What will students be learning in Spanish this year?
We currently follow the AQA syllabus (8698). There are three broad topic areas: ‘Identity and culture’; ‘Local, national, international and global areas of interest’ and ‘Current and future study and employment’. We use the new AQA Spanish Higher textbook in lessons (ISBN:978- 0-19- 836585-3). However, from 2024-25 for Year 10 there is a completely new GCSE and we have chosen Edexcel as our new exam board.
In both Year 10 and 11 we will be consolidating and building on all the language and skills students developed at KS3 but the emphasis is much more strongly on spontaneous use of the language than has been the case in previous years. To ensure students are well prepared for the new exams, they will need to be confident in unrehearsed use of the language both orally and in writing, so as well as writing on a variety of topics, they will also be refining their translation and comprehension skills in lessons and for homework. A solid foundation in grammar and vocabulary will also be required.
Students will learn more about Spanish and Spanish-speaking culture, using a range of resources including video clips, film, music, and computer resources to help bring the language to life. We are subscribed to the new Kerboodle digital learning package which supports the new exam.
Expectations of students in Spanish
There are two one-hour lessons a week and homework is set once a week. Homework will almost always include grammar and/or vocabulary learning as this will be key to success and will also usually involve translation, comprehension, grammar practice, writing, or preparing oral work. This may be in writing or online using the AQA digital textbook and practice resources to support their learning. It is essential for students to recognise the value of regular learning homework in steadily building up their vocabulary and grammatical knowledge, particularly in this new exam. To benefit fully from the course, students are expected to take an active part in lessons, especially in speaking Spanish at every opportunity. Written work is marked using marking codes, which enable students to work out themselves how to improve their work, thus helping them to learn more effectively. They should re-draft marked work and will usually be able to do so in lesson time.
What are the major assessments this year?
There will be formative assessments covering a range of skills at the end of most units and an end of year exam in the summer term of Year 10, which includes a speaking exam. Ongoing vocabulary and grammar tests assess the extent to which students have assimilated the new language. Terminal assessment takes the form of four separate exams, all taken at the end of Year 11 (although the speaking exams will be a little earlier than the written papers). Each paper is equally weighted so makes up 25% of the final mark. The listening and reading comprehension require verbal and non-verbal answers in either English or Spanish and the reading paper also includes a translation into English. The speaking exam will be 10-12 minutes plus preparation time and includes a role play, photo card and general conversation. The writing paper contains two writing tasks and a translation into Spanish.
What will the current performance grade be based on and what does it mean?
A target minimum grade for each student will be determined at the start of the Autumn Term. They will have the opportunity to review their progress at termly intervals in consultation with their teacher and to set personal targets. The grade given at the end of the year will be influenced by the end of year exam but will also take into account work over the year. It is an indication of the grade the student might expect to get at the end of the course if she continues to work as she has in Year 10.
What should my daughter do if she feels she is struggling in the subject?
It is important for students to let their teacher know of any concerns promptly, so that support and advice can be offered, before she starts to fall behind. Finding something challenging at first is not necessarily a bad thing and much can be learnt by resolving such difficulties, once they have been acknowledged. Problems often relate to grammatical concepts which a student has not understood fully, and this can usually be addressed by a combination of staff intervention and student practice online, where is a wide range of support available.
How can I support my daughter?
It is by no means essential to know Spanish in order to support your daughter effectively. Simply by taking an interest, asking her to show you her work and explain it and motivating her, you can make an enormous difference to how she feels about the subject. You can also encourage her to do regular, short grammar and vocabulary revision to support her learning and test her if she wants you to! Please encourage your daughter to use her own language in her written and oral work rather than relying on google translate. Electronic translation tools often give strange translations and lead to errors which effective use of a good dictionary such as wordreference.com can avoid.
What kind of independent work should my daughter be completing?
It is a good idea for her to review her lesson notes and the relevant resources as soon as possible after the lesson, to help it sink in. There are a range of additional exercises on Kerboodle which support the course, as well as excellent grammar resources on StudySpanish.com and languages on line. We also encourage students to take part in the Spanish trip, which is both educational and enjoyable.
Who can I contact for further advice and information?
Please feel free to contact your daughter's class teacher in the first instance, but Mrs Montero-Garcia as Head of Spanish is also available on IMontero-Garcia@newsteadwood.co.uk