Cambridge IGCSE Spanish - First Language

Cambridge IGCSE First Language Spanish is designed for learners whose first language is Spanish. The course enables learners to-

• Develop the ability to communicate clearly, accurately and effectively when speaking and writing
• Use a wide range of vocabulary, and the correct grammar, spelling and punctuation
• Develop a personal style and an awareness of the audience being addressed.

Learners are also encouraged to read widely, both for their own enjoyment and to further their awareness of the ways in which Spanish can be used. Cambridge IGCSE First Language Spanish also develops more general analysis and communication skills such as inference, and the ability to order facts and present opinions effectively.

Aims of the Syllabus

The aims are to-
• Enable candidates to understand and respond to what they hear, read and experience
• Enable candidates to communicate accurately, appropriately, confidently and effectively
• Encourage candidates to enjoy and appreciate a variety of language
• Complement candidates’ ability to work with information and ideas in other areas of study, for example, by developing skills of analysis, synthesis and the drawing of inferences
• Promote candidates’ personal development and an understanding of themselves and others.

Syllabus Content

1. Reading
Core
• Demonstrate understanding of words and phrases within extended texts
• Identify and develop facts, ideas and opinions
• Summarise, paraphrase and re-express
• Demonstrate some understanding of how writers achieve their effects
• Recognise and respond to simple linguistic devices including figurative language
• Extract specific information.
Extended
• Demonstrate a precise understanding of extended texts
• Synthesise, develop, analyse and evaluate facts, ideas and opinions
• Effectively summarise, paraphrase and re-express
• Demonstrate understanding of how writers achieve their effects
• Recognise and respond to sophisticated linguistic devices
• Extract appropriate information for specific purposes.

2. Writing
Core
• Express thoughts, feelings and opinions in order to interest, inform or convince the reader
• Convey simple and detailed facts, ideas and opinions in an orderly sequence
• Use appropriate vocabulary
• Demonstrate some sense of audience and context
• Demonstrate adequate control of spelling, punctuation and grammar
• Attempt a variety of sentence structures.
Extended
• Express effectively what is thought, felt and imagined
• Order and convey facts, ideas and opinions effectively
• Demonstrate a sophisticated use of imaginative and varied vocabulary
• Demonstrate a clear sense of audience and context
• Demonstrate accuracy in spelling, punctuation and grammar
• Use effectively a variety of sentence structures.

3. Speaking and listening (Optional)
Core
• Describe experience in simple terms and express intelligibly what is thought, felt and imagined
• Recognise and give statements of opinion and attitude
• Present facts, ideas and opinions in an orderly sequence
• Communicate with some clarity, focus and purpose
• Communicate with some awareness of audience and context
• Make relevant comments on what is heard.
Extended
• Describe and reflect on experience, and express effectively what is thought, felt and imagined
• Understand and convey complex information in a sophisticated way
• Order and present facts, ideas and opinions effectively
• Discuss statements of opinion and attitude, discerning underlying assumptions and points of view
• Communicate with clarity, focus and purpose
• Communicate appropriately depending on the audience and context
• Evaluate and reflect on what is heard.

Grade Description

Grade A
• Candidates understand and communicate information at both a straightforward and a complex level.
• Candidates understand facts, ideas and opinions, and order and present in detail what is relevant for specific purposes.
• Candidates describe and reflect upon experience and detail, analysing effectively what is felt and what is imagined.
• Candidates recognise implicit meanings and attitudes of a writer.
• Candidates show a clear sense of audience and an understanding of appropriate uses of language.
• Candidates write in well constructed paragraphs, using a full range of appropriate sentence structures and showing accuracy in spelling and punctuation.

Grade C
• Candidates understand and convey information both at a straightforward level and at a more complex level.
• Candidates understand basic facts, ideas and opinions, presenting them with a degree of clarity and accuracy.
• Candidates evaluate material from texts and select what is relevant for specific purposes.
• Candidates describe and reflect upon experience and express effectively what is felt and what is imagined.
• Candidates recognise the more obvious implicit meanings and attitudes of a writer.
• Candidates show a sense of audience and an awareness of appropriate uses of language.
• Candidates write in paragraphs, using sentences of varied kinds and exercising care over spelling and punctuation.

Grade F
• Candidates understand and convey information at a straightforward level.
• Candidates understand basic facts, ideas and opinions, presenting them with a degree of coherence.
• Candidates select material from texts and comment upon it at a literal level.
• Candidates describe experience in concrete terms and express intelligibly what is felt and what is imagined.
• Candidates recognise clear meanings and explicit attitudes of a writer.
• Candidates show awareness that language is used in different ways in different circumstances.
• Candidates write at least in simple sentences – weaknesses in spelling and punctuation and the construction of complex sentences will be apparent, but will not seriously impair communication.

Objectives of Assessment

• Reading
  Candidates will be assessed on their ability to:

1. demonstrate understanding of explicit meanings
2. demonstrate understanding of implicit meanings and attitudes
3. analyse, evaluate and develop facts, ideas and opinions
4. demonstrate understanding of how writers achieve effects
5. select for specific purposes.

• Writing
  Candidates will be assessed on their ability to-

1. articulate experience and express what is thought, felt and imagined
2. sequence facts, ideas and opinions
3. use a range of appropriate vocabulary
4. use register appropriate to audience and context
5. make accurate use of spelling, punctuation and grammar.

• Speaking and listening
  (for candidates taking the Speaking and Listening Test only)
  Candidates will be assessed on their ability to-

1. articulate experience and express what is thought, felt and imagined
2. present facts, ideas and opinions in a sustained, cohesive order
3. communicate clearly, fluently and purposefully as an individual and in dialogue with other speakers
4. use register appropriate to audience and context
5. listen to and respond appropriately to the contributions of others.

Assessment

Paper 1 Reading Passages (Core)
(or)
Paper 2 Reading Passages (Extended)
Reading- 40
Writing- 10
Weighting- 50%

Paper 3 Directed Writing and Composition
or
Component 4 Coursework Portfolio
Reading- 10
Writing- 40
Weighting– 50%

Component 5 Speaking and Listening Test
(Optional)
Speaking and Listening- 30
Separately endorsed

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