What will we learn in Spanish at WGSA?
Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world and if you can speak both Spanish and English you can communicate with 80% of the world. In Spanish, our aim is to enable students to communicate effectively and to their full potential using the target language so that they can be part of a global community. During their time at West Grantham, students cover a range of every day topics and practice their skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing to prepare them for using language in real-life situations.
At Key Stage 4 we currently follow Pearson Edexcel’s GCSE Spanish
https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/spanish-2016.html
How do we encourage students to succeed in Spanish at WGSA?
In Spanish lessons we encourage students to always try their best and to not be afraid to make mistakes. We also make sure that students are provided with a variety of activities to help them build their knowledge of a language and help them practice the key skills.
We use different strategies to adapt our teaching. For example. sentence starters are used to help students with writing and speaking tasks. We also use sentence builders to help students to construct sentences. WAGOLLS are used for writing tasks and speaking tasks are modelled to students. Key words are provided to assist with reading tasks and vocabulary is introduced in a variety of ways including the use of pictures, choral repetition and the use of a dictionary. The target language is used throughout the lesson to help embed the most frequently used words.
How do Spanish lessons at WGSA help students to prepare for the world of work?
Through learning a foreign language students practice and develop many skills that underpin success in the world of work. These include speaking, listening and the ability to use tactics and strategies to overcome setbacks and achieve goals.
Having a language is seen as a great advantage by employers. Many language graduates go onto work in sectors such as the media, tourism and hospitality, customer service, education, and finance.
How we promote WGSA’s vision and values in our Spanish lessons?
All students studying Spanish are encouraged to have Ambition through high expectations and the Belief that all can be the best that they can be. We promote Courage by developing confident and independent students who are not afraid to communicate in the target language. We encourage Love by teaching students to respect other cultures and creating a sense of global community. It is through this exploration of the world around us that enables the students to develop their sense of Integrity.