Years 7-8 Spanish Syllabus
Years 7-8 Syllabus
Years 7-8 Band Level Description
In Years 7 and 8, Spanish language learning builds on each student’s prior learning and experiences. Students use Spanish, in person or via digital access, to interact and collaborate within and beyond the classroom. They listen, speak, read and view, and write to exchange information, ideas and opinions about their world. They work increasingly independently and in groups, and continue to receive feedback and support from peers and teachers.
Students access a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts from an increasing range of authentic sources which may include audio and video clips, online magazines, advertisements, stories and articles. They use their English literacy knowledge of metalanguage in an increasing range of contexts to reflect on similarities and differences between Spanish and English language structures and features. They recognise that language choices reflect cultural identity, beliefs and values.
Years 7-8 Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 8, students initiate and maintain interactions in Spanish language in familiar and some unfamiliar contexts related to a range of interests and experiences. They use Spanish to collaborate and problem-solve, and adjust language in response to others. They interpret information, ideas and opinions in texts. They demonstrate understanding of similarities and differences between languages, in both familiar and some unfamiliar cultural contexts, by adjusting and reorganising responses. They select and use vocabulary, sentence structures and expressions to create texts.
Students apply the conventions of spoken Spanish to develop fluency. They demonstrate understanding that spoken, written and multimodal texts use different language conventions, structures and features to convey meaning. They comment on structures and features of Spanish text, using metalanguage. They reflect on how the Spanish language, culture and identity are interconnected, and compare this with their own language(s), culture(s) and identity.
Content Descriptions
Interacting in Spanish
initiate and sustain exchanges in familiar and some unfamiliar contexts related to students’ experiences, feelings and views, adjusting their language in response to others
using appropriate register when interacting in different situations, for example, making enquiries, offering thanks and apologies, Disculpe ¿cómo puedo llegar al museo?, ¡Muchísimas gracias por su ayuda!, Lo siento mucho
exchanging personal information about routines and past experiences and responding to key ideas in questions, for example, Desayuno a las 8 de la mañana. Voy a la escuela en tranvía. A mi amigo español le gusta el chocolate con nata. Yo fui a México en el 2017. ¿A qué hora desayunas? ¿Cómo vas a la escuela? ¿Qué le gusta a tu amigo? ¿Cuándo fuiste a México?
engaging in informal conversations, for example, conversaciones con amistades o familiares such as ¡Qué pasa, tío! ¿Cómo te va?, Abuelita ¿Cómo te encuentras?
developing narrative skills by exchanging accounts of significant events or milestones, for example, El año pasado fui con mis padres al Museo Nacional y me encantó porque había muchas esculturas
initiating and extending conversations and discussion, for example, using open-ended questions such as ¿Qué pasa? ¿Dónde pasarán las vacaciones? and connectives, such as pero, entonces, cuando, también …
using formulaic examples to structure arguments and to explain or justify a position such as Lo importante es ..., A mí me parece que …, for example, Pienso que debemos estudiar idiomas Indígenas porque son interesantes
inviting others to give opinions, share their views or make suggestions, for example, ¿Qué quieres comer?, ¿Estás de acuerdo? ¿Qué te parece esta película?
interacting with Spanish-speaking students in real or imagined contexts, messaging/chatting in secure online environments or in person, to convey information about Australian places or events of interest, leisure and sports activities, wildlife and environment, for example, En Australia hay wombats, son animales grandes y nocturnos
collaborate in activities that involve the language of transaction, negotiation and problem-solving to plan projects and events
working together to produce class reference materials such as wall charts or visuals to display key vocabulary and structures used regularly in the classroom, and promote Spanish learning, for example, ¡No te rindas! ¡Estudia español!
working with peers to produce bilingual signs/flyers and posters to promote sustainability and waste reduction within the school community, for example, using key vocabulary such as papel reciclado, tacho/cubo de reciclaje, basura, basura orgánica, papel, cartón
planning and participating in learning experiences such as preparing a class outing or shopping for a lunch, stating preferences, negotiating, considering alternatives and agreeing or disagreeing, using modelled language, for example, Prefiero ir a la playa, no al centro commercial. Tengo ganas de ir al cine …, Estoy/no estoy de acuerdo …
planning and completing tasks that involve requesting, giving and following directions to real or virtual locations, for example, Sigue derecho por la calle Alta, toma el bús hasta el lago y gira a la izquierda, using resources such as secure digital tools, applications, street maps
participating in situations that involve transactions and the exchange of ideas and preferences, for example, role-play an airport scene where students buy souvenirs, snacks, toiletries and stationery, using phrases, ¿cuánto cuesta? ¡qué caro/barato! ¿acepta tarjeta de crédito? ¿a qué hora es el próximo …?
engaging in collaborative projects such as designing a class webpage or making a short video to share with others, for example, Mi comunidad or Nuestra escuela, deciding on content, dividing tasks and reflecting on what was done well and what could be improved
- combining group ideas and efforts to collaboratively solve issues that may relate to young people, such as time management, examination preparation, healthy eating, etc., contributing and listening to others’ perspectives and experiences and presenting or reporting back to the class
Mediating meaning in and between languages
interpret information, ideas and opinions in a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts, and respond appropriately to cultural context, purpose and audience
listening to or reading about topics of interest to young people, for example, la música, el cine, la televisión, el medio ambiente, la identidad, la tecnología; and sharing opinions or feelings, for example, En mi opinión, la película estuvo ... No estoy de acuerdo con el autor, El autor tiene razón, No me interesa, Pienso que la televisión es necesaria para la comunicación, Creo que la tecnología es muy importante
exchanging personal preferences and perspectives in relation to characters, attitudes and events encountered in imaginative texts, for example, Prefiero el robot femenino …, No estoy de acuerdo con …
responding to different expressions of humour in texts from Spanish-speaking communities and comparing these to Australian expressions of humour, for example, using popular images/graphics to discuss context and meaning, such as comida rápida – image of hot dog running, furioso – angry bear
- listening to, reading or viewing First Nations Australian authors’ stories in English and responding to them in spoken or written Spanish
exchanging videos or blogs with a Spanish-speaking class or student, comparing aspects of their community and culture such as school, local landmarks, fiestas and traditions, and presenting the information in new ways
- accessing a range of sources of information and evaluating their reliability and accuracy, for example, comparing data or factual content from a news report with information on social media, checking multiple sources to establish validity and bias, and deciding what facts to include in informative texts
listening to reports such as weather, sporting results, a concert line-up, and creating an audio or text message to invite their friend to an event, incorporating information from the text(s) to persuade their friend to come, for example, El Real Madrid ganó el sábado 3 a 0. ¿Vamos a verlos este fin de semana? Estará soleado el sábado/hará sol el sábado
interpret and adjust non-verbal, spoken and written language to convey meaning in Spanish language in familiar and some unfamiliar cultural contexts
comparing own translation of a text with classmates, commenting on similarities and differences between versions, considering possible reasons for these, and preparing a collaborative secure online whole-class version
creating informative responses to cultural representations of Spanish-speaking communities in Australia, such as The Spanish Film Festival, community fiestas or artists’ exhibitions, explaining particular language or images in terms of cultural associations, for example, in vlogs, critical reviews or secure social media posts
interpreting short messages or communications, reflecting on challenges associated with transferring meaning from one language to another, for example, Mañana voy a estrenar mi vestido, ¿Te gustó la sobremesa? No me tomes el pelo. Me costó un ojo de la cara. Es un trabajo papaya.
- viewing authentic material of Spanish speakers discussing their culture and language, then responding to these discussions, incorporating their own personal perspectives and opinions in a digital presentation
selecting and explaining individual words or phrases in Spanish whose meaning can be affected by context, for example, Tengo una pila de cosas para hacer, La pila del celular se ha acabado
presenting information gathered from different types of texts and modes of presentation to create an overview of a particular topic of interest such as a celebrity, popular culture, school uniforms, saving water, endangered species
Creating text in Spanish
create and present spoken, written and multimodal, informative and imaginative texts for specific purposes, selecting vocabulary, expressions, grammatical structures, features and conventions appropriate to text type and context
designing a digital poster or electronic brochure to advertise a social event in their local community related to lifestyles, social and cultural events or environmental issues
using digital tools to create a slideshow with audio about a planned 7-day trip to a Spanish-speaking country or region, including famous places to visit, cultural events to attend and foods to eat, for example, attending the Inti Raymi in Cuzco, Peru or visiting the Spanish region of Galicia during San Juan/San Xoan
reporting on own and others’ experiences of events such as a school camp, a concert or playing a new computer game, for example, Mi amiga disfrutó el campamento ...
creating a print or digital poster in Spanish to promote travel to a significant cultural location on a First Nations Country/Place, including what to see and do
composing bilingual menus, recipes or programs for Spanish-themed events, with key information in Spanish and explanatory footnotes or glossaries in English, for class parties, cooking sessions, cultural celebrations, for example, instructions to make a piñata
creating subtitles, captions or commentaries for texts such as brochures, slide show presentations or video clips that inform the school community, for example, open day/night, aspects of Spanish-speaking cultures, or details of the Festival de Viña del Mar
creating cartoons, role-plays or short stories about a past event in their own life or a dream for the future, to share in class or for a secure online wider audience, for example, sueño con ser bailarina
using voice recording and digital presentation software to create, perform or record imaginative texts, for example, a short play or film
preparing a biographical account of an influential figure in own life, for example, creating a profile of a grandparent or sports coach
using up-to-date and emerging terms relating to pop culture, technology and media when creating texts, for example, Chateo con mis amigos. No suelo bloguear porque tuitear es más rápido. En las redes, normalmente blogueo porque me encanta la música y me gusta mucho rapear.
Digital literacy
Understanding systems of language
apply knowledge of conventions of spoken Spanish to enhance fluency, and to respond to and create texts in familiar and some unfamiliar contexts
distinguishing nuances in pronunciation of some consonants according to vowel combinations, for example, jardín, garage, gente, agua and gas, and the double consonants ll and rr compared with the single l and r
using the rhythms of the Spanish language, including intonation, tone and stress, to increase fluency and enhance expression, for example, No compro nunca en esa tienda versus ¿No compró nunca en esa tienda?
recognising where to place stress in extended sentences, for example, Vámonos ya para el concierto de Rosalía. Ven aquí y te enseñaremos a bailar salsa.
recognising that written Spanish has only 3 double consonant combinations, cc, ll and rr, for example, acción, llover, corrección
applying pronunciation rules to common tongue twisters such as Tres tristes tigres tragaban trigo en un trigal
apply understanding of grammatical structures and expressions to compose and respond to texts
conjugating common regular verbs and high-frequency irregular verbs such as ir, tener, ser, haber in the present, preterite and present perfect tenses, for example, Voy a la escuela todos los días, fui a la escuela el año pasado, he ido a la escuela durante dos trimestres
using present, past and immediate future tense verbs followed by infinitive, for example, Debemos dormir bien, quiero ir a casa, no pudo comer, me gustaría celebrar contigo, vamos a jugar al baloncesto
expanding their use of cohesive devices such as sin embargo, además, to create compound sentences and link ideas, for example, Los estudiantes son inteligentes sin embargo no estudian todos los días.
using adjectives to describe people and aspects of the environment, for example, Mi tía es generosa y agradable, Los Andes son más altos que los Pirineos. Lo más/menos importante es …
expressing quantity, for example, miles de personas, mucha gente, varios libros, tanto dinero, pocas ideas, bastante calor, algunos amigos
using adverbs to modify the meaning of verbs and adjectives, for example, Él nadó rápido. Nosotros casi nunca entrenamos especialmente cuando hace demasiado calor.
indicating possession by using de followed by a pronoun or noun, for example, El carro de mi mamá, Las camisas de mi hermano, Las profesoras de la escuela tienen vacaciones de verano
reflect on similarities and differences between Spanish and English language structures and features, using metalanguage
- reflecting on language appropriate to different types of texts, such as descriptive language in documentaries, reflective language in diary and journal entries, and persuasive language in advertisements, and compare these with English
collecting examples of online and print advertisements, and identifying and analysing the language features and grammatical structures used to persuade potential consumers in both Spanish and English, for example, ‘End of season sale’, ¡Compre en los almacenes ‘La Moda’, no se arrepentirá!, ¡Pague menos y lleve más!
understanding and comparing textual elements, in Spanish and English, that provide coherence at a whole text level, for example, cohesive devices, introductions and summaries, linked paragraphs, and sequencing of ideas, por lo tanto …, en primer lugar …
comparing Spanish and English sentence structure, for example, the omission of the subject in Spanish, Simón busca la información en la red, la necesita para su trabajo
collecting Spanish and English cognates, for example, fascinante/fascinating, arquitectura/architecture, doctor/doctor, enciclopedia/encyclopedia, cancelar/cancel, bicicleta/bicycle
identifying Spanish words borrowed from different languages across time and through political, historical and social changes, such as words of Arabic origin that start with the prefix al-, for example, almanaque, alcachofa, algodón, algebra and alcohol, and some common interjections such as ¡hola!, ¡ojalá! and ¡olé! also derived from Arabic
understanding the conventions of several types of texts in Spanish and comparing these with English, for example, the use of abbreviations in text messages, tq = te quiero, formulaic greetings in telephone conversations, Aquí, Hola, ¿Sí? ¿Aló?, typical phrases for greeting cards, Muchas felicidades por …, language in menus, entrada, platos de fondo/primer plato/segundo plato, postres, menú del día
Understanding the interrelationship of language and culture
reflect on and explain how identity is shaped by language(s), culture(s), attitudes, beliefs and values
recognising that language and cultural practices are interconnected, for example, identifying the religious origins or connotations of many common Spanish names such as Jesús María, Dolores, and expressions such as ¡Qué Dios te bendiga!; and changes reflecting social values such as the adoption of some feminine forms of professional titles, for example, la doctora/el doctor, la abogada/el abogado, la jefa/el jefe
- comparing elements of communication, for example, body language and use of personal space and silence in different cultural contexts, and exchanges such as physical greetings, proximity when interacting and the use of ‘sorry’ in English compared with Spanish
identifying levels of formality in spoken and written texts and considering what these reveal about social relationships and processes, such as reflection of status, authority, respect or intimacy, for example, Perdone que le interrumpa, Presidenta. ¿Podría …? Disculpe, ¿podría decirme ...? Eres el amor de mi vida ...
- examining, in Spanish or English, how First Nations Australian languages have strong connections to Country/Place locations, and how these can be compared with language variations across Spanish-speaking countries and regions
- recognising that many Spanish-speaking countries have co-official Spanish languages and how this is an important aspect of identity, for example, Guaraní in Paraguay, Catalan, Galician and Basque/Euskera in Spain, and Quiché in Guatemala
noticing components of Spanish language that reflect cultural histories and influences, for example, technological and scientific terms derived from classical Latin and Greek, continente, vegetación, bacteria, biología, protocolo and mecánico
- understanding the nature of the distribution of Spanish speakers across the world, including countries such as United States and the Philippines where the Spanish language and cultures have an important presence, for example, the development of Spanglish as a dialect and influence on Tagalog/Filipino
examining language variation in relation to vocabulary and grammatical forms in Spanish-speaking communities compared with Spanish-speaking in Spain, for example, ‘strawberries’ are fresas in Spain and frutillas in Argentina; ‘bus’ is colectivo in Venezuela, ómnibus in Peru, camión in Mexico and guagua in Cuba; and the use of the pronoun vos in Central America/Argentina/Uruguay
considering the value of the influence of Spanish language and culture(s), including food, film, fashion, music and dance, on the English language and other cultures, for example, churros, tortilla, pupusas, tapas, salsa, flamenco