Spanish
AQA
Studying a language is increasingly important in the modern world and will open many doors to new experiences. Many universities and employers now ask for applicants to have a GCSE in a language as a basic requirement, and it is a definite advantage, not just for travelling but in the world of work too. Pupils at the college are strongly advised to opt for at least one modern foreign language in the Fourth form, with some pupils opting to study two.
GCSE Spanish will enable you to develop your language skills in a variety of contexts and broaden your understanding of the culture of countries and communities where Spanish is spoken. It encourages the enjoyment of language learning and gives the recognition that language skills enable you to take your place in a multi-lingual global society.
There are three themes, which apply to all four assessed units of the GCSE course. These are:
People and Lifestyle: (Identity and relationship with others, Healthy living and lifestyle, Education and work)
Popular Culture: (Free-time activities, Customs, festivals and celebrations, Celebrity culture)
Communication and the world around us: (Travel and tourism, Media and technology, and The environment and where people live)
Course assessment concentrates on the four skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing. There is no coursework option and there is a significant emphasis on phonics and grammar development, with dictation, reading aloud and writing and translation skills tested without prior knowledge of the question topics in the final exam. GCSE Spanish has a Foundation tier (grades 1–5) and a Higher tier (grades 4–9). Students must take all four question papers at the same tier. Teaching of the new GCSE specification will start in summer term of the 3rd form.
In an attempt to give every pupil the best opportunity to get a GCSE in a Modern Foreign Language, it is recommended that pupils who have started Spanish as a second language in the third form should firstly opt for French if they have studied this language for longer.
Opportunities to develop Spanish skills are offered through a range of extracurricular activities, including the annual department trip to Valencia in October of the Fourth Form.
Assessment
Assessments are based on the DofE prescribed Vocabulary list that contains between 1200-1500 words.
Unit 1: Listening (25% of the course) - a series of tasks based on pre-recorded material to be answered in English or non-verbally, followed by a dictation where students transcribe short sentences.
Unit 2: Speaking (25%) - a role play, carrying out at Reading aloud tasks, and talking about a photo card. a discussion and a general conversation, none of which the candidate will have knowledge of before the exam (7-12min).
Unit 3: Reading (25%) -questions in English based on Spanish texts, and a translation of a passage from Spanish to English.
Unit 4: Writing (25%) - a series of tasks including writing sentences in response to a photo, writing 50- and 90-words texts, an open-ended writing task in higher tier (150 words) and a translation of sentences from English to Spanish.
For more details, please contact:
Mrs A Jones
Head of Spanish.