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Spanish AS level - Best Exam Board

callum9999

17

Next year I will be self-studying a Spanish AS as its not taught at my school. Which exam board will be best for this?

Reply 1

CrazyBeautiful

11

I think the AQA syllabus sucks; unless of course you don't mind studying history and literature in Spanish (A2, though) (seriously, I have enough books to learn quotes from in English! :mad:

), and topics that aren't particularly student-oriented in my opinion either.

Reply 2

callum9999

OP

17

CrazyBeautiful

I think the AQA syllabus sucks; unless of course you don't mind studying history and literature in Spanish (A2, though) (seriously, I have enough books to learn quotes from in English! :mad:

), and topics that aren't particularly student-oriented in my opinion either.

Thanks, a 35 minute speaking exam seemed a bit too challenging anyway (especially as I'm self studying).

Does anyone have any thoughts on the other exam boards syllabus'?

Reply 3

city_chic

13

I'm with WJEC for French and really like it. If you prefer coursework over lit then it's great. :smile:

Reply 4

callum9999

OP

17

city_chic

I'm with WJEC for French and really like it. If you prefer coursework over lit then it's great. :smile:

Can I do that in England though?

Reply 5

city_chic

13

callum9999

Can I do that in England though?

Of course. :smile:

Reply 6

callum9999

OP

17

city_chic

Of course. :smile:

Thanks, I wasn't sure because its a Welsh exam board.

Reply 7

CrazyBeautiful

11

Remember for the speaking exam, you get 20 minutes prep, so only 15 minutes in all. Still sucks though, and I wouldn't recommend AQA

Reply 8

paddy

14

OMG do Edexcel. Ridiculously easy, especially for AS. The oral isn't that long for AS and all the other papers are a breeze.

Reply 9

callum9999

OP

17

paddy

OMG do Edexcel. Ridiculously easy, especially for AS. The oral isn't that long for AS and all the other papers are a breeze.

Thanks. I probably will do Edexcel as thats the same exam board the French department use and looks relatively easy.

Reply 10

Zoedotdot

18

I like Edexcel. If you're interested, the languages department at school have switched to WJEC because they say they're easier on the marking - they seem to go more for content while Edexcel are stricter on the actual language and grammar. Apparently Edexcel is a better preparation for a university course, but because our school doesn't have many students going on to do languages they thought it was a good idea to make the switch. 100% of my Spanish class, the last to do Edexcel, are studying languages at university, but as there are only two of us that's not saying much :p:

Reply 11

callum9999

OP

17

Zoedotdot

I like Edexcel. If you're interested, the languages department at school have switched to WJEC because they say they're easier on the marking - they seem to go more for content while Edexcel are stricter on the actual language and grammar. Apparently Edexcel is a better preparation for a university course, but because our school doesn't have many students going on to do languages they thought it was a good idea to make the switch. 100% of my Spanish class, the last to do Edexcel, are studying languages at university, but as there are only two of us that's not saying much :p:

Thanks. Although I don't want to do a language course at university, I am planning to carry on learning the language so I can study part of my degree in Spain. Would edexcel be better for me then?

Reply 12

Zoedotdot

18

callum9999

Thanks. Although I don't want to do a language course at university, I am planning to carry on learning the language so I can study part of my degree in Spain. Would edexcel be better for me then?

I think so :smile:

I think what the head of department was saying to me was that Edexcel expected a better standard of language, and that's something you'll definitely need if you're going to study in Spain. To be honest, all exam boards will give you a good grounding in the language.

Personally, I really like the layout of the Edexcel exams, especially the listening exam where you have to write a summary of a Spanish text in English and you get five marks for quality of language! Honestly, it gives you a little of everything - listening comprehension, reading comprehension, translation, different forms of writing (letters, essays, creative). There's a fair amount of variety in the oral exams you can take as well - last year I did the standard presentation and discussion, this year I'm doing interpretation, but I know there are also options for debate. Also, we studied literature for our coursework, whereas the French class didn't (WJEC). It's up to you really, but I would definitely go for Edexcel if I had a choice :smile:

Reply 13

callum9999

OP

17

Zoedotdot

I think so :smile:

I think what the head of department was saying to me was that Edexcel expected a better standard of language, and that's something you'll definitely need if you're going to study in Spain. To be honest, all exam boards will give you a good grounding in the language.

Personally, I really like the layout of the Edexcel exams, especially the listening exam where you have to write a summary of a Spanish text in English and you get five marks for quality of language! Honestly, it gives you a little of everything - listening comprehension, reading comprehension, translation, different forms of writing (letters, essays, creative). There's a fair amount of variety in the oral exams you can take as well - last year I did the standard presentation and discussion, this year I'm doing interpretation, but I know there are also options for debate. Also, we studied literature for our coursework, whereas the French class didn't (WJEC). It's up to you really, but I would definitely go for Edexcel if I had a choice :smile:

Thanks, my GCSE was with edexcel and that was quite good.

Reply 14

CrazyBeautiful

11

God, reading about these other courses is making me depressed! :wink:

AQA sucks so much in comparison :frown:

Reply 15

Zoedotdot

18

CrazyBeautiful

God, reading about these other courses is making me depressed! :wink:

AQA sucks so much in comparison :frown:

Yeah, we did AQA for GCSE but it's apparently not so good for A Level. What do you do in AQA?

Reply 16

CrazyBeautiful

11

We have set topics that we have to speak about, and what our listening/reading is based upon. They are topics that are so not relevant for teenagers- for example, our speaking questions are like: 'What is globalisation?', 'Are we destroying the planet?', 'What are you worried about (in areas like health/racism/environment/transport)?'- and we have to realte to Spain or Latin America....and do I know about transport in Mexico? Bloody no! :mad:

It's a load of bull.

Anyway, then we have to write an essay about either the Spanish Civil War, 25 years of democratic transition, or Eva and Juan Peron.
Then we have to write about a literature topic- with set texts to choose from. I don't mind this as I do Lit. anyway, but if we want to learn Spanish, what makes them think we also want to do history, literature and sociology as well? I'd hate to do sociology or history in English, nevermind Spanish :rolleyes:

For the speaking, we do a simple role play for AS, and for A2, it's a translation for 5 minutes, then 'general discussion' for 10.

For the reading- we have to translate a text from Span. to Eng., then answer questions about the text, fill in gaps in paragraphs from a list of words, and just general questions. The things is though, the main marks you get are for things they don't ask, but expect you to write anyway.

It's crap, in short, and wouldn't prepare anyone for further study; as the syllabus isn't relevant, it's dull, you have to have opinions on things you really don't have an opinion on, and you have to have opinions as to tihngs happening in Spain or Latin America, when I bet even the people there don't give a **** either :lolz:

But of course I'm not bitter :p:

Reply 17

Zoedotdot

18

Wow, that sounds really really content based. That's what I like about Edexcel, it really does seem to focus on the language learning. I think some of the stuff sounds quite interesting, but it's not exactly a course that would grip everyone (I just really like politics :cool:

) I can definitely see why my teachers steered clear of that one, Edexcel seems much more open.

:hugs:

for the bitterness :smile:

I'm assuming you don't have much longer left of it anyway do you?

Reply 18

estrella88

Argh Edexcel sounds so good if its language quality based! The essay we have to write for AQA, only 9/54 marks are for grammar! The rest is personal reaction/ knowledge of society :O (I do both french and spanish)

Reply 19

Tiberio

AQA Spanish is very interesting in my opinion, but Unit 2 (the essay paper on an aspect of Spanish society in timed conditions) is incredibly hard. I do both the OCR boards and the AQA boards (one for French, one for Spanish - the only difference is language, not content) and I prefer the AQA, despite the fact it's so much harder. It takes you to a higher language level and you gain a higher understanding of Spanish culture by far than the OCR course. I would say it's excellent in preparing you for further study, though I don't know any/many people who have got an 'A' in Unit 2.

I've got friends who are doing Edexcel, and they seem to enjoy that. I think it's the half-way point between a really superficial and irrelevant course (OCR, in my opinion), and an in-depth view of other cultures (AQA).

Spanish AS level - Best Exam Board

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