Head of Department:	Mrs D Sadler
Specification:	AQA
Qualification:	GCSE in Spanish

PROGRAMME OF STUDY

In GCSE Spanish you will learn to use four main aspects of essential skills for communication in Spanish (and, indeed, in any language): Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing.

During the course you will cover topics within the following themes:

Identity and Culture

• describing yourself and others
• learning about customs and festivals in Spanish speaking countries Local area, holiday and travel

• describing your town, local area and neighbourhood
• describing holidays you have been on and your future travel plans School

• describe your school life, your subjects and rules at your school Future aspirations, study and work

• explain what you would like to do in the future in terms of study and work
  plans
• describe what plans you have for the future International and global dimension

• global issues such as the environment and poverty

HOW IS THE COURSE STRUCTURED & ASSESSED?

The four skill areas of listening, speaking, reading and writing are each worth 25% and are examined at the end of Year 11. Lessons will focus on each of these skill areas, building your vocabulary base and deepening your understanding and application of grammar. It will build on the skills and grammar learned during Key Stage 3 and develop more complex and sophisticated language.

In Spanish GCSE all four areas of listening, speaking, reading and writing will be assessed by separate examinations at the end of Year 11 at either foundation or higher tier.

The listening and reading units will require you to respond to spoken or written Spanish demonstrating that you can understand and identify key information. In the reading unit you will also be required to translate from English into Spanish. The speaking unit consists of a role play, picture based discussion and general conversation lasting from 7 to 12 minutes and will be conducted by your teacher. The writing unit involves a series of questions requiring you to demonstrate your ability to structure a response using appropriate vocabulary and a range of tenses. You will also be required to translate from Spanish into English.

WHAT CAN THESE QUALIFICATIONS LEAD TO?

A GCSE in Spanish is extremely useful for a variety of jobs, not just teaching or translating. For example, you might use these skills in careers such as tourism, web design, medicine, engineering or ICT. If you are considering a career in any of these fields, or if you just want to keep your options open for the future, a GCSE in a language may be just what you need! GCSE Spanish will also count towards the English Baccalaureate.

If you decide to continue your language learning to university level, you will be given the opportunity to spend time in Spain or Latin America.

A qualification in a language will always look good on your CV, as it tells potential employers or colleges that you can use the four essential skills of communication. It will also prove to be particularly useful as the UK leaves the European Union.

Employers have been actively seeking those with foreign language skills to fill a variety of positions in their companies.