Years 5-6 Spanish Syllabus
Years 5-6 Syllabus
Years 5-6 Band Level Description
In Years 5 and 6, Spanish language learning builds on each student’s prior learning and experiences with language. Students communicate and work in collaboration with peers and teachers in purposeful, creative and structured activities involving listening, speaking, reading and viewing, and writing. They interact in Spanish to exchange information and ideas relating to their interests, school and local environment, and engage with Spanish-speaking communities in person or via digital access. They work independently and in groups with ongoing support from modelling, and from digital and print resources.
Students engage with a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts that may include stories, posters, notes, invitations and procedures. They use their English literacy knowledge to identify Spanish language structures and features. They understand that some words and expressions are not easily translated, and reflect on how diverse cultural practices, behaviours and values influence communication and identity.
Years 5-6 Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 6, students initiate and use strategies to maintain interactions in Spanish language that are related to their immediate environment. They use appropriate sound combinations, intonation and rhythm in spoken texts. They collaborate in spoken and written activities that involve the language of planning and problem-solving to share information, ideas and preferences. They use strategies to locate and interpret information and ideas in texts, and demonstrate understanding by responding in Spanish or English, adjusting their response to context, purpose and audience. They create texts, selecting and using a variety of vocabulary and sentence structures to suit context. They sequence information and ideas, and use conventions appropriate to text type.
Students apply rules of pronunciation and intonation in spoken Spanish. They apply conventions of spelling and punctuation, and use modelled structures, when creating and responding in Spanish. They compare language structures and features in Spanish and English, using some metalanguage. They show understanding of how some language reflects cultural practices and consider how this is reflected in their own language(s), culture(s) and identity.
Content Descriptions
Interacting in Spanish
initiate and sustain modelled exchanges in familiar contexts related to students’ personal worlds and school environment
selecting forms of address and greetings appropriate to the time of day, relationship and context, in spoken and written interactions, for example, Querida abuela, Hola María, Estimado señor
sharing personal information about routines and tasks, hopes and dreams, for example, El proximo año …, Quiero ser …, El fin de semana espero ir a …, El lunes tengo que limpiar …
thanking, inviting or congratulating one another using formulaic language, for example, Gracias por tu ayuda. ¿Quieres venir a mi fiesta de cumpleaños el sábado? Enhorabuena/Felicitaciones por tu medalla.
expressing feelings and emotions about experiences such as Estoy emocionado por la fiesta. Estoy triste porque ... ¡Qué guay! ¡Qué chévere! ¡Qué lindo!
apologising and expressing concern or sympathy to friends and family members in written and spoken interactions, for example, Lo siento mucho, Disculpa por …, ¡Cuídate! Te quiero.
expressing preferences and opinions, for example, En mi opinion el chocolate es más delicioso que …, Me encanta la ciencia porque es interesante. Hacer los deberes es aburrido. Prefiero comer helado. Me encanta … porque es el mejor. Me fascina la música de …; Me mola …; No me parece bien …; ¡Qué chulo!
showing reactions, understanding and interest by using strategies such as asking questions and using conversation fillers, for example, Entiendo; ¿Y tú? Yo también; Claro; sí, sí, vale, de acuerdo, ¡Qué hermoso!; ¡Qué rico!; including single-word answers, such as nada, tampoco, un poco
participate in activities that involve planning and negotiating with others, using language that expresses information, preferences and ideas
participating in an activity for an assembly, school or class event or performance, and creating promotional materials to encourage people to attend, for example, Ven y saluda a …, Ven/venga a la feria el lunes … de … a las …, Entrada/gratuita, Visita la página …, Bienvenidos a …
working with others to create resources for the school community to promote school values and goals, for example, producing a poster to encourage recycling, or making signs to promote actions and behaviour, Por favor reciclar las botellas. Camina/baja/sube por la izquierda. Permanece en silencio. Ayuda a tu compañero. ¿Te parece bien?
checking on own and/or others’ understanding and progress during learning tasks, by asking questions and making suggestions such as ¿Está bien así? ¿Qué significa …? Podemos hacer …, ¿Cómo se escribe …? ¿Ya terminaste? Terminé/No he acabado. Necesito más tiempo, No entiendo …, Tengo una pregunta
delegating roles and tasks with peers to plan for and participate in an event of interest, for example, ¡Celebremos …! ¿Cuándo podemos celebrar el día de maestro? ¿Dónde? ¿Cuándo? ¿A qué hora? Tú puedes hacer …, yo puedo …, yo cortaré
developing a range of interview questions to ask a real or imagined Spanish-speaking guest, for example, ¿De dónde es? ¿A qué se dedica? ¿Qué trabajo tiene? ¿Cuándo llegó a Australia? ¿Dónde vive?
participating in real or imagined transactions that involve negotiation, requesting information, considering options, buying and selling, for example, ¿Cuánto cuesta? ¿Qué colores tienen? ¿Tienen descuento? ¡Qué caro! ¡Qué chulo! Puedo llevar el pantalón/los pantalones rojo(s). ¿Qué talla tiene? quiero/prefiero la camiseta verde
creating digital displays, presentations or performances for family, friends or school community, to showcase their progress in learning and using Spanish, for example, Me gusta estudiar español porque ...
demonstrating numeracy, negotiation and decision-making skills by agreeing with a partner about how to spend a set amount such as 500 Euro or 1500 Argentine Peso, justifying purchases, adding up amounts and expressing personal preferences, for example, Compremos un ..., El total son 200 euros, 300 restantes
working in a team to solve a puzzle or problem, for example, reading clues and making decisions about where to go around the school, Ve a un lugar donde puedes comprar comida/practicar deportes/lavar sus/tus manos/leer libros
Mediating meaning in and between languages
locate and process information and ideas in a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts, and respond in different ways to suit purpose
- researching topics of interest, such as leisure, recycling, migration, cuisine, sport or geographical features in Spanish-speaking communities, using a range of sources like magazine articles, books, websites, etc., and organising and sharing the information in print or digital format
- listening to, reading and viewing authentic texts and extracting key points relating to aspects of life in Spanish-speaking communities, such as family structures, urban and rural lifestyles, young people’s interests, activities and daily routines, and answering questions in Spanish or English, for example, what is the most popular sport? What is the population of …? How is your family structure the same/different from …? What is your impression of …?
comparing main characters, events and ideas encountered in different types of imaginative texts by responding to questions, for example, ¿Quién es el personaje principal? ¿Qué pasa primero/después? ¿Por qué hizo …? ¿Cuál es la moraleja del cuento? ¿Cómo te sientes después de ver el vídeo?
- listening to or viewing First Nations Australian authors’ stories in English and responding to them using words, formulaic expressions and modelled sentences in Spanish
- adapting an informative or imaginary text by resequencing events, adding a new element, changing the location, or creating an alternative ending
discussing key messages and cultural elements in creative texts, such as the moral of a fable/story, an idea or value in a song, or a quality of a character, for example, El/Ella es extrovertido/a, simpático/a, travieso/a
responding to famous artworks and images such as works by Botero, Frida Kahlo or Picasso, with simple words or phrases, for example, Este cuadro me gusta porque tiene muchos colores. Este mural es más original que el otro.
playing charades or a miming game with peers, incorporating hand gestures and actions requiring the audience to interpret non-verbal clues, and using Spanish words/sentences to guess the meaning within a set time, for example, frío, nadar, avión, leer, monstruo
listening to a simple procedure/method such as a recipe or craft activity, and extracting keywords such as quantities and verbs to complete the product or task, for example, cortar por la mitad, poner una cucharada de azúcar
reading a short text about a holiday destination or a weather report for an event or camp, and deciding as a class or in groups a list of what to bring/pack, justifying their reasons, for example, Necesitamos una chaqueta porque hace frío. Podemos llevar ropa de baño para nadar. Tenemos que ir en bus/autobús.
- using graphic organisers to convey information in ways that suit specific purposes and content, for example, lists or tables to show priorities, Venn diagrams to compare statistics or ideas, graphs to highlight frequency or timelines to narrate sequences of events
apply strategies to interpret and convey meaning in Spanish language in familiar non-verbal, spoken and written cultural contexts
identifying words and expressions that do not translate directly from Spanish into English, for example, tomar el pelo, meter la pata, saltarse la clase de español, ¡Es pan comido! ¡Es papaya!
collecting examples of ‘false friends’ encountered when translating between Spanish and English, for example, carpeta/folder, contestar/answer, pie/foot, éxito/success, introduci/insert, and explaining how these could create confusion and misunderstanding
interpreting words and expressions encountered in simple texts such as greeting cards, menus or story titles, that do not translate easily into English and that reflect aspects of culture from the Spanish-speaking world, for example, Hoy es mi santo, Siesta, Feliz Día de Reyes. ¡Buen provecho!
translating texts to identify differences in elements such as levels of politeness or directness in public signs, for example, No pisar el césped. Prohibido comer y beber. Silencio, por favor.
creating Spanish versions of Australian school signs and notices that reflect rules, locations and values, considering why some words or expressions require freer translation than others, for example, at the sports oval, the canteen, library, out of bounds, sick room, ‘No hat, no play’, no littering, gym, toilet versus bathroom, for example, ¡Ponte el sombrero! ¡Recoge tu basura! Levanta la mano antes de preguntar, No te olvides de reciclar, ¡Bajad la voz!
- using bilingual dictionaries and online translation tools to create bilingual captions, menus or timetables, comparing results and noticing problems associated with translation and equivalence
creating bilingual resources such as flashcards, word walls, and parallel lists of Spanish and English expressions to aid translations in everyday interactions with friends, exchange students, visitors and family, for example, hasta luego/see you later, no pasa nada/no worries, guay/cool
discussing strategies and techniques to resolve a breakdown in communication and misunderstandings, or to interpret cultural information, keep the conversation going, request repetition, for example, ¿Puede repetir, por favor? ¿Puede escribir su número de teléfono, por favor?
applying active reading or listening skills to engage with and comprehend Spanish texts, using a range of responses, for example, ‘stop and jot’ sticky notes, graphic organisers, response question stems, or creating a set of coded symbols to help them visualise their thinking and ideas such as, heart = mi parte favorita
Creating text in Spanish
create and present a range of informative and imaginative spoken, written and multimodal texts using a variety of modelled sentence structures to sequence information and ideas, and conventions appropriate to text type
representing themselves as a digital character in a montage, making choices about the design, content and language used, for example, Tengo ... años de edad. Vivo en … en una casa grande con mi …, Mi dirección es …, Mi correo electrónico es …, Todos los sábados, yo juego al tenis con mis …, Mi padre/madre se llama …, Mis padres son estrictos. Quiero ser piloto.
presenting factual information relating to cultural activities and events of significance in the Spanish-speaking world, for example, la fiesta de los reyes magos, carnavales in Central and South America, procesiones religiosas, día de la independencia, supporting information with a range of visual, secure digital and multimodal resources
- conveying information relating to significant people, places or events in different formats, for example, an advertisement or poster for an event, a profile of a Spanish-speaking celebrity or a digital guide to a place of interest
- producing a class print or digital poster, locating and describing, in Spanish, a specific First Nations Country/Place location in a local or regional context, or elsewhere in Australia
- creating bilingual texts and games to engage and entertain younger children, highlighting aspects of Spanish language and Hispanic culture, for example, songs, raps, tongue twisters, digital displays, scripted plays, big books, puppet shows
- using key features of different types of text and applying the vocabulary in different contexts, for example, a shopping list serves as a reminder to self and consists of items and quantities, whereas a shopping transaction involves interaction and negotiation
- creating, performing and recording/filming own texts, for example, an advertisement for a new product, a photo story, a cartoon, a poster for an imagined event
- experimenting with different techniques to capture character traits, emotions, thoughts and feelings through the use of speech/thought bubbles, captions and onomatopoeia in comic strips, storyboards, animations, subtitles
creating an instructive video for a procedure such as a recipe, dance or experiment, using appropriate language features and text structures such as imperative verb forms, for example, añade, da un paso a la derecha/izquierda, corta, remueve, amasa, vocabulary for sequencing primero, luego, después, finalmente and quantities, un kilo, 300 gramos, la harina; fruta; mantequilla, un poco de ...
writing a diary entry or keeping a journal about personal experiences, using first person and past tense, and modelled informal language to record events and convey thoughts and feelings, for example, Este año me gustan las matemáticas, pero el examen fue difícil
Digital literacy
Understanding systems of language
apply knowledge of combinations of sounds, syllables, pronunciation and intonation patterns to develop fluency and rhythm to known words and phrases
understanding how pitch, stress, intonation and rhythm assist meaning when individual words are unfamiliar, for example, ¡Qué miedo! ¡Rápido! ¡Vamos! ¡Arriba! ¡Sigue, adelante! ¡Muévete! ¡Tranquilo!
distinguishing the pronunciation of individual sounds in diphthongs such as miércoles, viernes, bien, veinte, murciélago
using their knowledge of Spanish pronunciation to identify and enunciate loan words such bistec, menú, básquetbol/baloncesto, chat, champú, bumerán, baipás, gol, hamburguesa
applying their knowledge of consonant sounds to reproduce the pronunciation of d/t, p/b/ m/n at the beginning of words or consonant vowel combinations such as ce/ci, ga/gi, gue/gui ja/gi, to read words such as todo, garaje, probable, mano, jardín, Cecilia, gigante, gimnasio
recognising variation in Spanish in particular regions, for example, the pronunciation of s, z in corazón, zapatos, ll in llamarse for Argentina and Uruguay and j in Ecuador and Venezuela
applying phonic knowledge to spell unknown words, for example, estrella, llamar, tortilla, taxi, México
- understanding the function of accents to indicate where the stress falls on a word and learning to insert these into their own work using secure digital tools
reciting Spanish tongue twisters to develop pronunciation, intonation and fluency, for example, Cuando cuentes cuentos, cuenta. De generación en generación. Buscaba el bosque Francisco, un vasco bizco, muy brusco, y al verlo le dijo un chusco, ¿Busca el bosque, vasco bizco?
use knowledge of modelled grammatical structures and formulaic expressions to compose and respond to texts, using appropriate punctuation and textual conventions
applying appropriate writing conventions and punctuation, such as inverted question and exclamation marks at the start of sentences, for example, ¿Qué tal? ¡Cuidado!; ¿Qué onda? ¿Qué hay de nuevo?
noticing that there are multiple verbs in Spanish for ‘to be’, ser, for example, José es mi hermano and estar, for example, Estoy cansada, and experimenting with these in their own texts to show the different uses, for example, Tengo hambre. Hace sol
constructing sentences using modelled forms of present and past tenses in context, for example, Ayer fui a la playa y hoy voy al parque, and describing intended actions using the near future tense ir + a + infinitive, for example, Mañana, Manuel va a cenar pollo.
using a variety of verb forms, for example, the conditional mode as a formulaic, modelled expression, Me gustaría ser maestro de español. No me gustaría vivir en una ciudad grande.
using a range of prepositions of location to give directions, for example, La biblioteca está al lado del hospital, La escuela está enfrente del parque
using a range of questions to make requests or ask for specific information, for example, ¿Cuál es tu número de teléfono? ¿Quieres jugar en el patio? ¿Dónde estudias?
linking ideas and providing more information using conjunctions such as y, pero, porque, también, for example, Me gusta cantar, pero prefiero bailar porque es divertido. No me gusta ver la televisión porque es aburrido. Mi comida favorita es el pescado, pero también como carne.
indicating frequency using adverbs in sentences or responses to questions, such as siempre, a veces, nunca, and noticing the flexibility of word order in relation to verbs and adverbs, for example, En verano, voy siempre a la playa/En verano, voy a la playa siempre/ En verano, siempre voy a la playa
using ordinal numbers, for example, Rosario Arjona es la primera de la lista. Luis vive en la quinta planta, and using knowledge of single and double-digit number patterns to count larger quantities
consolidating the use of gender and number agreement between articles, nouns and adjectives, for example, Tengo un libro nuevo. Las montañas rocosas son muy bonitas.
using a wide range of comparatives, for example, tan … como …, más … que …, menos … que…, Australia es más grande que Europa
applying the omission of subject pronouns by looking at verb endings and conjugations, for example, vivo en Australia, (Ella) Es Lourdes, Estudio en la escuela
recognising similar spelling stems such as pera, mandarina, piña, piscina, including composite words, for example, educación física, centro comercial, estación de tren, polideportivo
compare some Spanish language structures and features with those of English, using some familiar metalanguage
comparing features of simple spoken and written texts in Spanish with similar texts in English, for example, aló or hola when answering the phone
comparing language use in advertisements and signs, noticing how different phrases and text types in Spanish and English create specific effects, for example, superlatives in advertisements designed to persuade, el mejor es … el más barato es … or the imperative form in signs designed to advise or prohibit, for example, Prohibido patinar aquí, Mantener silencio, No arrojar basura.
using metalanguage in both Spanish and English to understand and discuss grammatical structures and features, for example, verbos, adjectivos, artículos, nouns
recognising grammatical elements associated with particular texts in Spanish and English, for example, the use of imperatives in games like tira el dado and time markers while comparing traditional ways of starting and ending stories, for example, había una vez vs hace mucho tiempo, primero, después, de pronto …
exploring the use and popularity of abbreviations and phrases used by young people in Spanish-speaking communities and Australia, for example, shortened noun forms like la profe, la bici, la compu, el insti, q in place of que, jajaja vs LOL
noticing similar word stems in Spanish and English to identify the meaning of words and extend vocabulary, for example, geografía, biblioteca
- compiling a graphic organiser, poster, mind map or Venn diagram to illustrate differences in Spanish and English grammar and textual conventions, for example, in Spanish – omission of subject pronoun, different approaches to conjugation, adjective usually after the noun; in English – absence of grammatical gender, adjectives usually before the noun
comparing the use of diminutives to express affection and familiarity in Spanish, for example, hermanita, periquita, gatico/gatito with some equivalents in English, for example, ‘dear little sister’, ‘cute little cat’ and nicknames like ‘Matty’ or ‘Milly’
Understanding the interrelationship of language and culture
recognise that language reflects cultural practices, values and identity, and that this impacts on non-verbal and spoken communication
understanding that there are indigenous languages spoken in addition to Spanish in Spanish-speaking communities, that these languages remain an important part of peoples’ culture, identity and heritage, and that these languages influence Spanish, for example, wawa, pachamama, papa, poncho, tomate, jaguar, charki, quinoa, cocao, maíz, cancha, llama
- researching Spanish-speaking communities, inviting special guests or showcasing their learning about cultural aspects of these communities
- recognising how Spanish is widespread in the world, identifying aspects such as traditions, values and practices that may reflect collective identities of individuals from different Spanish-speaking nations
- exploring, in Spanish or English, how language and culture are expressed through First Nations Australians’ song, dance or artworks, considering similarities and differences in an aspect of the cultural expressions of Spanish-speaking people or communities
sharing their reactions to cultural elements witnessed in authentic materials, for example, gestures or forms of politeness, guinea pigs as a cuisine rather than pet, traditional ceremonies such as pago a la tierra or the medicinal and ritual use of coca
- becoming aware of cultural stereotypes that can lead to generalisations and misconceptions, for example, associating language with the nationality of peoples of Latin America
investigating modern influences on the Spanish language, such as pop culture, digital and social media, migration, and travel, and how they have changed and impacted ways of communicating, for example, the emergence of new words, tuitear, email, correo electrónico, chatear, textear, bloguear, rapear, rapero, un selfie, las redes
reflecting on culturally appropriate ways of offering praise, recognition, gratitude and encouragement, or declining requests or invitations, for example, Lo siento, desafortunadamente no puedo …
- understanding that Spanish-speaking communities may have a shared history with, and similarity to, other languages and cultures such as English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian and Tagalog/Filipino, and that different countries and regions have their own accents, dialects and vocabulary
- identifying the visible and invisible elements that contribute to identity that may be important across all cultures, for example, family routines, community practices, religious events, customs and traditions, clothing, diet and music
examining what is most important to them by creating a personal, class or family slogan, motto or crest to reflect aspects of their identity, for example, translating English phrases to Spanish, Vamos equipo ... Somos la clase 4BC. Amigos para siempre. ¡Sí se puede!