Spanish
Overview
This subject will be of interest to you if you have a natural interest in the Spanish language and Spanish speaking cultures. It will encourage you to widen your horizons on a variety of contemporary issues that are rooted in the target language countries. You will focus on spoken expressions and response in Spanish, and understanding and written response.
Entry Requirements
Students must have achieved at least a grade 5 in Spanish at GCSE.
Learning & Assessment
Modules / Topics
The key topic areas are:
- Evolution of Spanish society: family, work, tourism
- Culture in Spanish speaking countries: music, media, customs and traditions
- Immigration and Spanish multicultural society: positive impact of immigration, challenges of immigration and integration, public and social response to immigration
- Dictatorship of Franco and transition to democracy: Spanish Civil War and Franco, dictatorship, transition from dictatorship to democracy
You will also study a film and a book:
- Volver, film
- Como Agua para Chocolate, book
Trips / Visits / Enrichment
Past students have been involved in MFL Study Day at the Tyneside Cinema, Pen friends with Spanish students, Holiday Spanish as an enrichment activity, participating in a foreign language magazine.
Assessment
Assessment for A level Spanish is based on the four skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The listening and reading examinations draw on authentic sources of spoken and written language, and assess your ability to understand and respond to them. The speaking and writing tasks require effective and accurate communication to convey knowledge and understanding of the culture of Spanish-speaking societies. An independent research project forms part of the preparation for the speaking examination, while the written examination includes a translation task.
Paper 1: Listening, reading and translation (40% of A Level)
Paper 2: Written response to works and translation (30% of A Level)
Paper 3: Speaking (30% of A Level)
Related Subjects
Spanish can be taken as part of any of our pathways.
Spanish combines well with a range of subjects, including Humanities, but also subjects such as Law, Business, Maths or Science. English Language can enhance the study of a foreign language by contributing to the understanding of grammar terminology and the way languages work.
