Spanish

Tacos, tortillas, churros y chocolate! Spanish has immediate appeal but not only for its scrumptious culinary delights. Spanish is a wonderfully phonetic language where words on the page are often written as they sound. How helpful! This is a massive bonus for those who find the more illusive spelling patterns of French, for example, somewhat of a minefield.

The grammar side does get increasingly complicated at the more advanced stages but Spanish is definitely considered easier at the outset, particularly for those with a foundation in French or Latin. Spanish is growing ever more popular as both a first and second language choice for Common Entrance. Furthermore, a great many pupils prefer Spanish to French for GCSE and recognise how widely spoken this language is, not least in the USA. A growing number of Preparatory schools are offering a second language club in Spanish and encouraging their students to take the 13+ Common Entrance Exam.

13+

For 13+ Common Entrance, just like with French, there is the possibility of opting for Level 1 or Level 2. At Level 1, the past tenses are not needed in any paper but, for Level 2, the Speaking and Writing sections have more open-ended tasks, which allow children to show off a range of tenses. If this is the primary foreign language, then the expectation from most senior schools would be for Level 2. However, if taken as an extra language at Common Entrance, a Level 1 could suffice. These details are always worth checking with the target school or ask us and we can do this for you.

GCSE

Spanish (I)GCSE is a great choice! Learning Spanish encourages students to develop lifelong skills, which can be applied to other areas of learning, such as analysis memorising and drawing on inferences.

In terms of exam preparation, Prep School Tutor has experienced teachers who cover all exam boards. They tailor their sessions to cover the course content and also, naturally, to practise exam skills. Prep School Tutor will help students to develop their ability to communicate in an interactive and engaging manner, through five prescribed topic areas. The active skills of writing and speaking can be practised in real time, so students gain instant feedback from their tutor on the content and accuracy of their language skills. Tutors can make suggestions to enrich communication directly and at an appropriate level for the individual. This immediate feedback will engage the student, stretch them towards their full potential and help build their confidence quickly. Reading and listening (considered more passive skills) can easily be practised effectively as well with instantaneous highlighting and annotation along the way to guide the eye and keep learning colourful!

Tutors have past papers but also a pool of reading and listening resources from diverse origins to keep the pitch and the right level and topic relevant but to avoid overlap with what is being studied at school. Tutors will integrate invaluable cultural references along the way which, as well as being a necessary part of the course, add a rich flavour to studying Spanish which motivates students to develop their own passion for the language and the diverse cultures of Spanish speaking countries. Prep School Tutor has excellent Spanish tutors. They offer beginners Spanish all the way through to A-Level. Have a browse and see what you think.