Spanish

Why study Spanish?

A Level Spanish enables pupils to become confident in the use of the language while learning about many aspects of the culture of both Spain and the Hispanic world. Ludwig Wittgenstein, a well-known twentieth century Austrian philosopher, expressed the value of learning foreign languages when he said: ‘The limits of my language are the limits of my world.’ Learning a language is one of the best ways for pupils to broaden their horizons.

Course content Year 1:

Aspects of Hispanic society: current trends • Modern and traditional values: family changes; attitudes to marriage and divorce; the influence of the Catholic church • Cyberspace: the influence of the internet; smart phones in our society and social networks • Gender equality: women in the workplace; feminism, male chauvinism and the changes of

LGTB rights Artistic culture in the Hispanic world: • The influence of celebrities: music stars, cinema,

TV and models • The regional identity of Spain: customs and traditions; gastronomy and languages • Cultural heritage: civilisations that contributed to the cultural heritage of Spain and the pre-

Columbian heritage of Latin America; Spanish and Latin American artists and the role of architecture in Spain; the diversity of Hispanic music and dance Cultural topic: The film, Pan’s Labyrinth by the Mexican director Guillermo del Toro.

Year 2:

• Multiculturalism in Hispanic society • Aspects of political life in the Hispanic world • Monarchies and dictatorships • Social movements Cultural topic: the play, La Casa de Bernarda Alba by Federico García Lorca.

Pupils also dedicate time to an Independent Research Project.

Will I enjoy it?

Pupils enjoy gaining a deeper knowledge of the Spanish language in context as they discover the ins and outs of several very different cultures.

Pupils find themselves becoming more interested in finding out what is happening in the Spanish or Latin American news, and it makes more sense as they have a deeper understanding of the culture, history and society of the countries they study. This course disrupts the stereotypes and reveals the reality of Spain and Latin America.

What else should I consider?

Pupils become more confident in Spanish as they spend one-to-one time with our Language Assistant. They may decide to begin a career using Spanish or take Spanish at university, perhaps alongside another subject, bringing an array of options at the end of their studies.

Assessment

Examination board: AQA

At A Level language skills and cultural knowledge are assessed by external examinations at the end of the two-year course.

• Paper 1: Listening, Reading and Writing (including translation tasks) 40% • Paper 2: Critical response to literary texts/film 30% • Paper 3: Oral exam, including discussion of research project 30%

Who can give me more information? Mrs Carvia-Meadows

g.carviameadows@sherborne.com