Spanish
The number of Spanish lessons now increases to three per week and is taught in conjunction with either French or Latin. This specialisation allows for increased opportunities to explore more complex structures and provides time to be creative and write scripts that are then performed on stage. This is an important part of what we offer in our language teaching and is a great boost to confidence, reminding learners of the use of Spanish as a real communications tool.
Our unique eAssessment system that maximises our use of Chromebooks continues, with testing points four times a year in the four language skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing. Regular tests are not only effective in creating and recognising progress, they also take the pressure off pupils by spreading the load throughout the year. Pupils at this level have to prepare just six PRQs (personal response questions) per testing period that they adapt from the imaginative and comprehensive material we provide for them.
Course materials
The course is taught through electronic media and is based on our own regularly updated resources. We also use Scaffolding for Productive Language, which is unique to Farlington and a wide range of inspiring images. Our excellent video components are La tienda de Luis from Channel 4 and Zoom! by Oxford University Press.
¡Vamos a casa! - Let’s go home!
Talking about your home and its location
Describing your house
Describing the rooms in your house
Describing your bedroom
Talking about your daily routine
Talking about what you do after school
¡Vamos al pueblo - Let’s go into town!
Where you are going
Giving and understanding directions
Describing the location of places in town
Talking about distance
Talking about what your town is like
Talking about the weather
¡Vamos a divertinos! - Let’s go and enjoy ourselves!
Film genres and film classifications
Film synopses
Film preferences
Going to a theme park
Having a sleepover
Talking about sports
What you like doing in your free time
What you do during the week /weekend
Arranging to go out
Saying how you help at home
Saying how you get to school
¡Vamos a la clínica! - Let’s go to the surgery!
Parts of the body
Explaining symptoms
At the chemist
At the doctor’s surgery
Healthy lifestyle
How will I be assessed?
You will always get plenty of feedback from your teacher as you go along, but there are also 4 assessment points as we progress through the seasons.
Autumn
We start off just before half term with an eChallenge. This is around 18 multiple choice questions that you complete in controlled conditions on your Chromebook.
Then after half term, you will have eAssessments in all four language skills. eListening, eReading and eWriting are all computer-based testing and your eSpeaking will be 4 out of 6 Personal Response Questions plus a question to the teacher via a video link.
Winter
We follow the same model in January, i.e. an eChallenge one week followed by eListening, eReading, eWriting and eSpeaking on your latest learning.
Spring
In March we follow the same testing model as previous terms.
Summer
Because of our modular approach to assessment, there is no end of year summer exam as such, but you will have the usual eChallenge and eAssessments on the most recent material you have learnt.
Note the eSpeaking and eWriting will be before half term, and eListening and eReading in exam week after half term.
If you have any queries about this curriculum, please contact: Sra Gema Briggs, Head of Spanish, on gb@farlingtonschool.com