SPANISH (PEARSON)

A Level Course Outline

Why choose an A Level in Spanish?

We believe languages should appeal to all students. The new A Level in Spanish has been developed to inspire all students who have an appreciation of the language, literature, film and culture of the Spanish-speaking world.

Inspiring and Engaging Themes - Familiar and popular themes as well as some new content that provides clear links to some of the most fundamental and interesting aspects of the culture.

Popular Literary Texts And Films - We offer a rich choice of literary texts and films that includes contemporary and more classical titles, together with authentic source materials from Spain and the wider Spanish-speaking world.

Rewards Creativity - We place an emphasis on spontaneity and grammar, as well as providing plenty of opportunities for students to apply their knowledge independently and creatively.

Clear and Coherent Structure - There is a straightforward structure with four engaging Themes - La evolución de la sociedad española; La cultura política y artística en el mundo hispanohablante; La inmigración y la sociedad multicultural española and La dictadura franquista y la transición a la democracia. The four Themes are studied alongside two works (either two literary texts or one literary text and one film) assessed through two externally-examined papers and one Non-exam assessment (speaking).

Prescribed literary texts and films

Students are required to study two works from the list below. This can be either two literary texts or one literary text and one film.

• Bodas de sangre, Federico García Lorca, 1932 (play)
• Como agua para chocolate, Laura Esquivel, 1989 (novel)
• Crónica de una muerte anunciada, Gabriel García Márquez, 1981 (novella)
• Eva Luna, Isabel Allende, 1987 (novel)
• El coronel no tiene quien le escriba, Gabriel García Márquez, 1961 (novella)
• El túnel, Ernesto Sabato, 1948 (novel)
• Ficciones, Jorge Luis Borges, 1944 (short stories)
• La casa de Bernarda Alba, Federico García Lorca, 1936 (play)
• La casa de los espíritus, Isabel Allende, 1982 (novel)
• Modelos de mujer, Almudena Grandes, 1996 (short stories)
• Nada, Carmen Laforet, 1943 (novel)
• Primera memoria, Ana María Matute 1959 (novel)
• Réquiem por un campesino español, Ramón J. Sender, 1953 (novella)

Films

• Diarios de motocicleta, dir. Walter Salles (2004)
• El laberinto del fauno, dir. Guillermo del Toro (2006)
• La historia oficial, dir. Luis Puenzo (1985)
• La lengua de las mariposas, dir. José Luis Cuerda (1999)
• La misma luna, dir. Patricia Riggen (2007)
• Las 13 rosas, dir. Emilio Martínez-Lázaro (2007)
• Machuca, dir. Andrés Wood (2004)
• Mar adentro, dir. Alejandro Amenábar (2004)
• También la lluvia, dir. Icíar Bollaín (2010)
• Todo sobre mi madre, dir. Pedro Almodóvar (1999)
• Voces inocentes, dir. Luis Mandoki (2004)
• Volver, dir. Pedro Almodóvar (2006)

SPANISH (EDX) A Level Course Specification
Paper 1: Listening, Reading and Translation	Written examination: 2 hours, 40% of the qualification, 80 marks Students are not permitted access to a dictionary during the examination. Section A: Listening (30 marks) A listening assessment based on a recording, featuring male and female Spanish speakers. Students will respond to comprehension questions based on a variety of contexts and sources. Section B: Reading (30 marks) A reading assessment based on a variety of text types and genres where students will have to respond to comprehension questions. Section C: Translation into English (20 marks) An unseen passage to be translated from Spanish to English.
Paper 2: Written Response To Works And Translation	Written examination: 2 hours and 40 minutes, 30% of the qualification, 120 marks This paper includes a translation exercise and two essays on either two literary texts, or one literary text and one film (students must not answer questions on two films). Students are not permitted access to a dictionary or any documentation relating to the works during the examination. Section A: Translation (20 marks) Students translate an unseen passage from English into Spanish. Section B: Written response to works (literary texts) (50 marks) Students must write an extended response on either one or two of the literary texts listed in the prescribed literary texts and films. Section C: Written response to works (films) (50 marks) Students who answer only one question from a literary text in Section B must now write an extended response on one of the films.
Paper 3: Speaking: Internally conducted and externally assessed	Total assessment time: between 21 and 23 minutes, which includes a single period of 5 minutes' formal preparation time, 30% of the qualification, 72 marks Students complete two tasks. Task 1 is worth 30 marks and Task 2 is worth 42 marks.

Structure of the course

This course will be taught for 6x 1hour lessons per week. Independent study is set each week and deadlines must be adhered to. The course will involve additional reading, so please be prepared for this.

Textbook Edexcel A level Spanish, Hodder Education.

Further Reading

www.donquijote.org/cultura, www.newsinslowspanish.com (subscription), www.elpais.es, www.elmundo.es, www.lavanguardia.es, www.abc.es, www.que.es/bilbao/, www.google.es, www.yahoo.es, www.yabla.com, www.lomastv.com, www.broadcast-live.com/television/espanoles.html, www.rtve.es/podcast