1. Listening

• Understanding Complex Speech: Students will develop the ability to understand extended speech and lectures even when not clearly structured and when relationships are only implied. They will grasp intricate details, nuances, and abstract concepts in spoken Spanish.

• Comprehending Various Media: Exposure to a wide range of audio materials, including academic lectures, debates, and sophisticated media content such as documentaries and podcasts, with an emphasis on recognizing implicit meanings and subtle distinctions.

• Listening for Detailed Information: Practise discerning detailed information from complex and lengthy spoken texts, including identifying specific arguments, rhetorical devices, and underlying themes.

2. Speaking

• Engaging in Detailed Discussions: Ability to participate actively in complex discussions and debates on a variety of topics, including those of a professional, academic, or abstract nature, with clarity and depth.

• Expressing Complex Ideas: Skill in articulating complex ideas, arguments, and viewpoints coherently and persuasively, using advanced vocabulary and a range of sophisticated sentence structures.

• Narrating and Presenting: Capability to narrate detailed stories, present information in a structured manner, and respond to and elaborate on questions and comments effectively.

• Fluency and Pronunciation: Continued focus on achieving near-native fluency, with accurate pronunciation, intonation, and stress, and the ability to adapt language use according to context and audience.

3. Reading

• Understanding Complex Texts: Students will read and comprehend a variety of challenging texts, including academic articles, literary works, and professional documents, with an emphasis on understanding abstract ideas and complex arguments.

• Critical Analysis: Ability to critically analyse texts, including evaluating arguments, identifying underlying assumptions, and understanding the writer’s perspective and intention.

• Reading for Detailed Comprehension: Practice in extracting detailed information from dense texts, such as identifying and interpreting complex data, arguments, and subtleties in the content.

4. Writing

• Producing Detailed and Structured Texts: Students will practise writing detailed, well-structured texts, including essays, reports, and research papers. This involves presenting complex arguments, supporting opinions with evidence, and organising information logically.

• Adapting Style and Tone: Ability to adapt writing style and tone to suit different purposes and audiences, including formal, academic, and creative contexts, with a focus on precision and sophistication.

• Refining Writing Precision: Emphasis on refining grammar, vocabulary, and overall writing accuracy, including advanced use of complex sentence structures, nuanced vocabulary, and rhetorical devices.

5. Grammar and Vocabulary

• Mastery of Advanced Grammar: Mastery of advanced grammatical structures, including various uses of the subjunctive mood, passive voice, and advanced conjunctions and relative clauses.

• Sophisticated Vocabulary: Development of a sophisticated and nuanced vocabulary, including idiomatic expressions, formal and technical terminology, and advanced lexical fields.

• Complex Sentence Structures: Ability to use complex sentence structures effectively, including multi-clause sentences, conditional forms, and advanced discourse markers.

• Precision in Language Use: Focus on achieving precision in language use, including subtle distinctions in meaning and register, and the ability to convey subtle shades of meaning.

6. Cultural Awareness

• In-Depth Cultural Exploration: Comprehensive exploration of cultural, historical, and social aspects of Spanish-speaking countries, including detailed study of contemporary issues, historical contexts, and significant cultural movements.

• Critical Cultural Analysis: Engagement in critical analysis of cultural products such as literature, film, and media, with a focus on understanding and evaluating cultural contexts and perspectives.

• Cultural Comparisons: Ability to critically compare and contrast cultural phenomena between Spanish-speaking countries and other cultures, including discussions on globalisation, cultural exchange, and societal changes.

7. Functional Language Skills

• Handling Complex Situations: Mastery in managing complex and high-stakes situations, including formal negotiations, advanced problem-solving, and detailed professional and academic discussions.

• Professional and Academic Proficiency: Proficiency in using Spanish for professional and academic purposes, including conducting research, giving detailed presentations, and participating in high-level discussions.

• Expressing Subtlety and Nuance: Ability to express subtlety, irony, and complex emotions in both spoken and written forms, with an emphasis on achieving a high level of sophistication in language use.

8. Assessment

• Listening and Speaking Tests: Oral assessments including participation in complex discussions, detailed presentations, and understanding nuanced spoken material, with feedback on fluency, accuracy, and language use.

• Reading and Writing Tests: Written assessments focused on reading comprehension of complex texts and writing detailed essays, reports, and analytical pieces, with emphasis on argumentation, structure, and accuracy.

• Ongoing Progress Evaluation: Regular evaluations through assignments, projects, and participation to assess progress in advanced language skills, with constructive feedback for continuous improvement.

This detailed curriculum overview for Spanish Level C1 is designed to help students achieve a high degree of proficiency, enabling them to communicate effectively and confidently in complex and demanding situations. By the end of this level, students will be able to use Spanish with a high level of fluency, precision, and sophistication across various contexts.