GCSE Spanish Revision at OISE Segovia

The GCSE Spanish exam is the first stop on the road to demonstrating the capacity for communication in a foreign language, a skill which will prove invaluable to the students´ future prospects.  GSCE is not only the first meaningful evaluation of   linguistic ability, but is also crucial for those students aiming to go onto A Level, or study at for a degree. GCSE students are expected to have a clear understanding of Spanish language structures. However, they are also required to show that they can  actually communicate in Spanish and have some knowledge of the culture and customs Spain and the Spanish speaking world.

The OISE Complete Programme for Young Learners in Segovia provides an intensive framework within which students can develop their linguistic skills to the full. The programme is an immersion experience in the truest sense and as such provides an excellent summer GCSE course for ambitious students. At OISE Segovia the students benefit from a full day of intensive study in which they work through the appropriate linguistic structures. During the afternoon the social programme provides them with an opportunity to use the language they have acquired in the classroom. Whether students are accomodated with a host family, or in our college residence, during their stay with OISE  they will gain the maximum possible exposure to Spanish.

Mastering a foreign language is as much about developing confidence as it is about awareness of grammatical structures. Throughout the programme our tutors focus on building up that confidence so that the knowledge students have obtained in their school studies is activated to the full. 

Segovia, located at the heart of Spain is a quintissentially Castillian town. Its loaction and its rich historical traditions make it the perfect setting  for students to gain an understanding of the fascinating culture of Spain.  This will prove invaluable in their preparation for the GCSE exam. It is also our aim that the experience of the Segovia complete programme will make a significant contribution to the students´ personal development.

The Course Format

The OISE complete programme is designed to maximise our students´ linguistic potential. There is a balance between the need for structured study and the development of communicative skills. By the end of a  typical day complete programme students will have had the opportubity to work on material relevant to all 4 GCSE exam papers.

• Grammar and Vocabulary sessions: The first session of the morning is dedicated to working through core grammar structures and building up a working vocabulary. The classes will be given in Spanish by experienced native teachers. This provides an excellent revision for the Spanish GCSE exam.
  

• Structured Comprehension and Communication: Following a short break students move onto a session dedicated to activating the knowledge accquired in the previous session,  as the tutors focus on controlled use of the relevant language structures. Spanish GCSE revision candidates will find this invaluable as they develop their actual use of Spanish.
  

• Fluency workshops: The period immediately after lunch is dedicated to the freer development of communicative skills. In this setting students will be expected to demonstrate and improve  their overall ability to use Spanish in real situations. Debates, presentations, and  exercises in written communication all challenge the students to put their knowledge into practice. This is the definitive opportunity to nurture the communicative skills and the confidence and gives excellent preparation for the Spanish GCSE oral exam.
  

• The Social Programme. This is an opportunity to unwind but also crucially to use of Spanish in a less formal setting. Whether students are playing sports, visiting Segovia´s famous castle, or on the full day excursion to Madrid they will be using Spanish to communicate with each other and with their tutors. as well as building up their vocabulary and developing stock phrases for standard situations at they interact with normal Spaniards in shops, museums, and cafeterias.

• The Evening: Students with host families will have ample opportunity to get to know Segovia and participate in the normal rhythms of Spanish life. Students staying in college accommodation will have an additional lesiure programme under the supervision of the residential monitors.