Our communication-focused Spanish course consists of lessons taught on our platform that are primarily based around practising speaking and listening skills. They are supplemented by learning resources posted in the pupils’ area on our website, including extra material upon request to help you focus on specific areas.

In addition to online classes, students will be able to enjoy personal tutorial sessions with any of our teachers to revise or practise the particular skills or topics that they need support with. Each student can book a maximum of 12 sessions lasting 15 minutes each over the duration of the course, and can use up to 2 sessions at once to have a half-hour tutorial if they wish. Students who would like to have more than 12 tutorials per year can purchase extra sessions in blocks of 10.

We offer you the flexibility to change group or level over the 12 months of the course as you progress and reach the goals set out at the beginning of your study. Your teacher will monitor your personal improvement to situate you in the best class according to your individual capacity and needs at all times, giving you the best service and attention possible.

Teachers will use a variety of digital materials that help students to perfect their communication skills in a fun and direct way, developing fluency, pronunciation, general understanding and knowledge of vocabulary.

	Oral expression: students will participate in discussions and debates on a number of culturally significant topics in class, prepare presentations and do speaking activities that challenge them to improve their self-expression in Spanish and become more confident communicators.
	Listening comprehension: we use both formal and informal recordings and videos on current affairs and appealing topics that are appropriate to each level in order to increase pupils’ exposure to all types of spoken Spanish and practise the grammar and vocabulary suitable for their ability.
	Grammar and vocabulary: our teachers will separate grammar into manageable points that students can understand without difficulty or monotony, saving most practice exercises for homework.  Vocabulary will be seen in readings and heard in listenings, aided by lists for each topic, and is always explained using definitions and examples. Students will then put this vocabulary into practice by doing energetic and entertaining activities or playing interactive games.
	Reading comprehension: pupils will work on reading for gist in class and for homework, as well as their ability to comprehend written texts completely and discuss the themes they have read about.  Readings will be on interesting cultural subjects and contemporary issues that widen their general knowledge and expose them to key vocabulary and grammar.
	Written expression: We demonstrate in class how to write different kinds of functional texts that students may need to write in everyday life using a clear and consistent style that native Spanish speakers can understand.  We provide a selection of writing models for pupils to structure their work around, and will set these tasks for homework.

Throughout the course, three tests will be carried out:

• An initial level test, (including an oral assessment)  which will help us to place you in the class best suited to your current level.
• A follow-up test, which will be taken partway through the course in order to check that you have absorbed the material studied so far.
• A final test, which will evaluate how you have assimilated all the content and if you have reached the level set out by the course.

Each level is designed to cover the linguistic needs essential to achieve the proposed objectives.

VOCABULARY:

• Alphabet
• Introductions (name, age, nationality, etc.)
• Cardinal & ordinal numbers
• Basic personal identification
• Family & surroundings
• Parts of the body
• Adjectives to describe physical features, personality and demonyms
• Habits
• Personal objects
• Diet: routines, food & places
• Education: classroom language
• Professions
• Leisure & free time
• Housing
• Urban spaces
• Means of communication
• Clothing
• Transport & travel
• Weather & seasons

COMMUNICATION SKILLS:

• Introduce themselves and others.
• Be able to communicate in Spanish for daily uses like saying hello and goodbye, congratulating, saying sorry and giving thanks.
• Identify and describe people, places and objects.
• Express and ask for opinions on somebody or something.
• Express and ask about agreement or disagreement on somebody or something.
• Ask for or verify information, ask questions and express that something has not been understood (spell, repeat, etc.).
• Express daily actions, needs and tastes.
• Ask for and give directions.

VOCABULARY:

• Moods/feelings
• Diet: expressing hunger, thirst, etc.
• Following recipes
• Education: asking questions, answering, etc.
• Professions: job interviews, CVs, etc.
• Leisure: social plans
• Shopping
• Illnesses
• Transport

COMMUNICATION SKILLS:

• Be able to communicate past actions and events and future plans.
• Know how to articulate these actions correctly using time expressions.
• Express and ask if it is compulsory or possible to do something.
• Ask, give or deny permission to do somethin
• Express wishes, feelings and preferences.
• Know how to react with expressions that indicate some type of stimulation e.g. interest, surprise, happiness, etc.
• Compare places or objects.
• Understand levels of politeness depending on the social context.
• Describe pains and differentiate between symptoms and illnesses.

VOCABULARY:

• Expressions to describe states
• Optimistic and pessimistic adjectives
• Synonyms & antonyms
• Verbs that express changes in mood
• Social & love life
• Behaviour
• Recipes
• Work & education
• Health
• Trips & holidays
• Expressions to tell anecdotes and react in communicative situations
• Expressions to show agreement & disagreement

COMMUNICATION SKILLS:

• Write a letter, article or announcement.
• Describe their health.
• Describe and plan trips.
• Talk about and describe actions fluently that happened in the past, are happening in the present, or will happen in the future.
• Talk about the beginning and duration of an action.
• Tell stories and biographies in the third person.
• Express simple conditions.
• Formulate hypotheses and express probability or the reason why something happens.
• Talk in an impersonal way.
• Express their mood using verbs like me encuentro or me siento.
• Talk about personal and professional relationships.
• Know and understand the concept of jokes.
• Recognise some of the set phrases that are most used in daily life.
• Talk, debate and form opinions on topics that affect daily life in a positive or negative way.
• Understand some of the differences between Latin and Castilian Spanish.

VOCABULARY:

• Physical characteristics & personality traits
• Sensations & perceptions
• Mental states
• Social & family relationships
• Behaviour
• Diet
• Educational system
• Work
• Working rights & obligations
• Customs
• Means of communication
• Financial services
• Protection & security
• Public services
• Beauty
• Economics
• Science & geography
• Institutions
• Artistic activities
• Religion & philosophy

COMMUNICATION SKILLS:

• Write about, comment and form opinions on news or facts.
• Value different options and express the pros and cons to make a final choice.
• Establish conditions and requirements when asking others for something or offering them something.
• Express agreement and disagreement and argue their case.
• Make reference to topics that have already been mentioned.
• Advise and propose solutions.
• Express hypothetical situations and ask for a response.
• Make predictions about the future.
• Talk in depth about people and objects, referring to their properties.
• Express feelings and understand their positive, negative or neutral value.
• Express the purpose or intention of an action.
• Express the advantages and disadvantages of carrying out a specific action.
• Understand the structure of an entity and know how to describe it.
• Have opinions on social customs and behaviour, and make judgements of them.
• Know the different meanings that some words may have depending on the Spanish-speaking country in which they are used.