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 9 and 10

Years 9 and 10 Band Description

The nature of the learners

Students have prior experience of learning Spanish and bring a range of capabilities, strategies and knowledge that can be applied to new learning. They are expanding the range and nature of their learning experiences and of the contexts within which they communicate with others. They have a growing awareness of the wider world, including the diversity of languages, cultures and forms of intercultural communication. They are considering future pathways and prospects, including how Spanish may feature in these.

Spanish language learning and use

This is a period of language exploration and vocabulary expansion, and of experimentation with different modes of communication such as digital and hypermedia, collaborative performance and group discussions. Increasing control of language structures and systems builds confidence and interest in communicating in a wider range of contexts. Learners use Spanish to communicate and interact, to access and exchange information, to express feelings and opinions, to participate in imaginative and creative experiences, and to design, interpret and analyse a wide range of texts and experiences. They use Spanish more fluently, with a greater degree of self-correction and repair. They reference the accuracy of their language use against a stronger frame of grammatical and systems knowledge. They demonstrate understanding of language variation and change, and of how intercultural experience, technology, media and globalisation influence forms of communication.

Contexts of interaction

Learners use written and spoken Spanish to interact with peers, teachers and other Spanish speakers in immediate and local contexts relating to their own social and educational worlds. They interact with cultural resources and Spanish-speaking communities in a variety of countries through a range of online environments.

Texts and resources

Learners engage with a range of language-learning texts and support materials, such as textbooks, DVDs, apps, media texts and online materials. They also draw increasingly on texts produced for Spanish-speaking communities, such as short stories, songs, poems, newspaper reports, films, video clips, blogs and social media texts.

Features of Spanish language use

Learners recognise and approximate the pronunciation, rhythms and intonation patterns of more extended phrases and compound sentences. They become more fluent and accurate in both spoken and written language production. They gain more control of grammatical and textual elements. They use simple tenses (present, imperfect, preterite, future and conditional), and compound tenses conjugated with haber (present perfect). They recognise the form and function of pronouns and expand their understanding to include direct and indirect object pronouns.

Learners use expressive and descriptive language to talk about feelings and experiences. They develop understanding of the nature of both translation and interpretation, noticing the relationship between language, texts and culture. A balance is maintained between activities that focus on language forms and structures and those that involve communicative tasks, performances and experiences. Tasks involve collaborative as well as independent language planning and performance, and development and strategic use of language and cultural resources. Learners analyse text more critically, identifying how language choices reflect perspectives and shape meaning. At this level, learners are developing understanding of the relationship between language, culture and identity. They identify how meaning-making and representation in a different language involve interpretation and personal response as well as literal translation and factual reporting. They explore the reciprocal nature of intercultural communication: how moving between different languages and cultural systems impacts on the learner’s ways of thinking and behaving; and how successful communication requires flexibility, awareness and openness to alternative ways. They develop the capacity to consider their own cultural practices through the eyes of others, and to communicate in interculturally appropriate ways.

Level of support

This stage of learning involves consolidation and progression. Learners are provided with new challenges and more independent learning experiences. Continued scaffolding, modelling and monitoring support these challenges. Students are supported to develop increasing autonomy as language learners and users, and to self-monitor and adjust language in response to their experience in different contexts. They analyse and reflect on texts and intercultural experiences through discussion, documenting and journalling. Continuing focused attention on grammatical and textual features supports learners’ development as text producers.

The role of English

Spanish is used in more extended and elaborated ways by both teacher and learners. English may be used for substantive discussion, elaboration, comparison, analysis and reflection.


Years 9 and 10 Content Descriptions

Socialising

Socialise and exchange and compare ideas and opinions in relation to issues relevant to their own lives and interests, such as relationships, events and aspirations

[Key concepts: friendship, relationships, values, youth culture; Key processes: interacting, comparing, responding] (ACLSPC019 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • expressing, comparing and explaining likes, dislikes and preferences, for example, Me gusta más el baloncesto que el fútbol, Me encanta la historia porque me parece interesante, Nuestro colegio es grandísimo, es el más grande de la ciudad. Lo que más me gusta hacer los fines de semana es chatear con mis amigos
  • corresponding with peers by using telephone/video calls, SMS or social media to build relationships and share views on aspects of young people’s lives such as friends, responsibilities, interests and aspirations
  • expressing hopes, opinions and ambitions, giving reasons for plans, for example, Espero aprobar los exámenes, Creo que ..., Pienso (+ infinitive), prefiero ...¿y tú?, Y vosotros ¿Qué opináis?, Estoy de acuerdo contigo, ¿Estáis de acuerdo?, En el futuro, me gustaría ser ...
  • sharing past experiences and significant events, such as holidays, special events or travel, for example, En mis vacaciones, primero fuimos a..., después ... Durante la segunda semana ... y entonces ... Fue fenomenal ... Al final ... Y ¿Qué tal tus vacaciones?
  • discussing personal views on topics such as acoso escolar, ideal de belleza and música, using expressions such as de ninguna manera...claro que sí... to link and elaborate ideas
Negotiate with peers to plan and take action on local and global issues and to engage in different forms of spoken, written and digital transactions

[Key concepts: environment, human rights, fairness; Key processes: discussing, debating, commenting, comparing] (ACLSPC020 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • participating in collaborative planning and decision-making, such as arranging an event or campaign to promote awareness of an issue such as recycling, using persuasive and descriptive language in spoken, written and digital modes of presentation, for example, posters, stimulus questions, statistics
    • Sustainability
  • producing action-oriented resources such as websites, posters or online features on issues related to the Spanish-speaking world, incorporating declarative language and argument, for example, ¿Qué creéis que tenemos que hacer para ..., creo que primero deberíamos escribir..., sugiero que terminemos, es evidente que…
  • creating promotional and informative texts to support fundraising activities, such as humanitarian initiatives in Spanish-speaking countries
  • planning real or virtual activities such as Spanish-language forums, for example by composing and rehearsing possible contributions or questions
Plan and evaluate collaborative activities and tasks that involve expressing and comparing opinions

[Key concepts: community, responsibility; Key processes: expressing, representing, discussing] (ACLSPC021 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • using appropriate discussion protocols such as acknowledging others’ opinions, responding to others’ contributions, and elaborating and extending topics, for example, Perdona, pero no estoy de acuerdo contigo porque …, me parece mejor … ¿qué os/les parece si…?
  • using reflective and evaluative language to discuss the experience of learning and using Spanish and to evaluate resources such as textbooks, websites or electronic dictionaries, for example, Creo que... porque, Prefiero…, Es más útil que…, Tiene menos …que, En primer lugar, creo... Ahora creo que…, No estoy de acuerdo
  • participating in class discussion by offering own opinions (Me parece que…), eliciting and reflecting on those of others (¿Qué les parece?), and agreeing (¡Qué buena idea!) or disagreeing (No me parece una buena idea)

Informing

Analyse and interpret information, ideas and perspectives obtained from a range of spoken, written and digital texts and present these in new forms

[Key concepts: perspective, representation; Key processes: selecting, analysing, interpreting] (ACLSPC022 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • analysing and comparing information obtained from different sources on topics of social and cultural interest, such as el cine latinoamericano comtemporáneo, el efecto del turismo en las tortugas de las Islas Galápagos or los refugiados en España, and summarising and presenting information to peers in conversation or on a shared website
  • synthesising and summarising a variety of texts such as announcements, reports, interviews and conversations on topical issues such as Las corridas de toros or La influencia del internet en la música, classifying and cross-referencing key ideas and associated language for use in own texts
  • identifying perspectives and context in texts such as articles and reports by distinguishing between facts and opinion, for example, by identifying the author, intended audience and purpose of a text
  • researching and classifying social, historical and cultural aspects of Spanish-speaking communities by gathering information from a range of sources, including personal commentaries by Spanish-speaking peers and adults
Organise and present critical perspectives on information obtained from different sources to a variety of audiences

[Key concepts: audience, perspective, fact, opinion, interconnections; Key processes: constructing, presenting, reporting] (ACLSPC023 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • Sustainability
  • researching, presenting and taking a position on questions relating to contemporary topics such as Los efectos de las redes sociales en la vida de los jóvenes
  • producing a brochure to identify aspects of their city/town/region likely to be of interest to Spanish-speaking visitors of the same age
  • presenting a personal or shared perspective on topics such as fashion, music, cinema or social media, using formats such as displays, online posts or oral presentations to provide critical or explanatory commentary
  • researching and presenting information about social and environmental issues affecting Spanish-speaking regions of the world, for example, consecuencias de la deforestación en el Amazonas
    • Sustainability

Creating

Respond to a range of imaginative oral, print and digital texts by interpreting or modifying them to express own ideas and feelings

[Key concept: imagination; Key processes: comparing, connecting, relating] (ACLSPC024 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Ethical Understanding
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • using examples of popular rap forms to create and perform versions that express their own feelings and values
  • expressing individual responses to imaginative and expressive multimedia texts, including performance and visual arts, using modelled and scaffolded language, for example, demasiado triste, ¡tan cómico!, horrible, era muy entretenido porque ..., me fascina la manera de ..., me encantó cuando ...fue trágico el final de ..., para mí las imágenes representan…, personalmente prefiero…
  • engaging with rhythm, intonation and imagery to create mood and meaning in own poems, songs or performances, experimenting with language, voice and gesture to create specific effects
  • responding to imaginative texts by modifying key elements, for example, incorporating a new character or event, creating a different mood, parodying an advertisement or devising a new ending to a story
Express creative ideas and imagined experiences that relate to the cultures of Spanish-speaking communities using a variety of texts

[Key concepts: creativity, adventure, expression; Key processes: creating, expressing, experimenting, entertaining] (ACLSPC025 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • reinterpreting familiar stories or fictional characters, referencing cultural characteristics while creating new situations or different effects, for example, incorporating alternative text into popular cartoons such as Mafalda
  • composing adapted or simplified versions of classic stories such as Caperucita Verde or Los doce enanos for a younger audience
  • composing performance texts such as skits, raps or poems to amuse, entertain and engage other learners of Spanish
  • creating a video clip or digital story involving imaginary persona or avatar in a Spanish-speaking fantasy world, incorporating communicative styles and behaviours observed in texts from Spanish-speaking contexts

Translating

Translate texts from Spanish into English and vice versa, noticing and explaining words or expressions that are culturally specific and difficult to translate

[Key concepts: equivalence, representation; Key processes: translating, interpreting, comparing, explaining] (ACLSPC026 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • analysing Spanish translations of familiar English-language texts, identifying aspects that got ‘lost in translation’, for example, comparing the English subtitles of a movie dubbed in Spanish with the original English speaking version
  • translating texts such as signs, product instructions, notices or advertisements, comparing versions and considering how to convey culturally embedded references and concepts
  • evaluating the effectiveness of electronic translators, for example, by doing a back translation of a well-known text
  • identifying challenges associated with the translation of simple texts such as short letters or conversations, deciding whether different information is required in the translated version, for example, deciding if ‘you’ should become tú, usted or vosotros, depending on the social relationship being conveyed in the letter or exchange
Create bilingual texts such as displays, explanatory or promotional material or performances for immediate and virtual environments

[Key concepts: interpretation, bilinguality; Key processes: constructing, composing, explaining] (ACLSPC027 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • providing bilingual captions that represent cultural elements or references to accompany images from the Spanish-speaking world or from regional Australia, for example, los nazarenos en las procesiones de Semana Santa, el sombrero mexicano y el sombrero de los corchos australiano, el ‘vegemite’ y las tortillas españolas, el canguro y el cóndor, el rodeo y los toros, bailes y ceremonias indígenas
  • producing bilingual instructional or explanatory texts such as glossaries, for example to explain the rules of Australian games, activities or sports, such as cricket, netball, Australian Rules football, bushwalking or surf lifesaving
  • creating and contributing to a shared online bilingual word bank of Spanish and English colloquial and idiomatic words that are difficult to translate, for example, comadre, compadre, qué metida de pata; ‘schoolies’, ‘School of the Air’, ‘sickie’
  • performing a virtual guided tour for intending exchange students, including dramatisations of potential miscommunication between Spanish and English speakers

Reflecting

Consider own reactions when engaging with Spanish speakers and resources and how these may reflect aspects of own language and culture

[Key concepts: standpoints, intraculturality; Key processes: making connections, questioning assumptions, reflecting] (ACLSPC028 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • keeping a record such as a journal, log or online posting of critical incidents and observations in the course of intercultural language learning, such as breakdowns or breakthroughs in communication, and considering why or how they occurred and were repaired
  • finding examples of how language reflects cultural concepts and values across the Spanish-speaking world, for example, religious references in sayings such as Al que madruga Diós le ayuda, Bendito sea … Adiós; and changes to language forms that reflect changes in social values, such as the adoption of some feminine forms of professional titles (La doctora/el doctor, la abogada/el abogado, la jefa/el jefe)
  • recognising differences in the nature and function of some elements of communication in Spanish compared to English, for example, the enjoyment of debate, disagreement and argument as social rather than confrontational activities, or greater directness in exchanges such as making requests using the direct imperative form
  • discussing how intercultural communication involves being flexible, responsive and open to differences in ways of communicating views or emotions, for example, the less explicit expression of appreciation or thanks in Spanish, variation in attitudes to time
Consider and discuss the relationship between language, culture and identity

[Key concepts: identity, culture, communication; Key processes: observing, connecting, reflecting, explaining] (ACLSPC029 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • reflecting on own sense of identity, considering whether it is fixed or fluid, for example, whether they communicate and present themselves in different ways, in different contexts or with different people
  • examining how identity is expressed through language, with reference to languages spoken by themselves, their peers, family or community members
  • composing a ‘cultural ID profile’ to share online with Spanish-speaking friends, making decisions about what points of information will be of most interest
  • monitoring own ways of communicating and expressing their sense of identity in different contexts and interactions, including when using Spanish, noticing whether they have a different sense of themselves when using a different language
  • critically examining the impact of cultural stereotypes and expectations in relation to cultural identity and intercultural communication, for example, by reflecting on changes in perceptions of or attitudes towards other languages and cultures as a result of learning Spanish

Systems of language

Recognise and apply rules of Spanish pronunciation, stress and intonation, demonstrating awareness of differences in accent and pronunciation across the Spanish-speaking world, and use appropriate writing conventions

[Key concepts: rhythm, intonation, pitch; Key processes: recognising, discriminating, imitating, reproducing] (ACLSPU030 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • recognising the importance of appropriate stress, pronunciation and spelling for meaning-making, for example, estudio versus estudió
  • understanding variation in pronunciation across the Spanish-speaking world, for example, the pronunciation of ce and ci in different regions (ceceo or seseo) for example in the words gracias, Cecilia, and the soft sh pronunciation of the letters ll and y in Argentine Spanish (calle/cashe)
  • adapting the tone, intonation and rhythm of language to their own expressive needs and to the nature of the interaction, for example, calming a child or attracting attention
  • using the Spanish alphabet to spell out names or expressions, noticing similarities and differences to English and using correct terminology for accents and marks (tilde, acento, diéresis)
  • listening to and reciting texts such as poems, stories or song lyrics to familiarise themselves with the rhythm and musicality of the language, for example, Proverbios y cantares de Antonio Machado, Guantanamera de José Martí
Extend knowledge of and use more complex features and patterns of the Spanish grammatical system, including possessive, demonstrative, object and relative pronouns; comparative and superlative adjectives; irregular verbs in the present tense, compound and simple past tenses, future and conditional tenses; and an introduction to the imperative mood

[Key concepts: tense, mood, modality; Key processes: analysing, classifying, applying, explaining] (ACLSPU031 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • understanding and using definite and indefinite articles, including omission and gender-change cases, for example, me gusta mucho el cuadro del salón, me gusta mucho un cuadro del salón, ¿tienen cuadros de paisajes?, el agua está fría
  • understanding and using indefinite adjectives and pronouns such as alguno/a/os/as, ninguno/a/os/as, otros/as, todos/as, alguien, nadie, nada, algo, todo, noticing the constructions with a double negative, for example, No hay nadie en clase, no tenemos nada
  • using collective nouns such as gente and familia, and noticing the use of singular verbs, for example, la gente en Australia pasa mucho tiempo al aire libre, mi familia tiene una casa en la playa
  • noticing the differences in meaning when the adjective precedes the noun, for example, un pobre hombre/un hombre pobre
  • expressing comparisons using comparatives and superlatives, including some irregular forms, for example, mejor que ..., peor que ..., el mayor, el menor, más ... que, menos ... que, el más ..., ...ísimo/a, tan ... como
  • understanding and using possessive and demonstrative pronouns (aquel es el tuyo, este es el mío) and the use of neutral demonstratives (¿qué es esto?, me gustó aquello que dijo)
  • understanding the form and function of personal object pronouns, and differentiating between direct and indirect objects in the third person, for example, me, te, lo, la/le, nos, os, los, las/les
  • understanding the function and use of relative pronouns, for example, que, el/la/los/las que, quien/es, el/la cual, los/las cuales, donde
  • understanding and using the different past tense forms for regular and irregular verbs (pretérito perfecto, pretérito indefinido and pretérito imperfecto), and comparing the uses with English past tense forms, for example, hemos estudiado los tiempos pasados, Marcos nació en Filipinas, ayer mi amigo estaba contento
  • using appropriate temporal markers, for example, hace ..., desde hace ..., durante ..., en 2011 ..., esta mañana ..., cuando era pequeño ..., desde ... hasta..., ayer ...
  • understanding and using the future and conditional tenses of regular and irregular verbs, for example, mañana iremos de excursión al zoo, me gustaría visitar México, saldría con vosotros pero tengo tarea
  • using some set expressions that require the use of the present subjunctive, for example, ¡que aproveche! ¡que te mejores! espero que estés bien
  • expressing agreement, disagreement and opinions using adverbs and expressions such as Yo también ...., yo tampoco ..., a mí sí ..., a mí no ...
  • indicating rules and giving instructions using expressions such as hay que ..., se puede/no se puede ..., and tener que + infinitive, and regular imperative affirmative forms, for example, cantad conmigo, pase el dado, toma mi bolígrafo, abran las ventanas, repita más despacio
  • understanding the function of impersonal expressions such as se necesita ..., se habla ..., se dice ..., se puede ...
  • using cohesive devices to link elements of complex sentences, for example, por lo tanto, además, sin embargo, al contrario de, de la misma manera
  • expanding the use of prepositions such as por, para, con, sin, contra, hacia to provide more detail or information
  • understanding how to form adverbs from adjectives, for example, normalmente, seguramente, probablemente
  • understanding and using an increasing range of prefixes and suffixes (anónimo, antibiótico, despeinado, supermercado, claustrofobia, lavadora, navideño, hermanito) and building lexical families (árbol, arbolito, arboleda, arbusto, arborícola, arbóreo, arboricultura, enarbolar)
  • developing awareness of the presence of ‘false friends’ in Spanish and English, for example, actualmente / currently, realizar / carry out, embarazada / pregnant, constipado / a cold
  • developing metalanguage to talk in Spanish about elements such as sentence structure (sujeto, verbo, objeto), verb tenses (pretérito, futuro, tiempo compuesto, participio pasado) and other linguistic features (sinónimo, concordancia, párrafo)
Analyse textual features of spoken, written and digital texts and consider how they shape meaning and influence responses

[Key concepts: cohesion, language features, register, tenor; Key processes: analysing, evaluating] (ACLSPU032 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • comparing language features of Spanish and English versions of different types of texts, such as riddles, weather reports, text messages or horoscopes, noting differences that may be culturally significant
  • examining language structures and features used for specific communicative effect, such as to persuade, amuse, sympathise, challenge, include or exclude
  • understanding textual elements that provide coherence at a whole text level, such as cohesive devices (sin, aunque, debido a, según, por otro lado), linked paragraphs, introductions and summaries, and sequencing of ideas

Language variation and change

Recognise that Spanish is used in a variety of ways to achieve different purposes in different contexts

[Key concepts: formality, register, context; Key processes: observing, comparing, analysing] (ACLSPU033 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • identifying levels of formality in spoken and written texts, and considering what these convey about social relationships and processes, for example, reflections of status, authority, respect or intimacy (Disculpe, ¿podría decirme ..., Perdone que le interrumpa, ... Me gustaría invitarte a mi boda, ¡oye tío, he conocido a una tía guay!, eres el amor de mi vida)
  • comparing spoken and written forms of familiar types of texts and language functions, for example, verbal and written apologies or oral storytelling and written reports, noticing differences in grammatical, expressive and textual features
  • recognising that language is used differently to achieve different purposes, for example, the use of contractions, emoticons and acronyms in text messages for the purposes of speed and economy; and the use of slang, specialised or inclusive language to establish shared interest or identity
  • recognising how grammatical and vocabulary choices shade meaning and establish register, for example, the use of formal or informal pronouns (usted, ustedes/ tú, vosotros/as), the use of forms of address (don Juan, doña Pepa, señor Martínez, señoras y señores, damas y caballeros, Pedro y Sonia) and the use of abbreviations and slang (mi cole es guay)
Examine ongoing changes in Spanish as a language of local and international communication, considering the power of language to both influence and reflect culture

[Key concepts: globalisation, technological change, intercultural contact, popular culture; Key processes: reflecting, analysing, comparing, discussing] (ACLSPU034 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • identifying Spanish words borrowed from different languages across time and through political, historical and social changes, for example, words of Arabic origin that start with the prefix al-, such as almanaque, alcachofa, algodón, álgebra and alcohol, and some common interjections also derived from Arabic, such as ¡hola!, ¡ojalá!, ¡olé!
  • identifying the movement of language elements across and between times and contexts, such as words from indigenous languages adopted into Spanish and then exported to other languages, for example, words of Náhuatl origin such as aguacate, chocolate, cacao, chile, chicle and guacamole
  • noticing components of Spanish language that reflect particular cultural histories and influences, such as technological and scientific terms derived from classical Latin and Greek, for example, continente, vegetación, bacteria, biología, protocolo and mecánico
  • reflecting on the power of language in terms of their own experience, for example, by identifying comments from friends, teachers or public figures that have influenced or affected them
  • understanding the power of language to influence people’s actions and beliefs, such as the language of persuasion in political speeches or community appeals, for example, puede hacer su donación a la..., ofrezca tu tiempo voluntariamente despué del terremoto en Chile
Understand how language diversity reflects local and global variations in social and cultural histories

[Key concepts: regional variation, indigenous languages, power, symbolism; Key processes: exploring issues, identifying, analysing, comparing] (ACLSPU035 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
  • recognising that in many Spanish-speaking countries other languages are co-official with Spanish, such as Guaraní in Paraguay, Catalan, Galician and Basque/Euskera in Spain, and Quiché in Guatemala, and investigating the history and issues surrounding such relationships between languages
  • investigating the status and function of indigenous languages in Spanish-speaking countries, considering issues such as language rights, language death, and revival and reclamation efforts, and drawing comparisons with Aboriginal languages and Torres Strait Islander languages in Australia
    • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
  • exploring the influence of Latin-American popular culture in the United States and the rest of the world, for example, cinema, music and TV channels, telenovelas, sport
  • considering how the process of moving between standard/national languages and regional languages such as Catalan or Basque reflects personal, social and political histories

Role of language and culture

Understand the role of language and culture in shaping cultural identity and consider how learning a second language encourages a broadening of perspectives

[Key concepts: culture, meaning, change; Key processes: reflecting, analysing] (ACLSPU036 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Ethical Understanding
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • participating in guided discussion and reflection on the nature and role of ‘culture’ and its relationship with language, noting any shifts in own attitudes or understandings about culture, identity and diversity as a consequence of learning and using Spanish
  • talking with bilingual speakers about the experience of using more than one language, for example, by asking questions such as: ‘Do you identify more strongly with one language? Do you express yourself differently in each language? Do you feel like the same “you” when speaking each language?’
  • discussing ways in which learning a different language can lead to new ways of thinking or interpreting experience, for example, by providing different perspectives on the experience of younger or older people or in relation to family roles and relationships
  • developing language for thinking and talking about cultural representation and expression, for example, terms such as ‘perspectives’, ‘values’, ‘images’, ‘stereotypes’, ‘inclusions’ and ‘exclusions’
  • critically analysing texts such as advertisements, brochures, catalogues, graffiti and websites in Spanish that show different representations of culture, reflecting on language use, images and symbols

Years 9 and 10 Achievement Standards

By the end of Year 10, students interact in written and spoken Spanish to communicate about personal experiences, relationships and aspirations, and broader local and global issues such as the environment, social media and tourism, including issues that pertain to Spanish-speaking countries. Learners interact with peers to make decisions, solve problems, and negotiate and plan action in response to issues. When interacting, they use both rehearsed and spontaneous language and appropriate protocols (for example, Perdona, pero no estoy de acuerdo contigo porque …, me parece mejor … ¿qué os parece si…?) to express and compare opinions, share perspectives, and express agreement or disagreement (for example, Me parece que…, ¿qué les parece?, Que buena idea, me opongo). They apply rules of pronunciation, stress and intonation to a range of sentence types. They locate, summarise and analyse information from a range of texts, and communicate different perspectives and information in a range of contexts using different modes of presentation. They respond to and create personal, descriptive, informative and imaginative texts for different purposes, audiences and contexts using appropriate Spanish writing conventions. They use grammatical elements including present, imperfect, past and future tenses, reflexive verbs, and the subjunctive mood to express emotion (for example, Como chocolate todos los días, Fui al parque ayer, Salíamos a bailar los fines de semana, Estudiaré informática en la universidad). They use appropriate forms of possessive adjectives in own language production, as well as cohesive devices and prepositions to create cohesion and interest. They use relative pronouns (for example, El programa que miraba era cómico), relative clauses (for example, Mi amigo chileno me ha dicho que quiere venir con nosotras al cine) and adverbial phrases (for example, a la derecha, con frecuencia) to extend and elaborate their written texts. They work in Spanish and English to translate and create bilingual texts, explaining words or expressions that are culturally specific such as tapas, adobe, vaquero, Vive en el quinto pino, … más largo que un día sin pan. They describe their own reactions in intercultural exchanges and explain how their own assumptions and identity influence their language use.

Students identify differences in accent and pronunciation across the Spanish-speaking world, such as the use ceceo and seseo in different regions and countries. They use metalanguage to explain features of language (formal and informal language) and grammar (for example, las formas negativas, el futuro próximo con el verbo ir, masculino, femenino, singular, plural), and for reflecting on the experience of Spanish language and culture learning. They identify relationships between parts of words (prefixes and suffixes) and stems of words (for example, desagradable, la camioneta, la reconciliación), and how word patterns connect words in semantic families (for example, mercado, mercancía, feliz, felicidad, felicitaciones). They analyse the textual features of a range of texts in different modes and identify how these shape responses and influence meaning. They give examples of how Spanish is used in a variety of ways to achieve different purposes in different contexts and for different audiences. Students describe changes in the role of Spanish as a global language and explain how language both influences and reflects culture. They know that Spanish is co-official with many other languages in a range of countries, such as Guaraní in Paraguay; Quechua in Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru; and Basque/Euskera, Catalan and Galician in Spain. They explain how meanings and interpretations vary according to the cultural assumptions that people bring to interactions, and consider how learning a second language provides the opportunity to view oneself from the perspectives of others.


Years 9 and 10 Work Sample Portfolios