Spanish

Overview
This is a post-GCSE course. As well as coursebook texts, you will work on video and audio materials in our multi media language labs, and a number of Internet and other interactive sources. All language work is firmly linked to contemporary issues and life in Spain and other Spanish speaking countries. There are plenty of chances to develop your authentic Spanish. You will have small group conversation sessions each week with our Spanish assistant, and are encouraged to follow a week’s work experience in Spain. By the end of year 12 you will be able to study short off-air news items in Spanish and make brief summaries. You will also watch and analyse one or two Spanish feature films.

Course Outline
AS Level
Unit 1: Speaking: Topic-based conversation on AS topics (leisure and lifestyles, the individual and society) followed by general conversation on personal interests, studies, plans for the future.
Unit 2: Listening, Reading and Writing: Comprehension recordings and texts based on authentic material on the same topics as above.

A2 Level
Unit 3: Speaking: A presentation and discussion of either a film, a book or a region of Spain/the Spanish-speaking world.
Unit 4: Listening, Reading and Writing: Comprehension recordings and texts on A2 topics (environmental issues, social and political issues); the paper includes a short translation from English, and an essay on another book, film or region.

Assessment
No Coursework
Examination (100%)
Examining Board – WJEC.

Special Entry Requirements
You need to have at least Grade C in GCSE Spanish (the great majority of entrants have grade B or better).

Prohibited Options
Students do not normally study more than two languages to AS Level.

Career and Progression Opportunities
Joint degree combinations are very popular, for example combining Spanish with another language, or Law, English, Business, Tourism, or indeed a wide range of other disciplines. Students going on to employment or training progress into areas such as retail and leisure and tourism.

Teaching Methods
You will develop language skills in a wide variety of ways, making full use of our two Multi-Media Language Labs and drawing on a range of sources from course books to Internet and satellite TV. In class you will carry out a lot of pair and group work designed to build up your communicative skills. Our VLE also has a range of interactive exercises including vocabulary learning and listening work. Each week, in addition to mainstream lessons, you will have contact with a native speaker through small group conversation sessions. We ‘bridge the gap’ from GCSE to AS level with considerable study skills support, and by Year 13, students are able, for example, to write confident summaries of off-air news items in lunchtime workshop sessions.

Course Activities
Students can undertake a work experience placement in Spain via Halsbury Work Experience.

Cost Implications
Approximately £12 for a good bilingual dictionary. A work experience placement starts from about £500.

Complementary Subjects or Enrichment Courses
We run beginners’ language short courses in Spanish and Italian.

Other Information
None.

This information is correct for September 2012 entry.