Spanish
Spanish is the third of our foreign language choices in First Year and is often chosen because of its phonetic nature. The Junior Certificate syllabus is very similar to the French one as the examinations at this level are almost identical. In the course of the first three years the student of Spanish will learn to understand both oral and written Spanish. She will develop an awareness of the cultural differences between Spain and Ireland as well as other Spanish- speaking areas of the world. The foundations of grammar are laid down in these Junior Certificate years too, so that by the end of Third Year, a student should be able to write letters and complete some written role-plays with ease as well as express herself in simple conversational Spanish. She will not however be required to sit an oral test at this stage.
Junior Certificate classes are mixed in ability with the vast majority of our students sitting the Higher Level paper in the examination. We use the ‘Aventura Nueva’ series and supplement our teaching with language games, CDs, films and computer-based activities. We have three class periods in First Year, followed by four in each of Second and Third Year.
The Junior Certificate exam, like that of the other Modern Languages, is comprised of three components:
Listening (worth 44%) The student is required to extract specific information from a range of recorded material. Responses are to be given in English.
Reading (31%) The student is asked to identify and extract specific information from timetables, menus, magazine articles, advertisements and interviews. They are required to demonstrate their understanding by answering in English.
Writing (25%). The student must complete written tasks of varying length. She is required to demonstrate the use of an appropriate range of vocabulary, grammatical structures and tenses.
Transition Year
The activities in Spanish class in Transition Year allow students to consolidate their knowledge of the language, while barcelonafurther increasing their awareness of life in other Spanish-speaking countries. Students benefit from this year free from the constraints of a State examination syllabus to develop their competencies in the language by undertaking project work, reading short stories or magazine articles, watching and discussing Spanish films and enjoying ICT language activities. We usually participate in the annual Inter-Schools Spanish Table Quiz.
A 5 day Transition Year trip to either Madrid is organized for all students of Spanish through Apprendre et Vivre in the second term. Students spend 4/5 nights in the home of a Spanish family and spend the day exploring Madrid, and the nearby towns of Toledo and Segovia.
All these activities, in addition to a series of Spanish conversation classes throughout the year, ensure that Transition Year students are in a better position to approach the much more demanding Leaving Certificate course.
Leaving Certificate
At Leaving Certificate level classes are carried out through Spanish as far as possible. There are five class periods devoted to the language per week. In addition to a textbook we use a wide range of materials such as newspaper articles, film reviews and other reports of topical interest harvested largely from the Internet.
In the Leaving Certificate examination 25% of the marks are given for oral proficiency and so time is given to developing conversational Spanish and the ability to discuss topics of general concern to young people. The student is required not only to express opinions orally but also in writing so we study a wide variety of issues facing young people today such as exam pressure, life in and outside school, drink and drug related problems, environmental concerns and her hopes and dreams for the future.
The Leaving Certificate Examination
Listening Comprehension (20%) Students have to extract specific information, identify points of view and emotions and draw conclusions from a range of recorded material. Answers are to be given in English.
Written Expression (30%) Students are asked to identify and extract specific information from written material, to recognise points of view, draw conclusions and interpret attitudes. They are required to demonstrate their understanding by answering largely through Spanish.
Writing (25%) Students are asked to complete written tasks of varying length and function. They must demonstrate thevalencia use of an appropriate range of vocabulary, grammatical structures and tenses through writing a diary entry, a formal letter, a fax or e-mail and an opinion passage in Spanish.
Speaking (25%) Students are required to sustain a conversation with an oral examiner for approximately 12 minutes on a range of topics such as daily routine, pastimes, their time spent in Spain, life as an eighteen year old, hopes for the future etc. They are also required to complete a role play from a selection of 5 prepared in advance.
Further details of the Syllabi can be obtained from the Department of Education and Science at www.education.ie