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Members of the Department
S.Morton (HoD)
J.Fitzsimons
H.Abraham
C.Patterson.
Our Spanish assistant is Helena Aguilar.
News
Y12,13 and 14 Spanish students will be going to Malaga from the 28th of January to the 4th of February 2024.
Gallery
Aims
The aims of the Spanish Department are:
To enable all pupils to acquire the basic skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing required for oral and written communication in Spanish
To impart a thorough knowledge of the grammar and vocabulary of Spanish
To create for each pupil a positive and enjoyable language-acquisition experience
To foster in the pupils an interest in Spain and an appreciation of its importance in the world
To offer insights into and to encourage appreciation of the culture and civilisation of Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries by:
The use of authentic materials in class
Extra-curricular activities, clubs, etc
Providing opportunities for foreign travel
To encourage tolerance towards other people and customs
To contribute to the pupils' linguistic development which will:
increase their understanding of their own language
facilitate learning of other languages.
To develop in the pupils qualities of self-confidence, initiative, team-work, cooperation, tolerance, sensitivity, creativity and imagination
To contribute to the overall intellectual and emotional development of each pupil
Key Stage 3
At KS3 level the students have the opportunity to learn how to: Greet other people and provide personal information; describe their family and pets; describe their school and the subjects they study; describe the area where they live and their house; describe what they do in their spare time; introduce other people; buy food and other products in a market/shop; order food in a restaurant; describe their holidays; and talk about health.
Key Stage 4 (GCSE)
At GCSE level the students have the opportunity to understand and explore issues in Spanish such as:
Relationships: families and friends
Local environment: advantages and disadvantages
Activities: daily routine and leisure activities
Health and lifestyle: diet, exercise and illness
Social issues: problems in society and equality
Travel and tourism: destinations and choices
Environmental issues: attitudes to and responsibilities for litter, transport, energy, conservation and recycling
Media and communications
Celebrations: festivals and customs
School life
Part-time jobs: advantages and disadvantages
Future plans: choices and expectations
Key Stage 5 (GCE)
The study of Spanish at A-Level encourages students to:
develop an enthusiasm for and an understanding of the Spanish language and culture in a variety of contexts and genres
communicate confidently, clearly and effectively in the Spanish language for a range of purposes
develop knowledge and understanding of societal, political and cultural issues in Spanish-speaking countries or communities
draw together different areas of linguistic competence, skills and understanding
develop higher order thinking skills, for example independent learning and analytical and evaluative thinking
carry out research and present their findings through multimedia presentations
develop advanced study skills that help them prepare for third level education
provide extended responses and evidence of quality of written communication
engage critically with intellectually stimulating films, texts and other materials; and demonstrate that they understand and can use Spanish at a high level to discuss and reflect on aspects of society, politics and culture
The Spanish Department again provided the students at KS4 and KS5 the opportunity to travel to Seville to study an intensive course of Spanish language at the Instituto San Fernando. The impact of this very successful study trip cannot be underestimated, not only as a motivating factor for those taking part but also as a means of enhancing their learning experience on an academic and cultural level.
Students study the CCEA specification.
Carmen Bascones-Gilmore came 1st in Northern Ireland at A-Level Spanish 2016
Career Opportunities