MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
CURRICULUM PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION
Post SEA Spanish Exploratory
DRAFT
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SYLLABUS OVERVIEW
STATEMENT OF BELIEFS
Our geographical location, gateway to the Spanish-speaking Americas, and current regional and international economic trends and
their implications for Trinidad and Tobago, create an imperative for strengthening and deepening the national capability in Spanish at
all levels and has given rise to the declaration of Spanish as the First Foreign Language of Trinidad and Tobago.
Research and experience have shown that the childhood years are the most opportune time to begin the learning of a foreign language
and to develop an appreciation of and openness to other peoples and cultures. Beginning to speak a language at this level makes
possible the acquisition of native-like pronunciation and fluency, supports the learning of the native language and engenders
confidence and willingness to use the language. Accordingly, with a view to laying the foundation for the establishment of Spanish as
the first Foreign Language of Trinidad and Tobago, the Ministry of Education has mandated the introduction of Spanish at primary
school level.
PROGRAMME GOALS
It is expected that the introduction of this programme of instruction will:
• Sensitize Post SEA students to the Spanish language
• Create an awareness of our nation’s Hispanic cultural heritage and of Spanish-speaking countries and peoples in the region
• Foster a love for foreign language study in all students
• Promote positive attitudes to Spanish at the secondary level
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TYPES OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Instructors are encouraged to make extensive use of games, charts, songs, flashcards and other interactive learning resources with high
mnemonic value to aid the learning process. The lexical scope of instruction can be expanded by contextualizing the vocabulary
presented to reflect the realities of the specific communities within which the language will be taught, as it is a well known principle
of language learning that meaningfulness aids acquisition. Teachers are asked to note in this regard that while the syllabus contains
comprehensive vocabulary lists in certain thematic areas, students are not required to learn all the items, but only those which apply to
their personal situation. Additionally, many of the in-class activities are designed to give students an immediate sense of
accomplishment in the language, and thus lend themselves naturally to formative evaluation exercises.
SUMMARY
The functional objectives and structures presented in this document are meant to be taught by a trained and qualified teacher. The
syllabus content and teaching/learning activities are not prescriptive, but rather intended as samples, and where relevant and
applicable, to serve as the basis for further development depending on the learning styles and aptitude of students. What is of primary
importance is the need to ensure that the Post SEA Spanish Exploratory be effected, not only with a focus on oral communication, but
with the underlying purpose of making the learning of Spanish a pleasurable experience for all children, and in the process, increase
their desire to further their study of Spanish.
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A synoptic overview of the programme is presented beneath:
WEEK OBJECTIVES: Students will: KEY NOTIONS
- Understand the importance of Spanish General discussion on “Why Spanish?”
1 - Reproduce the sound system of Alphabet, Spanish names in Trinidad
Spanish
- Identify Spanish speaking countries and Focus on pronunciation of names, patterns of stress, general geographic locations, days
2 capitals of the week
- Identify the days of the week
- Greet at different times of the day Buenos/as días/ tardes/noches
3-4 - Ask and respond to salutations ¿Cómo estás? Muy bien, gracias. ¿Y tú?
-Converse on simple biographical topics - Name, age, school ,numbers 1-20
5-6 -Converse on simple biographical topics Address, telephone number and role play of all language learnt
- Identify their country and nationality Soy de Trinidad y Tobago, soy trinitario/a, tobaguense. Colours
7-8
- Describe the colours of their flag
9 - Understand aspects of Hispanic culture Names, siesta, Saint’s Day, common food
10 Converse on simple biographical topics Role-play summarizing language learnt
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POST SEA SPANISH SYLLABUS
WEEK THEMES FUNCTIONAL STRUCTURE RELATED SAMPLE
OBJECTIVES: S VOCABULARY ACTIVITIES RESOURCES
1 Encuentro Students will be able to: Los lugares Sangre Grande, Las Teacher lists Map of
Cultural Our 1. Understand the hispanos en Cuevas, El Dorado, names of places Trinidad
Spanish Heritage importance of Trinidad Mundo Nuevo, in Trinidad and
Spanish by Toco Valencia, etc. Students
recognizing the highlight the
existence of and La comida Tortillas, chile, Spanish names.
identifying traces of paime, arepa,
Spanish heritage in jalapeños, etc.
our culture
La música y Parranda,
el baile merengue, tango,
salsa, etc.
2. Recite the Spanish Ba, be, bi, bo, Teacher sounds Bilingual
alphabet and bu, etc. letters and words Songs CD –
reproduce , in Vowels and students Vol. 1, Track 2
speech, the authentic Sounds of repeat
sounds of Spanish consonants Spanish chart
vowels and that are Students sing “El alfabeto”
consonants in different from along with the
context and English alphabet song
distinguish
consonants/sounds
that are different
from English
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2 Los países Students will be able to: Se habla México, Students name Map of
hispanohablantes 1. Identify Spanish- español en… Guatemala, and colour Spanish-
speaking countries El Salvador, Spanish – speaking world
and their capitals Honduras, speaking
Costa Rica, El Perú, countries on a
Panamá, Bolivia, map
Chile,
Argentina,
Uruguay, Paraguay,
Ecuador, Colombia,
Nicaragua,
Venezuela, Puerto
Rico, La República
Dominicana, Cuba,
España, La Guinea
Ecuatorial
2. State the days of the Los días de la domingo, lunes, Students sing with Bilingual
week semana son… martes, miércoles, the Spanish song Songs CD –
jueves viernes, “Los días de la Vol. 1, Track 4
sábado semana”
Bilingual
Students match Songs activity
the days of the book, Vol. 1,
week in Spanish page 18
and English
Español para
Students sing principiantes
along with the CD, Track 4
Spanish song
“Los días de la
semana”
Students decipher Español para
anagrams of the principiantes
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days of the week activity book,
pgs. 30-31
3. State the months of Los meses del enero, febrero, Students sing Bilingual
the year año son… marzo, abril, mayo, along with the Songs CD –
junio, julio, agosto, song “Los meses Vol. 1, Track 5
4. Enquire about and ¿Qué día es septiembre, del año”
identify the current hoy? octubre, noviembre, Bilingual
day of the week and diciembre Songs activity
month of the year ¿En qué mes book, Vol. 1,
estamos? Hoy es (lunes) page 19
Estamos en (abril)
3–4 Los saludos y Students will be able to: Buenos días Hola Students role play Spanish charts
los buenos 1. Greet each other at Buenas tardes Adiós / Chao greeting at “Los días de la
modales different times of the Buenas Por favor, Gracias, different times of semana” and
day noches De nada the day “Los meses del
año”
2. Say hello and Lo siento Students, in pairs,
goodbye (Con) permiso, will create mini Pictures at
perdón dialogues and different times
3. Say please, thank ¿Puedo? then present them of the day
you and your to the class
welcome Spanish chart
Students respond “Los Buenos
4. Apologize and ask to situations in modales”
for an excuse the target
language
5. Offer help
5–6 La Students will be able to: ¿Cómo te Me llamo… In pairs, students
identificación Ask for and provide llamas? create mini
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personal personal information ¿Cuántos años Tengo…años dialogues and
tienes? then present them
¿Cuál es tu Vivo en… to the class
dirección?
¿Cuál es tu Mi número de
número de teléfono es…
teléfono?
7–8 Las Students will be able to: ¿De dónde Soy de Trinidad y Students state the Spanish chart
nacionalidades 1. Enquire about eres? Tobago. colour of various with colours
someone’s Soy trinitobaguense objects
nationality and state ¿De qué
their own nacionalidad Students draw
eres? and use colours
to describe their
2. Describe the colours ¿Cuáles son Mi bandera flags
of their national flag los colores de nacional es…
tu bandera
nacional?
9 La cultura Students will be able to: ¿Cuándo es tu Mi cumpleaños/día Song: Feliz
1. Enquire about cumpleaños/dí de santo es…. cumpleaños
someone’s a de santo? Students make a
birthday/saint day class calendar in
Spanish showing
birthdays of
everyone in the
class
10 Repaso
