KEY STAGE 5 TIPS
A Level Spanish can be quite daunting but if you follow these quick tips, you should do well!
1- Keep listening to Spanish: use our links to TV/Radio/movies on this website and make sure that you listen to Spanish at least 30 minutes everyday. With internet at home and at school (free access to F9a after school), you have no excuse! Watch the news or your favourite TV show in Spanish and you will see that after few viewings, you'll understand more and more and pick new words up. This is also the best way to improve your pronunciation and fluency.
2- Keep reading the news: AS and A2 Levels focus on current affairs and daily life. If you read the news (preferably in Spanish, see El Pais at the Library) on a regular basis then you will be up to date with environmental or immigration issues which are at the heart of the A2 curriculum.
3- Take notes and add on to them: Soon you'll be off to UNI where you'll have to take notes of your lectures. Do the same here! But don't only take notes during lesson and forget about them! After each lesson, go back to them, then after some personal and independent research on internet or using the resources available in the Spanish department, add on to them. Add your own anecdotes as well, drawn from your own experience as examiners like to hear about your opinion.
4- Keep reading around the topic: What we teach you in class is not enough! You have to keep reading the topic (Almodovar, Lorca, Environment, Immigration issues, racism, or any AS topics) so you can add your personal point of view. A2 is about being able to challenge someone's point of view and in order to do so, you must know your topics and your facts really well. You cannot base your argumentation on received ideas. It has to be precise and this will come with your diverse readings on the topics.
5- Keep speaking Spanish: Don't only speak Spanish within the confines of your Spanish classroom! Each time you see your spanish teacher, make sure that you address her in Spanish. It is also a good idea to use Spanish only when talking to your ALevel Spanish classmates. We also strongly advise you to go to after school conversation classes so you get more confident when speaking in front of other people.
1- Keep listening to Spanish: use our links to TV/Radio/movies on this website and make sure that you listen to Spanish at least 30 minutes everyday. With internet at home and at school (free access to F9a after school), you have no excuse! Watch the news or your favourite TV show in Spanish and you will see that after few viewings, you'll understand more and more and pick new words up. This is also the best way to improve your pronunciation and fluency.
2- Keep reading the news: AS and A2 Levels focus on current affairs and daily life. If you read the news (preferably in Spanish, see El Pais at the Library) on a regular basis then you will be up to date with environmental or immigration issues which are at the heart of the A2 curriculum.
3- Take notes and add on to them: Soon you'll be off to UNI where you'll have to take notes of your lectures. Do the same here! But don't only take notes during lesson and forget about them! After each lesson, go back to them, then after some personal and independent research on internet or using the resources available in the Spanish department, add on to them. Add your own anecdotes as well, drawn from your own experience as examiners like to hear about your opinion.
4- Keep reading around the topic: What we teach you in class is not enough! You have to keep reading the topic (Almodovar, Lorca, Environment, Immigration issues, racism, or any AS topics) so you can add your personal point of view. A2 is about being able to challenge someone's point of view and in order to do so, you must know your topics and your facts really well. You cannot base your argumentation on received ideas. It has to be precise and this will come with your diverse readings on the topics.
5- Keep speaking Spanish: Don't only speak Spanish within the confines of your Spanish classroom! Each time you see your spanish teacher, make sure that you address her in Spanish. It is also a good idea to use Spanish only when talking to your ALevel Spanish classmates. We also strongly advise you to go to after school conversation classes so you get more confident when speaking in front of other people.