Introduction
This course has been designed to give you a profound understanding of the Spanish language. Not only will you know more about the mechanics of the language – like grammar and vocabulary – but also about how people live and use the language on a day-today basis. At A level, the emphasis shifts to a much higher level than the everyday common skills learned at GCSE. You are expected to offer opinions, to evaluate and to comment on key aspects of the country in which the target-language is spoken. The vocabulary is accordingly at a more demanding level. Nevertheless, it will prove an enjoyable course which enables students to explore in depth various aspects of the recent history, society, culture and, of course, language of Spain.
Teaching
At A-level Spanish we follow the Edexel International Advanced Level syllabus. The two-year course covers a variety of topics such as Environment, Education, Technology or Society in the Spanish speaking world.
You will be working in a closely knit MFL department, which will give tailored support and encouragement throughout the course. Our teaching team is highly specialised, really friendly and approachable, enabling you to achieve the best grade possible in your advanced level studies. You will be expertly guided through the course in order to achieve your full potential and the Spanish will take you beyond XIC by creating pathways in to your chosen university area.
The language is taught through a wide range of interactive activities which include vocabulary building, reading authentic texts, listening to Spanish music and conversations, speaking tasks, studying video clips and independent research.
As with learning any language, there are four key skills that you will gain with A-Level Spanish:
- Speaking
- Listening
- Reading
- Writing
Learning Spanish will also improve your understanding of English and help with your other studies. Language learning challenges you to find connections, use your memory, analyse structure and differentiate meaning; and developing these communication and problem solving skills has an impact on your overall approach to learning.
Spanish at XIC is engaging and fun. It is taught solely by experienced Spanish native teachers who achieve fantastic results year on year.
Why study Spanish at XIC
Spanish is a very accessible and attractive Romance language derived from latin. Once you have mastered it you will easily be able to pick up other latin-based languages like French and Italian.
If you plan to continue studying Spanish beyond A-Level, being able to speak the language will give you the opportunity to take a gap year in any Spanish- speaking country across the world. There are twenty-five countries in the world where Spanish is spoken either as an official or a primary language. Being able to speak Spanish not only enables you to communicate with the 400 million other speakers worldwide, but it will bring other academic benefits as well. Given its rich artistic and literary history, studying Spanish at A-Level will enhance any further study you do in arts-based subjects such as Art & History. Moreover, Spanish is the third most commonly used language on the Internet. You could also consider working abroad before starting university, for example as a holiday representative in Spain, or even a volunteer in South America. The knowledge and cultural understanding you’ll get from studying Spanish at A-Level will definitely come in handy in these instances and support your progression to the next step in your academic career.