Spanish - Higher (S5/6 only)

Vale of Leven Academy

The course provides candidates with the opportunity to develop reading, listening, talking and writing skills in the modern language, and to develop their knowledge and understanding of detailed and complex language in the contexts of society, learning, employability, culture.

Skills, knowledge and understanding for the course.

The following provides a broad overview of the subject skills, knowledge and understanding developed in the course:

 reading, listening, talking and writing skills in a modern language in the contexts of society, learning, employability, culture

 applying knowledge and understanding of detailed and complex language to understand and use a modern language

 applying knowledge and understanding of language to translate detailed and complex language

 applying grammatical knowledge and understanding

Skills, knowledge and understanding for the course assessment

The following provides details of skills, knowledge and understanding sampled in the course assessment:

Reading, Directed writing, and Listening question papers

Candidates are assessed on all four contexts: society, learning, employability, culture.

Assignment–writing

Candidates are assessed on one of the four contexts: society, learning, employability, culture.

Performance–talking

Candidates are assessed on at least two of the four contexts: society, learning, employability, culture.

Course assessment structure: question papers

Question paper 1: Reading and Directed writing - 50 marks

This question paper allows candidates to demonstrate breadth, challenge and application in the skills of reading and writing.

This paper has 50 marks out of a total of 120 marks for the course assessment.Candidates may use a bilingual dictionary.

This question paper has two sections:

Section 1 Reading This section has 30 marks (25% of the total mark for course assessment).

20 marks are available for identifying main points, supporting detail and overall purpose.

10 marks are available for translating part of the text into English. Candidates read one text in Spanish and then respond to the questions, in English. They provide answers based on comprehension of information from the text.

Section 2 Directed writing

This section has 20 marks, scaled by SQA to 15 marks (12.5% of the total mark for course assessment).

Candidates choose one scenario from the two provided in the question paper. The two scenarios relate to the two contexts which are not sampled in reading or listening.

Candidates produce one piece of writing on their chosen scenario, of 150–180 words, using detailed and complex language in Spanish. The scenario contains six related bullet points. Candidates must address each bullet point.

The directed writing task assesses candidates’ ability to use appropriate past tenses and at least one other tense (for example, conditional or future).

Question paper 2: Listening - 20 marks

This question paper allows candidates to demonstrate breadth, challenge and application in the skill of listening.

The question paper has 20 marks out of a total of 120 marks. This is scaled by SQA to represent 25% of the overall marks for the course assessment.

Candidates may not use a dictionary. Candidates listen to one monologue in Spanish and respond to questions worth 8 marks. They then listen to one conversation in the modern language, with questions worth 12 marks. The texts are linked thematically and are based on the context which is not sampled in the reading text or directed writing scenarios. The questions are in English and candidates respond in English.

Course assessment structure: assignment–writing

Assignment–writing 20 marks

The assignment allows candidates to produce a piece of writing in Spanish based on one of the following contexts: society, learning, employability, culture.

The assignment has 20 marks out of a total of 120 marks. This is scaled by SQA to represent 12.5% of the overall marks for the course assessment.

Course assessment structure: performance–talking

Performance–talking 30 marks

The performance is a discussion in the modern language based on at least two of the following contexts: society, learning, employability, culture.

The performance–talking has a total mark allocation of 30 marks. This is 25% of the overall marks for the course assessment.

Performance–talking overview

Candidates take part in a discussion with the teacher using detailed and complex language on at least two different contexts, and respond to questions in Spanish relating to each of the contexts. Candidates may ask questions where appropriate during the discussion. Candidates identify beforehand the contexts and related topic development for the discussion.

The discussion lasts approximately 10 minutes

Candidates may refer to up to five headings of not more than eight words each to assist them. The headings are prompts and are not to be read out word for word. They may be in Spanish or English.