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Ab initio and Standard Level (Languages - Spanish)

Ab initio Spanish and Spanish SL - Do you study to the same degree of proficiency, just at a different starting point or is Ab initio easier?

Thanks in advance :smile:
Ab initio is taught from the ground up - it is for complete beginners.

SL will need a GCSE understanding of the language.
Original post by ILovePancakes
Ab initio is taught from the ground up - it is for complete beginners.

SL will need a GCSE understanding of the language.


Thanks for posting :smile: but what I want to know is if both classes are taught so that the students will be equally good at Spanish by the end of 6th form.:confused:
Original post by RayApparently
Thanks for posting :smile: but what I want to know is if both classes are taught so that the students will be equally good at Spanish by the end of 6th form.:confused:

Not at all.

I'm not 100% sure about this - but maybe 70% (I'll double check tomorrow for you) - in the final exam, AI requires a 150 word piece of writing and SL requires a 350 word piece of writing. Much less is expected for marks in AI than SL. They don't learn so much grammar etc.
Original post by ILovePancakes
Not at all.

I'm not 100% sure about this - but maybe 70% (I'll double check tomorrow for you) - in the final exam, AI requires a 150 word piece of writing and SL requires a 350 word piece of writing. Much less is expected for marks in AI than SL. They don't learn so much grammar etc.


Thanks, just out of curiosity do you/did you take the IB or do you just know stuff about it?

I'm planning on taking it next year and was discussing it with someone at school who was planning on doing AI despite taking GCSE Spanish this year - the reason being because it's "easier". I didn't believe him and even now still think it's a stupid idea... I plan on taking SL - is that an unnecessary investment of effort?
Original post by RayApparently
Thanks, just out of curiosity do you/did you take the IB or do you just know stuff about it?

I'm planning on taking it next year and was discussing it with someone at school who was planning on doing AI despite taking GCSE Spanish this year - the reason being because it's "easier". I didn't believe him and even now still think it's a stupid idea... I plan on taking SL - is that an unnecessary investment of effort?


I currently do it - I'm in year 12. What subjects are you planning on taking?

It is a stupid idea. He'll be doing the same as, if not less than what he did for GCSE. Yes, he might get a good grade, but he won't be progressing.
Original post by ILovePancakes
I currently do it - I'm in year 12. What subjects are you planning on taking?

It is a stupid idea. He'll be doing the same as, if not less than what he did for GCSE. Yes, he might get a good grade, but he won't be progressing.


Higher Level:
Economics
Physics
Maths

Standard Level:
Spanish
English Lit.
(undecided - either philosophy or history)
Original post by RayApparently
Higher Level:
Economics
Physics
Maths

Standard Level:
Spanish
English Lit.
(undecided - either philosophy or history)


Ahh, sounds good :smile: I'm assuming you want to do economics at university?

In which case, I'd go for history. However, I did philosophy SL until October half term and absolutely hated it and so I'm slightly biased :tongue:.
Original post by ILovePancakes
Ahh, sounds good :smile: I'm assuming you want to do economics at university?

In which case, I'd go for history. However, I did philosophy SL until October half term and absolutely hated it and so I'm slightly biased :tongue:.


Thanks for the input, I forgot to mention I was also considering classical civilisation for that slot (as you can see I'm rather conflicted but I'm looking to do something in that area). I am interested in philosophy but I'm not sure since the syllabus doesn't look that interesting. It might be one of those things where the subject is interesting but the lessons are not.

Yeah I'm thinking of doing something like Economics at Uni, though after exam results come through I'm reserving the option to rejig my options to take to focus on Physics or Politics (the 2 ends of the spectrum but also two things I'm very interested in). Unfortunately the school doesn't offer Political Thought as an option.
Original post by RayApparently
Thanks for the input, I forgot to mention I was also considering classical civilisation for that slot (as you can see I'm rather conflicted but I'm looking to do something in that area). I am interested in philosophy but I'm not sure since the syllabus doesn't look that interesting. It might be one of those things where the subject is interesting but the lessons are not.

Yeah I'm thinking of doing something like Economics at Uni, though after exam results come through I'm reserving the option to rejig my options to take to focus on Physics or Politics (the 2 ends of the spectrum but also two things I'm very interested in). Unfortunately the school doesn't offer Political Thought as an option.

You see, HL history would be very useful for economics as it covers some economic history. My school doesn't offer classical civilisation, so I can't really comment on that :tongue:. Humanities on the whole are quite useful for economics though, so I'm sure most options will be OK.
Original post by ILovePancakes
You see, HL history would be very useful for economics as it covers some economic history. My school doesn't offer classical civilisation, so I can't really comment on that :tongue:. Humanities on the whole are quite useful for economics though, so I'm sure most options will be OK.


Yeah if I have a change of heart I might do History at HL instead of Maths, I heard that SL Maths is easily covers what's necessary to do Economics. And the varied curriculum is what drew me to the IB because it keeps some options open. It may make for a good line up to try and study the infamous PPE though I'd actually be more interested in a Political Science type degree (if I went that way).
Original post by RayApparently
Yeah if I have a change of heart I might do History at HL instead of Maths, I heard that SL Maths is easily covers what's necessary to do Economics. And the varied curriculum is what drew me to the IB because it keeps some options open. It may make for a good line up to try and study the infamous PPE though I'd actually be more interested in a Political Science type degree (if I went that way).

I did SL Maths and now I can't take pure economics - at most Russell Group universities, I can't even take Economics with something. I'm now looking at either Political Sciences or Economic History with French and even in some unis (such as York), SL Maths is discouraged for this degree. If you're certain about doing Economics, I would strongly discourage you from not doing HL Maths. It's causing me many problems at the moment. It's fine for Political Sciences and PPE though, if you choose to go in that direction :smile:.
Original post by ILovePancakes
I did SL Maths and now I can't take pure economics - at most Russell Group universities, I can't even take Economics with something. I'm now looking at either Political Sciences or Economic History with French and even in some unis (such as York), SL Maths is discouraged for this degree. If you're certain about doing Economics, I would strongly discourage you from not doing HL Maths. It's causing me many problems at the moment. It's fine for Political Sciences and PPE though, if you choose to go in that direction :smile:.


Thanks - I'll keep that in mind :smile: !
Reply 13
Original post by ILovePancakes
I did SL Maths and now I can't take pure economics - at most Russell Group universities, I can't even take Economics with something. I'm now looking at either Political Sciences or Economic History with French and even in some unis (such as York), SL Maths is discouraged for this degree. If you're certain about doing Economics, I would strongly discourage you from not doing HL Maths. It's causing me many problems at the moment. It's fine for Political Sciences and PPE though, if you choose to go in that direction :smile:.


Have you looked at the economics course at University of Kent, according to my school's counselor they don't explicitly require students to take HL maths.

https://www.kent.ac.uk/economics/undergraduate/entry.html
Original post by pbunny
Have you looked at the economics course at University of Kent, according to my school's counselor they don't explicitly require students to take HL maths.

https://www.kent.ac.uk/economics/undergraduate/entry.html

Thanks for that :h:. I've already made a shortlist of uni courses though and doing A-Level on top won't be too much bother :redface:.

Thanks though :smile:.

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