Spanish

We aim to develop linguistic competence by:

• Developing the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in a range of situations and contexts.

• Applying linguistic knowledge and skills to understand and communicate effectively.

We aim to develop knowledge about language by:

• Understanding how a language works and how to manipulate it.

• Recognising that languages differ but may share common grammatical features.

We aim to develop creativity by:

• Using familiar language for new purposes and in new contexts.

• Using imagination to express thoughts, ideas, experiences and feelings.

We aim to develop intercultural understanding by:

• Appreciating the richness and diversity of Spain and Spanish speaking countries.

• Recognising that Spanish is spoken in many other countries in the world and developing an international outlook.

Programme of study Y7

Students proficient in the language will develop language knowledge using the Compañeros 1 course and those with a basic knowledge of the language will use the Claro 1 language course. 

Topics and themes covered will be: Spanish in the world, describing people, family, food, free time & sports, home, town & city and Hispanic culture and traditions. Our focus is to build the grammar knowledge and language skills students need to approach language development with confidence (for example; nouns, number, gender, articles, subject pronouns, verbs in the present tense, adjectives). 

Year 7 also sees the introduction of film studies in term 2 and literature studies in term 3. 

Film: Ferdinand el toro. 

Texts: Paco y los estudiantes de intercambio & short stories. 

Students access 2 lessons of Spanish per week.

Programme of study Y8

Students proficient in the language will develop language knowledge using the Compañeros 2 course and those with a basic knowledge of the language will continue to follow the Claro language course. 

Topics and Themes covered: home, chores, friends, city/country life, school life, travel, future plans, Hispanic history and culture and weather. There will be a focus on grammar development as a comprehensive knowledge of this is essential for language growth (for example; verbs: present, future and past, negation, questions, possessive adjectives, contractions, pronouns, the personal ‘a’, comparisons and superlatives). 

Year 8 sees the introduction of film studies in term 2 and literature studies in term 3. 

Film: El libro de la vida. 

Texts: Manolito Gafotas & short stories. 

Students access 2 lessons of Spanish per week.

Programme of study Y9

Year 9 students begin the AQA GCSE course. Students will follow either the Higher or Foundation AQA specifications. All students will study the following topics:

Topic 1: Me, my family and friends.  Relationships with family and friends. Marriage/partnership.

Topic 2: Technology in everyday life.  Social media.  Mobile technology.

Topic 3: Free-time activities.  Music Cinema and TV Food and eating out.  Sport. 

Grammar covered; nouns, adverbs, quantifiers/intensifiers, pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions, number, quantity, dates, articles, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, verbs and time. 

Term 2 will see the introduction of Film studies.

Film: Valentin.

Year 9 students will access two lessons of Spanish per week. 

Assessment

Termly assessments based on the 4 language skills; reading, writing, listening & speaking.

Award: GCSE

Awarding Body: AQA

Specification Code: 8698

Specification Website: GCSE AQA Spanish

This course leads to an A-Level.

The focus of the AQA’s GCSE in Spanish is the development of real-life language skills based on authentic-style tasks and situations. This will enable learners to develop their ability and ambition to communicate with native speakers in speech and writing. This approach encourages learners to step beyond familiar cultural boundaries, to broaden their horizons and develop new ways of seeing the world. The GCSE course started in Year 9.

The subject content of AQA’s GCSE in Spanish is organised into three broad themes:

Theme 1 - Identity and culture 

Covers the following four topics with related sub-topics shown as bullet points: 

Topic 1: Me, my family and friends 

• • Relationships with family and friends 

  • Marriage/partnership 

Topic 2: Technology in everyday life 

• • Social media 

  • Mobile technology 

Topic 3: Free-time activities

• • Music

  • Cinema and TV

  • Food and eating out 

  • Sport 

Topic 4: Customs and festivals in Spanish-speaking countries/communities

Theme 2 - Local, national, international and global areas of interest 

Covers the following four topics with related sub-topics shown as bullet points:

Topic 1: Home, town, neighbourhood and region 

Topic 2: Social issues 

• • Charity/voluntary work 

  • Healthy/unhealthy living 

Topic 3: Global issues 

• • The environment 

  • Poverty/homelessness 

Topic 4: Travel and tourism

Theme 3 - Current and future study and employment 

Covers the following four topics: 

Topic 1: My studies 

Topic 2: Life at school/college 

Topic 3: Education post-16 

Topic 4: Jobs, career choices and ambitions

Assessments

Internal

Year 10 and 11 Mocks

External

The AQA GCSE in Spanish is a linear qualification with 100% external assessment.

•  There are four equally weighted components, each worth 25%. 

  • Three components are examined; Listening, Reading and Writing. 

  • The Speaking tests are internally conducted and externally assessed.

•  Students must be entered for either Foundation Tier or Higher Tier. They must take all four components for the appropriate tier in the same series and are not permitted to use a dictionary 

Award:  A-Level 

Awarding Body: AQA

Specification Code: 7692

Specification Website: AQA A-Level Spanish

Institution: Bayside/Westside

The A Level will be fully linear so assessment of a student’s knowledge and understanding of the whole course takes place at the end of two years of study.  

Spanish A Level gives learners the opportunity to develop and deepen their awareness and understanding of the language as well as the cultural and historical knowledge of the countries and communities where the language is spoken. In addition to the focus on speaking the language confidently and coherently, learners will increase their knowledge of the countries and communities where the language is spoken by their study of language in its cultural, literary and social context as well as through film and literature. 

The A Level in Spanish encourages the development of valuable transferable skills, such as reading, listening, speaking and translation. In addition, learners develop the ability to write critically and analytically about a film and a literary text in the target language. 

Subject Content

Aspects of Hispanic society  

• Modern and traditional values (Los valores tradicionales y modernos)

  • Los cambios en la familia

  • Actitudes hacia el matrimonio/el divorcio

  • La influencia de la Iglesia Católica

• Cyberspace (El ciberespacio)

  • La influencia de internet

  • Las redes sociales: beneficios y peligros

  • Los móviles inteligentes en nuestra sociedad

• Equal rights (La igualdad de los sexos)

  • La mujer en el mercado laboral

  • El machismo y el feminismo

  • Los derechos de los gays y las personas transgénero

Multiculturalism in Hispanic society 

• Immigration (La inmigración)

  • Los beneficios y los aspectos negativos

  • La inmigración en el mundo hispánico

  • Los indocumentados - problemas

• Racism (El racismo)

  • Las actitudes racistas y xenófobas

  • Las medidas contra el racismo

  • La legislación anti-racista

• Integration (La convivencia)

  • La convivencia de culturas

  • La educación

  • Las religions

Artistic culture in the Hispanic world 

• Modern day idols (La influencia de los ídolos)

  • Cantantes y músicos

  • Estrellas de televisión y cine

  • Modelos

• Spanish regional identity (La identidad regional en España)

  • Tradiciones y costumbres

  • La gastronomía

  • Las lenguas

• Cultural heritage (El patrimonio cultural)

  • Sitios turísticos y civilizaciones prehispánicas: Machu Picchu, la Alhambra, etc

  • Arte y arquitectura

  • El patrimonio musical y su diversidad

Aspects of political life in the Hispanic world 

• Today's youth, tomorrow's citizens (Jóvenes de hoy, ciudadanos del mañana)

  • Los jóvenes y su actitud hacia la política : activismo o apatía

  • El paro entre los jóvenes

  • Su sociedad ideal

• Monarchies and dictatorships (Monarquías y dictaduras)

  • La dictadura de Franco

  • La evolución de la monarquía en España

  • Dictadores latinoamericanos

• Popular movements (Movimientos populares)

  • La efectividad de las manifestaciones y las huelgas

  • El poder de los sindicatos

  • Ejemplos de protestas sociales (eg. El 15-M, las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo, …)

Assessment

Paper 1: Listening, Reading & Writing

• • Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes

  • 100 marks

  • 50% of A-level

  • Questions

    • Listening and responding to spoken passages.

    • Reading and responding to a variety of texts.

    • Translation into English; a passage of minimum 100 words

    • Translation into Spanish; a passage of minimum 100 words 

  • No access to a dictionary during the assessment.

Paper 2: Writing

• • Written exam: 2 hours

  • 80 marks in total

  • 20% of A-level

  • Questions

    • Either one question in Spanish on a set text from a choice of two questions and one question in Spanish on a set film from a choice of two questions or two questions in Spanish on set texts from a choice of two questions on each text.

  • No access to a dictionary, texts or films during the assessment.

Paper 3: Speaking

• • Oral exam: 21–23 minutes (including 5 minutes preparation time)

  • 60 marks in total

  • 30% of A-level

  • Questions

    • Discussion of a sub-theme with the discussion based on a stimulus card (5–6 minutes). 

    • The student studies the card for 5 minutes at the start of the test (25 marks).

    • Presentation (2 minutes) and discussion (9–10 minutes) of individual research project (35 marks).

  • No access to a dictionary during the assessment (including 5 minutes preparation).

Individual research project

Students must identify a subject or a key question which is of interest to them and which relates to a country or countries where Spanish is spoken. They must select relevant information in Spanish from a range of sources including the internet. The aim of the research project is to develop research skills. Students will demonstrate their ability to initiate and conduct individual research by analysing and summarising their findings, in order to present and discuss them in the speaking assessment. Students may choose a subject linked to one of the themes or sub-themes or to one of the works. However, students must not base their research on the same literary text or film that they refer to in their written assessment.

Literary Texts and Films

Texts

• Federico García Lorca La casa de Bernarda Alba

• Gabriel García Márquez Crónica de una muerte anunciada

• Laura Esquivel Como agua para chocolate

• Ramón J. Sender Réquiem por un campesino español

• Carlos Ruiz Zafón La sombra del viento

• Isabel Allende La casa de los espíritus

• Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer Rimas

• Fernando Fernán-Gómez Las bicicletas son para el verano

• Luis de Castresana El otro árbol de Guernica

• Gabriel García Márquez El coronel no tiene quien le escriba

Films

• El laberinto del fauno Guillermo del Toro (2006)

• Ocho apellidos vascos Emilio Martínez-Lázaro (2014)

• María, llena eres de gracia Joshua Marston (2004)

• Volver Pedro Almodóvar (2006)

• Abel Diego Luna (2010)