Why study Spanish?
Learning a new language allows you to connect with different people and their cultures. You think, communicate and create ideas through language.
Spanish is useful for both business and travel. Around 400 million people worldwide speak Spanish, especially in South American countries such as Mexico and Venezuela. Spain is a beautiful country rich in history and culture, making it a popular holiday destination for British people. And, Spain is also an important trading partner of the UK. Many companies need employees who are fluent in one or more European languages. So, learning Spanish gives you many options for your future career.
The skills you develop in Spanish are useful in many different career areas such as travel and tourism, languages, teaching and in trade and industry.
What do I need to get in?
Entry is at the discretion of the school or college, but you would normally be expected to have:
What will I study?
This course aims to help you develop your reading, listening, talking and writing skills in Spanish, in a variety of contexts. You will encounter a wide range of different types of texts in different media. In addition, the course also provides you with knowledge of Spain and the customs and way of life of the Spanish people.
The course consists of two compulsory units and the course assessment unit.
Understanding Spanish (9 SCQF credit points)
In this unit you will:
- develop and extend reading and listening skills in Spanish
- develop your knowledge and understanding of detailed and complex Spanish in the contexts of society, learning, employability, and culture.
Using Spanish (9 SCQF credit points)
In this unit you will:
- develop and extend talking and writing skills in Spanish
- develop your knowledge and understanding of detailed and complex Spanish in the contexts of society, learning, employability, and culture.
How will I be assessed?
Course Assessment (6 SCQF credit points)
The course assessment consists of two components:
- two question papers: reading and writing (40 marks) and listening and writing (30 marks)
- a performance (30 marks).
The question papers will assess your listening, reading, and writing skills in Spanish. The question papers will be set and marked by SQA.
The performance has two sections; delivering a presentation in Spanish, and taking part in a natural, spontaneous conversation with the teacher or lecturer in Spanish. The conversation will be from one of the following contexts: society, learning, employability, or culture.
Your work will be assessed by your teacher on an ongoing basis throughout the course. You must pass both units and the course assessment to gain the course qualification.
The course assessment is graded A-D. Your grade will depend on the total mark for all the units in your course.
What can I go on to next?
If you complete the course successfully, it may lead to:
Further study, training or employment in:
Where can my parents find out more?
Your school will give your parents an Options or Choices information booklet, which has detailed information on the curriculum and the individual subjects or courses you can study. It will also invite them along to a Parents’ Information Evening.
They can also read the information leaflet(s):
Highers in a Nutshell - Modern Languages (CfE Higher)