Spanish (Version 8.4)

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Context statement

The place of the Spanish language and the cultures of Spanish speakers in Australia and in the world
Spanish is a global language spoken by approximately 500 million people across the world. Spanish evolved from Latin on the Iberian Peninsula in around the ninth century, and travelled from Spain to the Caribbean and to North, Central and South America as a result of the expeditions of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.

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PDF documents

Resources and support materials for the Australian Curriculum: Languages - Spanish are available as PDF documents. 
Languages - Spanish: Sequence of content
Languages - Spanish: Sequence of Achievement - F-10 Sequence
Languages - Spanish: Sequence …

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Years 7 and 8

Years 7 and 8 Band Description

The nature of the learners

Students are beginning their study of Spanish and typically have had little prior exposure to the language and associated cultures of the Spanish-speaking world. Many will have learnt an additional language in primary school, and some have proficiency in different home languages; these students bring existing language-learning strategies and intercultural awareness to the new experience of learning Spanish. Students’ textual knowledge developed through English literacy learning supports the development of literacy in Spanish. Skills in analysing, comparing and reflecting on language and culture in both languages are mutually supportive. Students may need encouragement to take risks in learning a new language at this stage of social development and to consider issues of how the experience impacts on their sense of ‘norms’ associated with their first language and culture.

Spanish language learning and use

Learners are encouraged to listen to, read and write Spanish in a range of interactions with the teacher and one another. They experiment with sounds, intonation patterns and body language, using high-frequency vocabulary and expressions, gradually broadening their range of language functions. They use modelled and rehearsed language in familiar contexts and begin to use the language learnt to express their own personal meaning. They work both collaboratively and independently in Spanish, exploring a variety of simple texts, including songs/raps, emails, advertisements and online exchanges, with particular reference to their current social, cultural and communicative interests. They share language knowledge and resources in small groups to plan, problem-solve, monitor and reflect. They read, view and listen to texts, and apply modelled language to create and present their own texts, for example, shared stories, poems, advertisements and journal entries. They begin to use vocabulary and grammar accurately, drafting and editing texts to improve structure and clarify meaning. They develop grammatical knowledge and language awareness through analysing texts, comparing languages, and applying their knowledge in language exercises and tasks.

Learners use a range of processes such as observing, comparing and reflecting on language use to identify how cultural values and perspectives are embedded in language, and how language choices determine how people, issues and circumstances are represented. They reflect on intercultural perspectives and their experience of interactions, and make cross-curricular connections. They consider fundamental concepts associated with the Spanish-speaking world, such as the diversity of peoples, cultures, geographic locations and languages. They explore aspects of environment, lifestyle and practices across cultures and make comparisons with their own. They develop a metalanguage for discussing language and culture, and monitor and reflect on their language and culture learning through discussions, journalling or contributions to a shared digital space.

Contexts of interaction

Opportunities for interaction in Spanish are provided through working with the teacher and peers in class and through using a range of resources and materials. There may also be some interaction beyond the classroom with members of Spanish-speaking communities. Spanish is used by the teacher and learners in classroom routines, structured interactions and learning tasks.

Texts and resources

Learners work with a range of resources designed for language learning, such as textbooks, audio recordings, teacher-generated materials and online resources. They read, view and interact with a variety of spoken, written and digital texts created for different purposes (social, informative, transactional, imaginative and expressive). Authentic texts such as media texts, recipes and recorded conversations provide opportunities for discussion and analysis of the relationship between language, communication and culture.

Features of Spanish language use

Learners become familiar with the sounds of Spanish, including pronunciation, rhythm, pitch and stress. They recognise similarities with many English words, noting differences in pronunciation and spelling. They understand and apply elements of Spanish grammar such as word order; simple verb forms, including common reflexive verbs; gender and number agreement of articles, nouns and adjectives; pronouns; and prepositions. Students understand that language is organised as text, and that texts use different structures and language features to achieve different purposes. Students observe the patterns of word formation, noticing the role played by prefixes and suffixes. They create their own texts, mainly using the present tense of regular and common irregular verbs, enriched by the use of adjectives (including possessive and demonstrative) and adverbs. They understand that language use reflects and shapes values and attitudes, and explore how language choices determine how people, events or circumstances are represented.

Level of support

Learning at this level is supported by rich and varied language input and the provision of experiences that are challenging but achievable. Opportunities to review and consolidate learning are balanced against provision of engaging and relevant new experiences and connections. Learners rely on teacher talk, instruction, modelling and feedback, and structured opportunities for practising and understanding new language. They are supported to develop increasing autonomy as language learners and users, and to self-monitor and adjust language in response to experience in different contexts. Support resources include word lists/dictionaries, visual organisers, images and gestures. Learners may collaborate with peers in structured pair and group tasks that have clear roles and expectations.

The role of English

English serves two main functions in the Spanish class: it represents a point of reference for Spanish learning by enabling students to compare structures, features and cultural meanings in both languages; and it is used when appropriate for explanation, reflection and discussion.


Years 7 and 8 Content Descriptions

Socialising

Interact with teacher and peers to exchange information about self, family, friends and leisure activities, and to express feelings, likes and dislikes

[Key concepts: friendship, family, home, leisure; Key processes: interacting, exchanging, describing] (ACLSPC001 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • exchanging greetings with others using appropriate formal or informal language, for example, ¡Buenos días, clase!, Buenas tardes señor Rodríguez, ¿cómo está usted?, ¡Buenas noches señoras y señores!, Hola¿qué tal Pedro? Adiós señora, que le vaya bien ¡Hasta luego amigos!
  • describing routines, events and leisure activities using language associated with time, frequency and location, for example, Todos los días me levanto a las 7. Los fines de semana voy a la playa con mi familia. Mi fiesta de cumpleaños es el domingo
  • using present tense high-frequency verbs such as ser, estar, tener, llamarse and vivir to introduce self and others and to describe and share aspects of personal worlds, for example, Me llamo David y vivo con mi padre. Mi amigo es divertido, vive en un apartamento elegante. Mi hermana tiene 24 años y está casada
  • recounting significant or special events and comparing these to similar events for Spanish-speaking teenagers, for example, cumpleaños, vacaciones, celebraciones especiales, eventos deportivos
  • expressing likes, dislikes, preferences and feelings, for example, Me gusta jugar con el ordenador/computador. No me gusta la sopa. Me encanta la música. Mi deporte favorito es la natación. Estoy estresada..., estoy contenta..., estoy cansado ..., estoy aburrido ...
Participate in collaborative activities and events that involve planning, making arrangements, transacting and negotiating

[Key concepts: negotiation, transaction, rules; Key processes: planning, giving and following instructions] (ACLSPC002 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • working together to produce class reference materials such as wall charts or databases to display key vocabulary and language structures used regularly in the Spanish classroom
  • participating in class activities such as word, board or electronic games (Lotería, El ahorcado, El laberinto), negotiating and giving or asking for directions, for example, es tu turno, me toca a mí, tira los dados
  • participating in imagined scenarios such as being lost, asking for and giving directions, information and assistance, for example, ¿Dónde está la oficina de correos? A dos cuadras a la derecha. Necesito un mapa de la ciudad, ¿Dónde los venden?
  • participating in planning events such as birthday parties or excursions that involve negotiating time, place, activities and participants, for example, ¿Quieres ir de compras al mercado? ¿A qué hora sale el tren?
  • creating displays, presentations or performances for family, friends or school community to showcase their learning of Spanish
  • responding to invitations by accepting, declining or offering apologies, adjusting language to suit formal and informal contexts (No, gracias, Gracias por tu invitación pero no puedo ir, Sí claro, con mucho gusto), and participating in real or simulated transactions such as purchasing food or tickets for an event, for example, ¿cuánto cuesta? ¡qué caro! ¿tiene descuento? ¿acepta tarjeta de crédito? ¿cuánto me da por esto?
Participate in classroom routines and interactions by following instructions, asking and answering questions and expressing opinions

[Key concepts: roles, routines; Key processes: questioning, interacting] (ACLSPC003 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • responding appropriately to instructions or requests, for example, Haz click sobre la imagen del monumento. Escoge la palabra correcta
  • asking for help, information or permission, for example, ¿Me puede ayudar… ?, ¿Cómo se dice… en español? ¿Puedo ir a beber agua? ¿Salimos al recreo ya? Perdón, lo siento, gracias ¿Puede/s repetir? ¿Puedo ir al baño? ¿Cómo se escribe ...?, no entiendo
  • expressing opinions using reflective language as set phrases (Creo que….¡Qué sorpresa!, De acuerdo / no estoy de acuerdo, Prefiero ...), and inviting others to give opinions or suggestions, for example, ¿Estás de acuerdo? ¿Qué piensas? yo sí / yo no
  • negotiating and displaying a set of agreed class rules, for example, en clase hablamos español casi siempre, levanta la mano para pedir la palabra, respeta a los compañeros

Informing

Obtain factual information from a range of spoken, written and digital texts, identify key points and use the information in new ways

[Key concepts: diversity, concepts from other learning areas; Key processes: locating, comprehending, classifying] (ACLSPC004 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • identifying key points of information in short spoken or recorded texts such as phone messages, announcements or television advertisements, and transposing them to note form for own reference or to communicate to others
  • identifying details and points of information in texts such as sports commentaries, weather reports or news-flash items and using them to create own messages or announcements, for example, announcing sports results, or cancelling an event due to a bad weather forecast
  • locating, classifying and summarising data collected from sources such as class surveys, notices, timetables and video clips, and presenting findings in suitable formats for different audiences, for example, oral summaries, posters, wall charts, concept maps or timelines
  • reading and viewing texts such as brochures, web posts and video blogs to collect and classify information about people, places or events in the Spanish-speaking world, using different modes of presentation, for example, a timeline to show the sequence of activities or itineraries, or a captioned photo display to create visual effect
Present information on selected topics in spoken, written and digital forms

[Key concepts: community, traditions, environment; Key processes: describing, informing, presenting] (ACLSPC005 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • producing informative texts that combine print, digital or visual elements for specific audiences, for example, a brochure about their school or community for visiting students, a virtual tour of the neighbourhood, or a report on a favourite band or music event
  • presenting information in spoken, written and digital forms on significant events in their personal worlds, such as family celebrations or travel, school excursions or competitions
  • creating resources such as posters, pamphlets or displays to present commentary and compare perspectives and experiences on topics associated with lifestyles, events or causes, for example, Un día sin coches en la ciudad, Una hora para salvar el planeta. Campaña para limpiar los ríos
  • using different modes of presentation to profile significant events, people or places related to the cultures or histories of different communities of Spanish speakers

Creating

Engage with imaginative and creative texts such as narratives, poems, songs, films or comics, comparing favourite elements and discussing characters, events and ideas

[Key concepts: imagination, character, expression; Key processes: participating, responding, recounting] (ACLSPC006 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Ethical Understanding
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • interacting with print, oral and digital texts such as stories, poems, songs, artworks or video clips, using modelled and scaffolded language to express reactions and opinions, for example, ¡Qué triste! ¡Qué divertido! ¡Qué aburrido! ¡Qué guay/nota/bacano/chulo!, Me gusta ... / no me gusta, creo que es ...
  • identifying and describing characters and events in a movie, story or comic, such as Manolito Gafotas, by responding to structured questions, for example,¿cómo se llama el chico de verdad?; ¿por qué tiene ese mote?; ¿cuántos años tiene?; ¿cómo es su familia?; ¿quiénes son sus amigos?
  • listening to and reading traditional texts such as leyendas, fábulas, rimas y refranes, identifying key messages, beliefs and values and comparing aspects that may be similar or different across cultures
Create short imaginative texts such as cartoons, raps and stories to communicate own ideas, experiences and emotions

[Key concepts: performance, emotion, expression, imagination; Key processes: creating, expressing, connecting, imagining] (ACLSPC007 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • creating imaginary characters, situations or events in forms designed to entertain others, such as a video clip, digital photo story, comic strip, or Big Book for younger students,
  • reinterpreting and performing stories and songs that feature repetitive language and familiar contexts or characters, for example, by changing the sequence or creating alternative endings
  • composing and performing a skit based on an imagined scenario that involves elements such as comedy, emotion or surprise

Translating

Translate and compare simple texts such as public signs, menus and advertisements in Spanish and English, noticing that it is not always possible to translate word for word

[Key concepts: equivalence, meaning; Key processes: translating, interpreting, comparing] (ACLSPC008 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • translating short texts such as public signs or community notices from Spanish to English and vice versa, identifying problems encountered and noticing similarities and differences in how the messages are formed, for example, the Spanish use of infinitive forms in signs compared to the English use of imperatives
  • using print and electronic dictionaries to assist in the translation of simple texts, noticing that single words can have different meanings, for example, ‘cricket’ (sport or insect) and the six possible translations of ‘you’ in Spanish (tú, usted, ustedes, vosotros, vosotras, vos)
  • collecting examples of ‘false friends’ encountered when translating between English and Spanish, for example, carpeta/‘folder’, contestar/‘answer’, pie/‘foot’
  • identifying cognates in Spanish texts that can be used to predict meaning (alto, stop, chocolate, patata), and considering reasons for the similarities
  • understanding the distinction between literal and non-literal translation, and identifying expressions in Spanish or English that make no sense when translated literally into the other language, for example, pasarlo bomba, tomar el pelo, meter la pata, costar un ojo de la cara, dar la lata, ‘she’ll be right’, ‘fair dinkum’, ‘a piece of cake’, ‘to cost an arm and a leg’
  • comparing and translating language used in Spanish and English text messages, for example, a2 (adiós), xq? (¿por qué?), kntm (cuéntame), tqi (tengo que irme), CU (‘See you’), LOL (‘Laughing out loud’), and considering the use and effects of abbreviations
Create simple bilingual texts such as learning resources, online announcements, games and displays for use in the classroom, school or wider community

[Key concepts; audience, suitability; Key processes: interpreting, comparing] (ACLSPC009 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • creating simple bilingual texts for that include contextual and visual support, for example, community information leaflets, captions for photo displays, or restaurant menus
  • creating bilingual resources for their own use in the classroom, such as word banks, personal Spanish–English dictionaries, and glossaries to explain common idioms
  • designing and maintaining a bilingual website with a sister school or another group of Spanish learners in Australia, considering the best use of each language depending on the context and nature of the information or interaction
  • creating bilingual texts for specific audiences, such as songs or games for younger learners of Spanish, or a schedule for an online event likely to interest both English and Spanish speakers, noticing how meanings need to be tailored for different intended audiences

Reflecting

Notice while participating in intercultural activities that interaction involves culture as well as language

[Key concepts: norms, assumptions, values; Key processes: noting, reflecting, responding] (ACLSPC010 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • exploring Spanish language features that reflect and embody cultural values and practices, for example, regional differences in naming conventions, such as the use of apellidos
  • reading transcripts or viewing recordings of interactions between members of an extended family, and considering how respect, affection and family relationships are expressed in Spanish
  • observing live or recorded Spanish-language interactions in different contexts, and identifying what they find is confusing or surprising, for example, body language, exclamations, gestures, levels of politeness, and ways of requesting or thanking
  • developing language for describing personal reactions to intercultural experience, for example, No me gusta, estoy sorprendido de ver, me encanta, es maleducado, es cortés
  • considering how communicating in Spanish requires thinking about things differently from when communicating in English, for example, making a choice between tú/usted/vos involves thinking about social relations between people, while using ‘you’ does not
Consider how aspects of identity such as family background, age and interests impact on intercultural exchange

[Key concepts: self, profile; Key processes: noticing, reflecting, comparing] (ACLSPC011 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Ethical Understanding
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • identifying elements of identity that may be important across all cultures, for example, family, community, location, language, religion, age and gender
  • preparing a class profile for online exchange with Spanish-speaking students, selecting resources such as photos, captions or symbols to capture the diversity of cultural backgrounds, languages, interests and values represented in the class, and reflecting on what this profile shows about the nature of intercultural communication in Australia
  • sharing reactions to intercultural experiences associated with learning and using Spanish, considering whether own background, age and interests contribute to attitudes or beliefs that impact on the experience
  • identifying elements of their own and one another’s ways of communicating and behaving that may be unfamiliar to people from different contexts and cultures, for example, ways of expressing wishes, or rituals associated with school sports
  • considering if their sense of identity changes depending on the language they are using and what they are talking about

Systems of language

Notice the role and importance of pronunciation and intonation in Spanish, for example, to distinguish between statements, questions and exclamations, and understand Spanish writing conventions such as inverted question marks at the start of questions

[Key concepts: pronunciation, intonation; Key processes: listening, distinguishing, imitating, reading aloud] (ACLSPU012 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • noticing features of pronunciation (silent h) and the different sounds of consonant–vowel combinations, for example, gato, guerra, gente, girar, goma, guante, guitarra
  • recognising variations in intonation required to form statements, questions and exclamations, for example, Eres de Australia; ¿Eres de Australia?; ¡Eres de Australia!
  • understanding writing conventions such as the use of inverted question and exclamation marks
  • noticing and applying the different rules of capitalisation in English and Spanish
  • becoming familiar with the use of graphic symbols such as ñ, tildes, ¿…?, ¡…! on keyboards and in writing systems
Understand and use the main elements of the Spanish grammatical system, including definite and indefinite articles, gender and number agreement, present tense of regular and common irregular verbs, and simple sentence construction, paying attention to word order

[Key concepts: syntax, word order, gender, number, agreement; Key processes: noticing, applying, explaining] (ACLSPU013 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • using appropriate definite and indefinite articles that match the noun in gender and number (el, la, los, las, un, una, unos, unas) and noticing some special cases (el día, el idioma, la mano, la foto)
  • identifying people and things using concrete nouns and applying rules for gender and number agreement, for example, niño/s, niña/s; profesor/es, profesora/s
  • observing gender in patterns of naming, for example, Julio/Julia, Ramón/Ramona, José María/María José
  • developing awareness of word endings and gender patterns, for example, el/la ...ista, el/la ...ante, la ...ción, la ...dad, el ...or, el ...aje, el ...ero/la ...era
  • describing the qualities of people and things using adjectives and matching them in gender and number with the nouns, paying attention to word order and to the different types of gender variation, for example, los pantalones largos/ las faldas largas, el estudiante trabajador/la estudiante trabajadora, el libro interesante/la película interesante, el sombrero azul/la casa azul
  • expressing ownership using singular and plural possessive adjectives, following the agreement rules for gender and number with the noun, for example, mis padres, nuestras amigas, sus libros, mi clase, vuestro profesor, tu madre
  • using determiners such as demonstratives (este, ese, aquel/esta, esa, aquella), cardinal and ordinal numbers (uno, dos, tres,.../ primero/a, segundo/a, tercero/a,...) and basic quantifiers (mucho/a/os/as, bastante/s, poco/a/os/as), attending to gender and number agreement when necessary
  • understanding the form and function of subject pronouns (yo, tú, vos, él, ella, usted, nosotros/as, vosotros/as, ellos/as, ustedes), how they substitute for noun subjects and determine verb endings in conjugations, for example, Esta es María, la hermana de Juan. Ella está en la escuela primaria y él está en el año 8
  • understanding and using the three conjugations for the present tense of regular verbs (...ar, ...er, ...ir), and the present tense of commonly used irregular verbs, for example, ser, estar, tener, ir, hacer, querer, jugar
  • recognising that there are two versions of the verb ‘to be’ in Spanish and identifying the main uses of ser and estar, for example, soy Alicia, estoy bien, somos australianos, estamos en clase de español
  • developing awareness that different verbs are used in English and Spanish for for certan phrases such as, Tengo 12 años (lit. I have 12 years) = I am 12 years old, ¿tienes hambre?(lit. Do you have hunger?=Are you hungry?, hace frío (lit. it does cold)=It is cold
  • increasing vocabulary by observing patterns and using cognates, for example, animal, normal, actor
  • understanding and using reflexive verbs, for example, me llamo Luis, ¿a qué hora te levantas?, los sábados nos acostamos tarde
  • using verb conjugations in affirmative, negative and interrogative forms, for example, ¿Eres australiana? No, no soy australiana, soy china ¿Y tú, qué idiomas hablas? Hablo chino, inglés y español
  • understanding the use of verbs such as gustar, encantar, doler and interesar, for example, ¿qué deportes te gustan?, me encanta correr, me duele la cabeza, nos interesan las películas de acción
  • identifying the gerund and infinitive non-personal forms of verbs and using them to express the development of action in the present with the verb estar (está hablando, estoy escribiendo) and the idea of future with the verb ir, for example, Esta tarde voy a hacer los deberes, mañana vamos a jugar al tenis
  • seeking information using interrogatives, for example, ¿qué ...?, ¿cómo ...?, ¿cuándo ...?, ¿quién ...?, ¿dónde ...? ¿cuántos/as ...?, ¿por qué ...?
  • describing when and where an action occurs using prepositions and adverbs of time and place (a, de, desde, en, entre, hasta, antes, después, ahora, hoy, mañana, debajo, encima) and the contractions al (a+el) and del (de+el)
  • expressing modality using adverbs such as bien, mal, regular, despacio, rápidamente
  • following basic formulaic instructions expressed in the imperative for example, abran el libro, lee la página 20, escuchad, salgan de clase, escribid en los cuadernos ....
  • linking ideas using cohesive devices such as conjunctions, for example, y (e), o(u), pero, porque
  • recognising the functions of elements such as prefixes and suffixes and their importance in word building and changing meaning, for example, repasar, repaso, casa, casita, caserón, casero, jugar, un juego, jugador
  • building metalanguage to talk in Spanish about grammar and vocabulary, for example, infinitivo, presente, género, masculino, femenino, número, singular, plural, adjetivo, sustantivo, forma negativa e interrogativa, and comparing with equivalent terms in English
Recognise and describe features of familiar types of texts, and notice how these contribute to the making of meaning

[Key concepts: text conventions, genre; Key processes: noticing, analysing, comparing] (ACLSPU014 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • comparing English and Spanish versions of familiar types of texts, noting similarities and differences in language features and text structure, for example, ways of opening and closing formal or personal letters
  • understanding how to use cohesive devices such as conjunctions and time markers in texts to sequence, link and elaborate ideas, for example, y, o, pero, además, primero, después, de pronto
  • analysing features of common types of texts such as stories, emails, songs and slogans, identifying how the choice of language and structure works to achieve each text’s purpose
  • identifying the intended audience, purpose and key language features of familiar types of texts such as recipes, announcements, road signs or instructions, for example, Primero, se pelan las patatas..., Señores pasajeros, el tren con destino ..., SE RUEGA SILENCIO, Escribir la respuesta a las siguientes preguntas ...

Language variation and change

Understand that Spanish, like all languages, is used in different ways according to roles, relationships and social and cultural contexts

[Key concepts: register, status, variation; Key processes: noticing, analysing, explaining] (ACLSPU015 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • noticing variations in language use based on the age, gender and social relationships of speakers and the context and purpose of interactions, for example, by selecting appropriate greetings and terms of address for people of different ages or status (Hola, ¿qué tal Diana? Buenas tardes, Señor Méndez, Diga, ¿quién llama?)
  • recognising that register shifts according to familiarity and social position, for example, using different pronouns and the corresponding verb endings in formal or informal interactions (¿Cómo se llama usted? ¿Cómo te llamas?)
  • observing that many Spanish speakers are multilingual and regularly shift between languages to achieve different purposes and to draw on additional communicative resources
Understand the dynamic nature of languages

[Key concepts: language contact, word borrowing, globalisation, dynamism; Key processes: observing, identifying, discussing] (ACLSPU016 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
  • understanding that languages and cultures change continuously due to contact with one another and in response to new needs, ideas and developments in communications and technology
  • identifying influences from other languages and cultures in contemporary Spanish, for example, tuitear, globalización, MP3, chatear, bloguear, cliquear
  • observing changes to language that reflect changing lifestyles and cultural trends, for example, abbreviations in text messages such as k (que) and a2 (adiós)
  • recognising the influence of Spanish on English and other languages by identifying loan words such as ‘patio’, ‘tango’, ‘taco’, ‘chocolate’, ‘tomato’, ‘guacamole’ and ‘siesta’, noting how they are pronounced by English speakers and considering the types of words and expressions that are most frequently borrowed
  • collecting examples of Spanish word borrowings from other languages, for example, fútbol, shopping, básquetbol and canguro, chófer, pizza, chau
  • understanding that some indigenous languages in both Australia and Spanish-speaking countries are strong, while others are endangered or being revived or reclaimed
    • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
Recognise that Spanish is a global language that is spoken in a variety of forms in different communities around the world, including Australia

[Key concepts: diversity, regional variation, accents, global language; Key processes: mapping, comparing, distinguishing] (ACLSPU017 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia
  • recognising that Spanish is an important world language spoken in a range of varieties dialects, and variable accents across the Spanish-speaking world, for example, by identifying Spanish-speaking countries or regions on a map of the world
  • understanding the nature of the distribution of Spanish speakers across the world, not only in countries where Spanish is an official language but also in other countries such as the United States or the Philippines where the Spanish language and cultures have an important presence
    • Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia
  • recognising language variation across the Spanish-speaking world in terms of pronunciation, for example, the different pronunciation of the syllables ce and ci (gracias Cecilia)
  • exploring language variation in relation to vocabulary, for example, ‘a computer’ is un ordenador in Spain and una computadora in Latin America; ‘strawberries’ are fresas in Spain and frutillas in Argentina; ‘bus’ is colectivo in Venezuela, omnibus in Peru, camión in Mexico and guagua in Cuba
  • recognising that there is also variation in some grammatical forms, for example, the use of the pronoun vos in several countries in Latin America compared to in Spain; the masculine direct object pronoun le/lo in Spain and lo in Latin America
  • recognising differences between standard varieties of Spanish and varying degrees of language blending and influence, for example, Spanglish
  • recognising that many Spanish speakers also speak one or more regional and/or local languages, for example, Catalan or Basque

Role of language and culture

Recognise the interconnected relationship between language and culture

[Key concepts: interdependence, perspectives, cultural practices; Key processes: analysing, making connections, explaining] (ACLSPU018 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Ethical Understanding
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
  • identifying how ways of communicating in Spanish and English differ and how people outside each culture may understand these features differently, for example, attitudes to time reflected in language and social interactions; expressing thanks or appreciation more or less directly
  • considering how differences between ways of using language reflect cultural influences, for example, the adoption of varying systems of apellidos in different Spanish-speaking communities
  • identifying words or expressions that reflect values and ways of thinking about the world in Spanish, English and other languages, for example, the religious and cultural associations of relationships such as compadrazgo, names such as Jesús María, Dolores, Concepción and Asunción, and expressions such as la bendición, ¡Que Dios te bendiga! and ¡Adiós!; the connotations of ‘mateship’ in Australian English; or the significance of Country in Aboriginal culture
    • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
  • considering how Spanish language and interaction patterns around familiar routines such as mealtimes reflect practices and values associated with family life, food and social relationships, for example, sobremesa
  • noticing cultural variations in the expression of concepts such as respect or politeness in different languages, for example, the more direct use of imperative forms in Spanish when making a request compared to less direct ways in English (Dame el libro versus ‘Can you give me the book, please?’)

Years 7 and 8 Achievement Standards

By the end of Year 8, students share information about their personal worlds, including personal details, family, friends, leisure activities, likes and dislikes, for example, Hola amigo, ¿Cómo estás? Me gusta tocar la guitarra, No me gusta comer carne. They interact with one another in shared activities, negotiations, games and events, using modelled language to ask and respond to familiar questions, give and respond to instructions (for example, Haz click sobre la imagen del monumento. Escoge la palabra correcta), request help or permission (for example, ¿Me puede ayudar…?, ¿Cómo se dice… en español? ¿Puedo ir a beber agua? ¿Salimos al recreo ya?), and express opinions (for example, Creo que… ¡Qué sorpresa!). When interacting, students approximate Spanish sounds and use intonation to distinguish between statements (for example, Juan estudia español), questions (for example, ¿Cómo se dice …?), exclamations (for example, Juan, ¡estudia español!) and requests (for example, ¿me das un chocolate?). They obtain factual information and identify key points from different sources, using non-verbal and contextual clues to help make meaning. They describe characters, experiences and ideas using high-frequency vocabulary, and create short informative and imaginative texts using modelled sentence structures and formulaic expressions. When constructing sentences, students apply gender and number agreement to definite and indefinite articles, nouns and adjectives (for example, la luna clara, los bolsos rojos, un amigo español, unas estudiantes extranjeras). Students apply grammatical rules in relation to conjugation of verbs (for example, La bicicleta roja tiene un cesto negro, Tenemos los libros de lectura amarillos), and use the two verbs for ‘to be’ (ser and estar) in modelled examples (for example, Eres española/Estás en Australia, Soy alto y delgado/Estoy en año 8). They apply Spanish writing conventions such as inverted question and exclamation marks such as ¡No me digas! They work in Spanish and English to translate texts, and create simple bilingual texts. They describe their own experiences of using Spanish and explain how aspects of their identity influence their intercultural exchanges.

Students identify and apply rules for pronunciation and grammar and use metalanguage in Spanish to explain basic features of language, texts and grammar, making connections with terms such as ‘verb’, ‘adjective’, noun’ and ‘agreement’ that are used in English learning, and incorporating concepts such as grammatical gender. They identify the need to adjust language to suit different situations and relationships (for example, ¡Hasta pronto Doña Clara!). Students describe the distribution of communities of Spanish speakers in different countries and regions and know that Spanish is spoken in a variety of forms in different communities. They identify how languages and cultures change through contact, and give examples of Spanish words used in English such as ‘patio’, ‘chocolate’ and words used in Spanish that are borrowed from other languages such as shopping, tiquet. They identify cultural aspects of language use that are reflected in everyday interactions such as emailing, text messaging, gift-giving and apologising (for example, Lo siento mucho Don Pedro).


Years 7 and 8 Work Sample Portfolios