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Advice for teachers -
Spanish

Teaching and learning activities

Unit 3

Unit 3 – Area of Study 1: Interpersonal communication

Theme: The individual
Topic: Personal identity and lifestyles
Sub topic: Leisure and free time

Outcome 1

Participate in a spoken exchange in Spanish to resolve a personal issue.

Examples of learning activities

  • Choose a country from the Spanish-speaking world and research how the citizens spend their leisure and free time. Summarise findings in a 150-word paragraph.
  • Create a glossary of words and expressions to form a basis for understanding the topic.
  • Discuss the findings with classmates and compare approaches to leisure and free time in different countries.
  • Read blog posts about how young people enjoy themselves in a Spanish-speaking country. Make a chart of your findings.
  • Listen to a conversation between two young people in a Spanish-speaking country discussing their leisure and how they use their free time.
  • Prepare a three- to four-minute presentation about your personal way of using leisure and free time.
  • Role-play in pairs asking each other questions and getting tips on how to have fun without having problems at home.
  • Conduct research on the internet to find information about the different ways people spend their leisure/free time in several countries of the Spanish-speaking world. Write a 200-word informative article for the school magazine on the topic.
  • Create and present a PowerPoint presentation comparing different forms of leisure and free time, including tips for finding a balance between school and part time work.
  • Example icon for advice for teachers
    Write a 250-word personal email to a friend to convince them that it is possible to be responsible at school and to also enjoy free time.
Example icon for advice for teachers 

Detailed example

A 250-word persuasive email to a friend

  1. List vocabulary related to leisure and free time.
  2. Listen to a conversation between students about how their studies are progressing and how they spend their leisure time. Take notes on what they say to each other and the language they use.
  3. Watch a vlog in which a teacher offers ideas to students about how to tackle Year 12 and at the same time make the most of leisure activities and free time.
  4. Find and read websites about what young people do to enjoy themselves. List ideas and advice provided.
  5. Draft an email to be sent to a friend suggesting actions they could take to complete Year 12 successfully and at the same time enjoy themselves during their free time. In the draft, include:
    • solutions or ideas
    • language that would be used when addressing a friend
    • vocabulary and expressions that highlight your knowledge in this area
    • grammar that showcases your linguistic facility.

Unit 3 – Area of Study 2: Interpretative communication

Theme: The Spanish-speaking communities
Topic: Historical perspectives
Sub topic: Historical events and figures

Outcome 2

Interpret information from texts and write responses in Spanish.

Examples of learning activities

  • Study a world map and identify all the countries where Spanish is spoken. For each one, identify their population, land area, geographical situation and other relevant features.
  • Individually or in pairs, choose an historical event in a country where Spanish is spoken; for example, the Spanish civil war, independence wars of the countries of Latin America, revolutions, etc. Read about the event and list the major historical developments and/or particularities. Include the main players, their main achievements, losses, etc. Prepare a poster or PowerPoint presentation of the most important characteristics of that event.
  • In small groups, research links between the different events studied. Alternatively, compare the way in which the events took place.
  • Watch a film about a chosen historical event and answer questions about it.
  • Search for literature, paintings or other works of art that depict the historical event and figures. Analyse one artwork and research the artist to gain further information about its creation. Consider whether the artwork is contemporary, or from an earlier time. Compare ideas with other students to increase knowledge on this topic. Write notes on your findings.
  • Make a virtual visit to some online museums to look for artefacts or paintings relevant to the historical event you are discussing. Answer a series of questions about the exhibits seen.
  • Write a 300-word email to a friend encouraging them to visit museums online as an effective means to learn about historical events.Listen to a podcast about a chosen historical event and write a summary of it.
  • Deliver a three-minute speech about the chosen event with emphasis on one particular aspect and include information about its main leaders. Respond to questions and comments from the class about the presentation in terms of content and language used.
  • Consider the implications of the event on the continuing history of the country as well as the role of the historical figures involved. Consider the questions: What effects did this historical event have on the people of the country chosen? How do the literature, paintings or any other artwork represent this event? An example of this is Pablo Picasso’s demonstration of his views about the Spanish civil war in his painting titled Guernica.
  • Example icon for advice for teachers
    Write a 250-word personal blog post about a chosen historical event. Discuss its impact on the people of the country. Make comments about your reactions to learning about this historical event, the main figures involved and any cultural observations about this historical event.
Example icon for advice for teachers 

Detailed example

A 250-word personal blog post about a chosen event from history

  1. View a documentary or a film about the chosen historical event; for example, Las 13 Rosas that recreates the Spanish Civil war. Summarise the events in point form.
  2. Read an article on the chosen historical event and its implications for the present day.
  3. Listen to a podcast about the chosen historical event and write down the main issues.
  4. Gather images of the historical event. Display them on a poster with detailed captions.
  5. Discuss, in pairs, how best to answer questions related to the topic in Spanish using full sentences.
  6. Individually, select an article on the historical event and write questions on it. Also, create an answer key for these questions.
  7. In point form, note the cultural observations that have been made about this historical event.
  8. Write, in paragraphs, your reactions to learning about this historical event. Pay attention to the conventions for producing effective personal writing, such as the inclusion of thoughts, feelings and impressions.
  9. Draft the blog, paying attention to the style of writing required for the text type, and include key Spanish phrases and grammatical structures necessary for an effective piece of writing.

Unit 3 – Area of Study 3: Presentational communication

Theme: The individual
Topic: Relationships
Sub topic: Relationships through social media

Outcome 3

Express ideas in a personal, informative or imaginative piece of writing in Spanish.

Examples of learning activities

  • Read an article about relationships conducted via social media. Create a glossary of key vocabulary. Consider the different attitudes in different countries towards managing social media relationships. In pairs, discuss the similarities and differences and write a 100-word paragraph explaining them.
  • Research further on the internet to discover how young Spanish-speaking people are using social media to maintain relationships. Make a table and draw comparisons with what is happening in Australia.
  • Watch a YouTube clip that depicts young Spanish speakers using social media to find friends and maintain relationships. Write a message to a friend about what you discovered about the topic of friendships and social media.
  • In groups discuss the following statement: 'Relationships that are heavily based on contact through social media using Whatsapp, Snapchat, Viber or Facebook are much less substantial than those relationships where we keep in touch in person, over the phone, or via email on a regular basis'.
  • Write a 200-word journal entry where you explain your use of social media to build relationships. Discuss how effective or ineffective this has been. Consider the following: Do you use the same media with your family? How do they respond? How many real friends do you have in the list of your social media contacts?
  • Watch a television program in which participants discuss issues of friendship and problems in maintaining friendships exclusively through social media. Make a table and list the positive and negative impacts of maintaining friendships via social media.
  • Write a 250-word personal response to the following topic: 'I prefer online friendships to real-life relationships because the latter take time and effort. I don’t want to get too close to people. With online friendships, I don’t have to have deep and lasting emotional closeness.'
  • Example icon for advice for teachers
    Drawing on the material studied so far, create a poster for teenagers that evaluates the pros and cons associated with establishing and maintaining relationships through social media.
Example icon for advice for teachers 

Detailed example

A poster evaluating pros and cons of establishing and maintaining relationships through social media

  1. List vocabulary related to friendship using social media.
  2. Read an article on ways in which relationships have changed over the years.
  3. Listen to a conversation between young people in which they discuss their views on using social media to find friends.
  4. Discuss, in pairs, how best to find friends in contemporary times and compare this with what people did in the past.
  5. Find and read websites that present different points of view about how to find friends.
  6. Interview classmates about their opinions on the subject of online friendships. Discuss their responses and decide whether they are being realistic or simply following a new fashion.
  7. Draft a series of paragraphs that evaluate the positive and negative arguments associated with social media use, including supporting arguments and evidence. In the draft, include:
    • Spanish grammatical structures and language that effectively support evaluative writing
    • language used when writing for a teenage audience
    • language used to present clear ideas and opinions on this topic.
  8. Design a poster evaluating the pros and cons of establishing and maintaining relationships through social media.