IB Ab Initio Spanish
IB Spanish Ab Initio Standard Level (SL) is a demanding language acquisition course taught over two years, designed for students with little or no prior experience of Spanish. The course builds listening, reading, writing and speaking skills through authentic, real-world contexts, while fostering intercultural awareness and a deep appreciation of the diverse Spanish-speaking world. Students explore cultural differences across Spanish-speaking countries, allowing for rich engagement with the language across a range of everyday settings. The course is structured around five prescribed themes ( Identities, Experiences, Human Ingenuity, Social Organization, and Sharing the Planet) along with a variety of subthemes.
Structure and Content
Students are assessed through Paper 1 (Writing), Paper 2 (Listening and Reading), and the Individual Oral. Together, these assessments evaluate productive, receptive, and interactive communication skills.
Spanish ab initio SL Paper 1 (25%)
Paper 1 contributes 25% of the final grade.
Students complete one writing task from Section A and one from Section B, choosing from three.
Spanish ab initio SL Paper 2 Reading (25%)
Paper 2 Reading contributes 25% of the final grade.
Students answer comprehension questions based on three texts of increasing difficulty. The assessment lasts 1 hour and is worth 40 marks.
Spanish ab initio SL Paper 2 Listening (25%)
Paper 2 Listening contributes 25% of the final grade.
Students answer comprehension questions based on three audio recordings. Each recording is played three times. The assessment lasts 45 minutes and is worth 25 marks.
Individual Oral (25%)
The Individual Oral contributes 25% of the final grade.
Students first present a visual stimulus related to one of the prescribed themes, then answer follow-up questions and participate in a general conversation based on at least one additional theme. The assessment is conducted at school and externally moderated by the IB.
Tips
Paper 1 Writing
- Practice all IB Spanish ab initio text types.
- Plan your response before you start writing.
- Make sure your writing matches the audience, purpose, and context.
- Review vocabulary and grammar regularly.
Paper 2 Listening and Reading
- Read authentic Spanish texts regularly.
- Listen to Spanish from different countries to become familiar with different accents.
- Practice IB question types under timed conditions.
- Learn vocabulary by theme instead of memorizing isolated words.