are some key things missing or not quite right. It might be that you didn’t fully understand the task or there were major errors.
Think: “Let’s try again and improve next time.”
🚫 Not Reported
This means you didn’t submit anything for the teacher to mark.
💡 Tip: CBAs aren’t just about the final grade — they’re about learning how to plan, reflect, present, and improve your skills. Your teacher will give you feedback to help you grow, so try your best, ask for help when you need it, and use each one as a chance to learn more about yourself and your subject.
Download Your Resources
Free Downloads for CBA1 (available below or in the student dashboard):