A-Level Spanish

Award:  A-Level 

Awarding Body: AQA

Specification Code: 

• A-Level: 7692

Specification Website: 

• AQA A-Level Spanish

Institution: Bayside, Westside

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Aspects of Hispanic society  

• Modern and traditional values (Los valores tradicionales y modernos)

  • Los cambios en la familia

  • Actitudes hacia el matrimonio/el divorcio

  • La influencia de la Iglesia Católica

• Cyberspace (El ciberespacio)

  • La influencia de internet

  • Las redes sociales: beneficios y peligros

  • Los móviles inteligentes en nuestra sociedad

• Equal rights (La igualdad de los sexos)

  • La mujer en el mercado laboral

  • El machismo y el feminismo

  • Los derechos de los gays y las personas transgénero

Multiculturalism in Hispanic society 

• Immigration (La inmigración)

  • Los beneficios y los aspectos negativos

  • La inmigración en el mundo hispánico

  • Los indocumentados - problemas

• Racism (El racismo)

  • Las actitudes racistas y xenófobas

  • Las medidas contra el racismo

  • La legislación anti-racista

• Integration (La convivencia)

  • La convivencia de culturas

  • La educación

  • Las religions

Artistic culture in the Hispanic world 

• Modern day idols (La influencia de los ídolos)

  • Cantantes y músicos

  • Estrellas de televisión y cine

  • Modelos

• Spanish regional identity (La identidad regional en España)

  • Tradiciones y costumbres

  • La gastronomía

  • Las lenguas

• Cultural heritage (El patrimonio cultural)

  • Sitios turísticos y civilizaciones prehispánicas: Machu Picchu, la Alhambra, etc

  • Arte y arquitectura

  • El patrimonio musical y su diversidad

Aspects of political life in the Hispanic world 

• Today's youth, tomorrow's citizens (Jóvenes de hoy, ciudadanos del mañana)

  • Los jóvenes y su actitud hacia la política : activismo o apatía

  • El paro entre los jóvenes

  • Su sociedad ideal

• Monarchies and dictatorships (Monarquías y dictaduras)

  • La dictadura de Franco

  • La evolución de la monarquía en España

  • Dictadores latinoamericanos

• Popular movements (Movimientos populares)

  • La efectividad de las manifestaciones y las huelgas

  • El poder de los sindicatos

  • Ejemplos de protestas sociales (eg. El 15-M, las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo, …)

Paper 1: Listening, Reading & Writing

• • Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes

  • 100 marks

  • 50% of A-level

  • Questions

    • Listening and responding to spoken passages.

    • Reading and responding to a variety of texts.

    • Translation into English; a passage of minimum 100 words

    • Translation into Spanish; a passage of minimum 100 words 

  • No access to a dictionary during the assessment.

Paper 2: Writing

• • Written exam: 2 hours

  • 80 marks in total

  • 20% of A-level

  • Questions

    • Either one question in Spanish on a set text from a choice of two questions and one question in Spanish on a set film from a choice of two questions or two questions in Spanish on set texts from a choice of two questions on each text.

  • No access to a dictionary, texts or films during the assessment.

Paper 3: Speaking

• • Oral exam: 21–23 minutes (including 5 minutes preparation time)

  • 60 marks in total

  • 30% of A-level

  • Questions

    • Discussion of a sub-theme with the discussion based on a stimulus card (5–6 minutes). 

    • The student studies the card for 5 minutes at the start of the test (25 marks).

    • Presentation (2 minutes) and discussion (9–10 minutes) of individual research project (35 marks).

  • No access to a dictionary during the assessment (including 5 minutes preparation).

Individual research project

Students must identify a subject or a key question which is of interest to them and which relates to a country or countries where Spanish is spoken. They must select relevant information in Spanish from a range of sources including the internet. The aim of the research project is to develop research skills. Students will demonstrate their ability to initiate and conduct individual research by analysing and summarising their findings, in order to present and discuss them in the speaking assessment. Students may choose a subject linked to one of the themes or sub-themes or to one of the works. However, students must not base their research on the same literary text or film that they refer to in their written assessment.