As well as extending your learning in the second most spoken language in the world – with over 450 million Spanish speakers worldwide – our A level Spanish online course is ideal if you:

• Like the opportunities learning a new language brings – in business, or for your own pleasure.
• Are a keen traveller, or would like to explore a new culture from your own home.
• Plan to study other languages? Study Spanish A level and you will find you have an understanding of many other ‘Romance’ languages such as Italian, Portuguese, and French. Perhaps you’ll eventually become a polyglot!
• Enjoy learning. Learning a language is ultimately a lot of fun.

Future opportunities

• Studying Modern Foreign Languages or linguistics at university or higher education level.
• Opening up career paths – employment rates for language graduates are one of the highest, compared with other degree subjects.  
• You could spend a year in Spain or a Spanish-speaking country as a part of your degree.
• Complementing subjects such as Law or Business, at university or higher education level.
• A range of careers including those in education, journalism, editing and publishing, international business, communication and translation through to cultural and tourism, diplomacy, law, media, accountancy, management or governmental positions.

Core Skills

• Introduction and progress checker
• Topic 1 Reading
• Topic 2 Listening
• Topic 3 Culture
• Topic 4 Speaking and listening
• Core skills Assignment

Section 1 Los valores tradicionales y modernos

• Introduction and progress checker
• Guide to Los valores tradicionales y modernos
• Las familias de antes y de ahora: los hijos hablan
• La religión católica y las fiestas
• Y vivieron felices… ¿para siempre?
• Las múltiples formas familiares
• Study guidance
• Using the Spanish Grammar Summary; Eliges tu diccionario; Practising grammar, Writing short answers, Building up your vocabulary and Recording your speaking
• Section 1 Assignment

Section 2 El ciberespacio y los derechos

• Introduction and progress checker
• Guide to El ciberspacio
• ¿Han cambiado las nuevas tecnologías nuestra vida a mejor o a peor?
• Los teléfonos… ¿inteligentes?
• Study Guidance
• Using the Spanish Grammar Summary
• Section 2 Assignment

Section 3 La igualdad de los derechos

• Introduction and progress checker
• Guide to La igualdad de los derechos
• La lucha por la igualdad de las mujeres
• La lucha por la igualdad de la mujer
• La mujer contemporánea: hablan ellas
• Los derechos del colectivo LGBT
• La lucha por los derechos LGBT
• Mejorando la situación de la mujer: ¿un trabajo aún inacabado?
• Study guidance
• Using the Spanish Grammar Summary; Translation from Spanish into English, Summarising material and extracting key points, Editing your writing; Choosing a topic for your research project
• Section 3 Assignment

Section 4 La influencia de los ídolos

• Introduction and progress checker
• Guide to La influencia de los ídolos
• Los jóvenes bajo la influencia de los ídolos musicales
• ¿Héroes deportivos?
• La nueva cultura de la fama
• Study Guidance
• Using the Spanish Grammar Summary; Listening effectively; Reading effectively; Translating from English into Spanish
• Section 4 Assignment

Section 5 La identidad regional en España

• Introduction and Progress Checker
• Guide to La identitad regional en España
• La Semana Santa en España
• La Semana Santa
• La tauromaquia, sus diversas formas y la polémica
• ¿A favor o en contra de la tauromaquia?
• Un viaje gastronómico por España
• ¡En España se habla más de una lengua!
• Las lenguas en España
• Study guidance
• Using the Spanish Grammar Summary

Section 6 El patrimonio cultural

• Introduction and progress checker
• Guide to El patrimonio cultural
• Perú: incas, conquistas y maravillas para la historia
• Unas pinceladas de arte mexicano
• La arquitectura árabe en Andalucía y sus vestigios
• La arquitectura árabe en Andalucía
• El patrimonio musical y su diversidad en el mundo hispano
• Study guidance
• Using the Spanish Grammar Summary; Revision for AS Paper 1 and Revision for AS Paper 3
• Section 6 Assignment Part 1
• Section 6 Assignment Part 2

Film Study Volver

• Introduction and progress checker
• Guide to Volver
• Getting to know the film Volver
• Pedro Almodóvar
• Watching the film for a second time
• Studying the film in depth
• Scene summaries; Themes; Characters; Director’s methods
• Study guidance
• Writing about the film; Structuring your writing
• Film study Assignment

Section 7 La inmigración

• Introduction and progress checker
• How to work through La inmigración
• La inmigración en España: procedencia, distribución e integración
• La inmigración en España
• La vida y penurias de un ‘sin papeles’
• La inmigración mexicana en EE.UU.
• Study guidance
• Using the Spanish Grammar Summary; The A level exam; Choosing a topic for your research project

Section 8 El racismo

• Introduction and progress checker
• Guide to El racismo
• Actitudes racistas y xenófobas en la España de ayer y hoy
• Actitudes racistas en España
• Las medidas nacionales y locales en contra del racismo en Hispanoamérica
• Las legislaciones antirracistas en el mundo hispano
• Las leyes antirracistas en Latinoamérica
• Study guidance
• Using the Spanish Grammar Summary; Translating a paragraph into Spanish; Organising your research project
• Section 8 Assignment

Section 9 La convivencia y la integración

• Introduction and progress checker
• Guide to La convivencia y la integración
• La convivencia entre culturas en la España medieval
• Convivencia e integración en los centros escolares
• La convivencia en la España moderna
• Los gitanos en España
• Study guidance
• Using the Spanish Grammar Summary
• Section 9 Assignment Part 1
• Section 9 Assignment Part 2

Section 10 Jóvenes de hoy, ciudadanos de mañana

• Introduction and progress checker
• Guide to Jóvenes de hoy, ciudadanos de mañana
• Los jóvenes y la política: ¿activismo o apatía?
• El paro entre los jóvenes
• El desempleo de los jóvenes españoles
• Su sociedad ideal: ¿una quimera?
• Study guidance
• Using the Spanish Grammar Summary; Continuing your research project; Revising the first half of the course
• Section 10 Assignment

Section 11 Monarquías y dictaduras

• Introduction and progress checker
• Guide to Monarquías y dictaduras
• El franquismo en España
• La sociedad española en la dictadura de Franco
• La evolución de la monarquía en España
• Dictadores latinoamericanos
• El régimen de Cuba
• Study guidance
• Using the Spanish Grammar Summary; Revision for A level Paper 1; Revision for A level Paper 3; Making a short presentation in Spanish

Section 12 Movimientos sociales

• Introduction and progress checker
• Guide to Movimientos sociales
• El poder de los sindicatos
• Las protestas sociales en profundidad
• La efectividad de las manifestaciones
• Podemos
• Study guidance
• Using the Spanish Grammar Summary; Revision for A level Paper 1; Revision for A level Paper 3; Making a short presentation in Spanish
• Section 12 Assignment Part 1
• Section 12 Assignment Part 2

Book study: La Casa de Bernarda Alba

• Introduction and progress checker
• Guide to La Casa de Bernarda Alba
• Getting to know the set play
• Studying the play in depth
• Chapter summaries; Characters; Narrative techniques; Key themes
• Study guidance
• Preparing for Paper 2; Writing an A level essay
• Book and film study Assignment

Study A level Spanish with us and benefit from:

• Flexible learning
• Support from a personal tutor by email, phone or Skype
• Any time enrolment
• Our exam booking service
• Assignments with tutor feedback
• Ongoing support from Student Support
• Forums to discuss your course with other students

learn@nec

Choose when and where you access your course, using learn@nec our 24/7 learning platform.

This easy-to-use learning platform includes interactive checkpoints, quizzes and activities to help you evaluate your progress.

You’ll have access to support from a personal tutor. All NEC tutors are subject experts, with experience of supporting online learners.

Meet Caroline who is just one of our first-class Spanish tutors:

“I have always been passionate about learning languages and I am delighted to be sharing my interest in Spanish. I have been a languages teacher for over 12 years. As a tutor, I like to tailor my support to the needs of each student. Learning a language should be a fun and fulfilling experience and there are many ways to learn. I have a BA Hons in languages from the University of Hull and took my PGCE at the University of York. I am originally from North Yorkshire and now live in Wakefield.”

Exam board

• AQA 7692

Format

• Online learning with support from a personal tutor

Hours

• Complete at your own pace
• Approx. 250-300* hours plus time for completing assignments

*The specification suggests that 300 hours is needed. You’ll also need time to complete assignments and prepare yourself for exams and some courses like English literature involve a lot of reading. Everyone is different so it’s impossible to say with certainty how long a course will take you, but you should expect to spend longer than 300 hours. Taken across the length of time we recommend, this equates to approximately 5 hours per week. This will increase if you choose to take it over a shorter time frame or may be less if you are retaking a subject and have covered a lot of of the course content.

Assignments

• 11 assignments (one introductory) – these do not contribute towards your final grade

Resources

Set textbooks – included as a free ebook with your course:

• AQA A level Spanish, JA García Sánchez, T Weston and M Thacker, Hodder Education, 2016

Requirements

• Volver, Pedro Almodóvar (film)
• Modern Languages Study Guides: Volver: Film Study Guide for AS/A level Spanish (Film and literature guides),  JA García Sánchez and T Weston, Hodder Education, 2017
• La Casa de Bernarda Alba, Federico García Lorca (play)
• Modern Languages Study Guides: La casa de Bernarda Alba: Literature Study Guide for AS/A level Spanish (Film and literature guides), S Blanchi and M Thacker, Hodder Education, 2017
• Internet access
• Computer operating system and browser to support learn@nec
• As part of the assignments, you will be required to record audio and send it to your tutor.

Our course fees are clear and transparent to help you plan for any additional costs.

Your course fee includes:

• 24/7 access to learn@nec platform and resources
• Expertly designed online course materials (including ebook versions of textbooks where specified) that you need to complete the course
• Support from our Student Services team
• Structured assignments carefully designed to prepare you for exams
• Guidance from your tutor for up to 24 months from your date of enrolment
• Extensive feedback to all assignments that will support your learning
• NEA (coursework) marking and authentication
• Marking for one examination paper (from a previous year)
• Guaranteed exam place
• NEC’s guide to study skills: How to Succeed as an Independent Learner
• Spelling, punctuation and grammar guide
• Time planner template to help you plan your study timetable
• Information on how to apply for exams

Your course fee does not cover:

• Any fees in relation to exam entries or assessments
• Centre Assessment Grades (CAG) in the event of exam cancellation
• Recommended textbooks for additional reading or set texts

If you need more support, you can purchase:

• Online tutorials – if you need help with a specific topic you can arrange a 30 minute or 1 hour tutorial
• Additional past paper marking – to help with your exam preparation
• Revision tutorial –  to plan your revision and explore revision techniques
• Help with your UCAS application service

For further information on additional/optional support you can purchase, please visit our additional services page.

Why we all need to be bilingual

Exams (three):

• Paper 1: 50% of marks  (2 hours 30 minutes)
• Paper 2: 20% of marks  (2 hours)

Oral exam – 30% of marks (21 to 23 minutes, including 5 minutes of preparation). The oral exam is in two parts:

• Part 1: Discussion of one sub-theme from a choice of four
• Part 2: Presentation of the Individual Research Project (2 minutes of presentation and 9-10 minutes of discussion of the findings of your research.)

Non-exam assessment (NEA):

• coursework: Individual Research Project

We know that our younger students often need an extra helping hand with their studies.  In our experience, learning online works best when the parents are involved, so when you enrol your child with NEC, you’ll have a unique set of services to help you to support your child.

This includes:

• Your own log in to learn@nec to access the course so you can view the course materials and other information for yourself.
• Access to your child’s gradebook to help you to monitor progress and provide appropriate and timely intervention and support
• You’ll receive emails and forum posts so that you have all the examination and assessment updates/information provided by the NEC team
• Dedicated Progress Portal Pages and targeted blogs with updates/information/help and advice on many aspects of home education.

Read more about how we work with young students who are studying at home or through a school.