MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

SPANISH (36)
(Under Group I)

(Candidates opting for a Modern Foreign Language as 4. To develop an intercultural awareness.

a Second Language in Group I may not opt for the same
5. To enhance the ability of the candidates to express
language under Modern Foreign Languages in Group II
their ideas and feelings in their own words and for
and Group III).
them to understand the use of correct language.
Aims:
6. To appreciate the language as an effective means
1. To develop and integrate the use of the four of communication.
language skills i.e. listening, speaking, reading and
7. To understand language when spoken at normal
writing.
conversational speed in everyday life situations.
2. To use the language effectively and appropriately
8. To understand the basic structural patterns of the
on topics of everyday life situations.
language, vocabulary and constructions.
3. To develop an interest in the appreciation of
Spanish.

CLASSES IX AND X

There will be one paper of three hours duration embodying given words or forms. The question
carrying 80 marks and Internal Assessment of will not require detailed knowledge of grammatical
20 marks. definitions. The questions on grammar will include
the following:
1. Composition:
Nouns:
Candidates will be required to write, in Spanish,
gender
one short composition which may include short
singular and plural forms
explanations, directions, descriptions or narratives.
Articles:
There will be a choice of subjects which will be
definite and indefinite
varied and may be suggested by language or other
Adjectives:
stimuli such as pictures or objects.
agreement
2. Letter: position
Candidates will be required to write a letter from a lo plus adjective
choice of either a formal or an informal letter. comparative and superlative: regular and mayor,
Suggestions may be given. The layout of the letter menor, mejor, peor
with address, introduction, conclusion, etc., will demonstrative (este, ese, aquel)
form part of the assessment. indefinite (cada, otro, todo, mismo, alguno)
possessive, short and long forms (mi, mío)
3. Comprehension: interrogative (cuánto, qué, donde etc.)
An unseen passage of about 150 words will be Adverbs:
given in the language. Questions based on the formation
given passage, will be set, to be answered in comparative and superlative: regular
Spanish, so as to test the candidates’ understanding interrogative (cómo, cuándo, dónde)
of the content of the passage. adverbs of time and place (aquí, ahi, allí, ahora,
ya)
4. Grammar: common adverbial phrases
This will consist of tests in vocabulary, syntax and Quantifiers/Intensifiers:
idiom, e.g., synthesis in sentence construction, (muy, bastante, demasiado, poco, mucho)
formation of sentences in Spanish correctly
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Pronouns: Conjunctions
subject Most common ones including y, pero, cuando, o,
object – direct & indirect porque, como, sin embargo.
position and order of object pronouns in a Numbers
sentence and with commands Quantities
reflexive Dates
relative: que,
relative: quien, el cual, la cual etc., lo que, 5. Translation and/or Dialogue Writing:
disjunctive (conmigo, para mí ) • One short passage will be set for translation
demonstrative (éste, ése, aquél, esto, eso) from Spanish into English.
indefinite (algo, alguien)
• One passage will be set for translation from
interrogative (cuál, qué, quién)
Verbs: English into Spanish.
Regular and irregular forms of verbs, radical • Dialogue writing (Around 150 words) based on
changing and reflexive verbs all persons of the situations faced in everyday life. Hints may be
verb, singular and plural given.
radical-changing verbs
negative forms Annexe
interrogative forms Communication (oral and written) skills that can be
reflexive constructions (se puede, se necesita, se covered from any book used for teaching:
habla)
1. Topic A – Myself
uses of ser and estar
tenses: present indicative • Self, Family and Friends
present continuous • Important Events
preterite
imperfect: • Interests and Hobbies
imperfect continuous • Home and Locality
immediate future • Daily Routine
future
conditional: • School
perfect 2. Topic B – Holiday Time & Travel
pluperfect • Travel, Transport and Tourism
passive voice
gerund • Accommodation
imperative: common forms including negative • Restaurant
impersonal verbs: most common only
• Directions
present subjunctive: imperative, affirmation and
negation, after verbs of wishing, command, • Holiday Activities
request, prohibiting, emotion and to express • Services
purpose (para que)
3. Topic C – Work & Lifestyle
After cuando
imperfect subjunctive and in conditional clause • Home Life
Time: • Everyday Living and Health
Use of desde hace with the present and imperfect
• Work Experience
tense
Llevo + time+ gerund • Leisure
Prepositions: • Shopping
common, including personal a
uses of por and para • The Environment

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Teaching and study resource books: A candidate may refer to brief notes in the
course of the presentation but reading or
Espanol Sin Fronteras Bk 2 excessive dependence on notes will be
Workbook Nuevo ven Bk 2 penalized.
Pasaporte Bk 2 It is recommended that candidates be given an
For Recommended books visit at www.goyalsaab.com hour for preparation of their subject for
presentation and that they be given a choice of
e-mail: [email protected]
subject, on a common paper.
NOTE: The Class X - ICSE examination paper will c) Creative Writing Skills
be set on the entire syllabus prescribed for the subject. Each candidate is required to write short
The Class IX internal examination is to be conducted compositions based on the suggested
on the portion of this syllabus that is covered during assignments.
the academic year.
The Council has not prescribed bifurcation of the SUGGESTED ASSIGNMENTS FOR
syllabus for this subject.
CLASSES IX AND X
INTERNAL ASSESSMENT – 20 Marks
Aural: Listening to a conversation/talk/reading of a
1. Schools will prepare, conduct and record short passage and then writing down the relevant or
assessments of the Listening, Speaking and main points in the specified number of words and
Creative Writing Skills of candidates as follows: answering the given questions.

Class IX: Three assessments in the course of the Oral: Prepared speech/declamation; impromptu
year. speech/debate/discussion; report/interview; elocution;
Class X: Two assessments in the course of the role-play / general conversation on selected topics.
year.
2. Pattern of Assessment. Creative Writing: Students are to write short
a) Listening Skills compositions, the stimuli may be:
A passage of about 300 words is read aloud by • a piece of recorded music.
the examiner twice at normal reading speed • a series of recorded sounds.
(about 110 words a minute). Candidates may • a picture/photograph.
make brief notes during the readings. They
then answer an objective type test based on the • an opening sentence or phrase.
passage, on the paper provided. • a newspaper/magazine clipping or report.
b) Speaking Skills • one piece of factual writing which should be
Each candidate is required to make an oral informative or argumentative.
presentation for about two minutes, which will • one piece of expressive writing which is
be followed by a discussion on the subject with descriptive and imaginative.
the examiners, for about three minutes. • preparation of film/book review.
Subjects for presentation may include narrating
an experience, providing a description, giving It is also suggested that students be made aware of
directions, expressing an opinion, giving a contemporary forms of written communication, such as
report, relating an anecdote or commenting on fax, memo, etc.
a current event.

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 EVALUATION AWARD OF MARKS
The assessment will be conducted jointly by the subject Subject Teacher (Internal Examiner) 10 marks
teacher and the external examiner who will each assess External Examiner 10 marks
the candidate. (The External Examiner may be a
The total marks obtained out of 20 (Listening Skills:5
teacher nominated by the Head of the School who could
marks; Speaking Skills: 5 marks and Creative Writing:
be from the faculty but not teaching the language in
10 marks ) are to be sent to the Council by the Head of
the section/class. For example, a teacher of French of
the School.
Class VIII may be deputed to be an External Examiner
for Class X Language projects). The Head of the School will be responsible for the
online entry of marks on the Council’s CAREERS
portal by the due date.
Schools are required to maintain a record of all
assessments conducted in Listening, Speaking and
Creative Writing Skills for candidates of Classes IX
and X. These include copies of the assessments tests,
topics for presentation and marks awarded. This record
will be maintained for a period of up to 2 months after
the declaration of the results of ICSE (10) examinations
of the candidates concerned.

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 INTERNAL ASSESSMENT IN MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES - GUIDELINES FOR MARKING WITH GRADES
CREATIVE WRITING (CLASSES IX & X)
Grade Content/Analysis of Idea, Expression/ Effective Structure/ Organisation Vocabulary/ Use of Originality/ Marks
Thought/ Feeling Expression of Idea of Material Words, Phrases Imaginative/
Innovative
I The candidate analyses the ideas, The candidate expresses The work is very well The use of vocabulary The work is 4
feelings and experiences the ideas, thoughts and structured an introduction, exhibits a high level of imaginative
effectively. feelings effectively. body and conclusion, competence in handling interesting and
Reasoning is logical and effective. paragraphing and language. engrossing.
appropriate sentence
construction.

II The candidate analyses the ideas, The candidate expresses The work is very well The vocabulary exhibits The candidate's 3
feelings and experiences with the ideas thoughts and structured with some competence of word work is quite
well-defined explanations, feelings well and with sense of conclusion and of usage; correctness of interesting and
reasoning is logical and clarity. paragraph lengths. grammar and spelling. engrossing.
persuasive.
III The candidate analyses the idea, The candidate expresses The work is fairly well The candidate uses The candidate 2
feelings and experiences with a the ideas, thoughts and structured; straightforward demonstrates the
fair degree of detail and feelings fairly well and candidate follows simple vocabulary and fairly ability to sustain the
explanation. Reasoning is fairly with a fair degree of paragraphing. good pattern of interest of the
logical and persuasive. clarity. spellings. reader.

IV The candidate attempts to analyze The candidate expresses The work shows some The candidate's The candidate is, to 1
ideas, feelings and experiences the idea, thoughts and understanding of vocabulary is limited some extent, able to
with simple explanation and feelings intelligibly and paragraphing and and the spelling, sustain the interest
detail. Reasoning and arguments in simple language. structure. punctuation and of the reader.
are not very convincing. grammar is sometimes
poor.

V The candidate attempts a basic The candidate is unable The candidate does not There is consistent The candidate is 0
analysis of ideas, feelings and to expresses the ideas, display an understanding weakness in spelling, unable to sustain the
experiences with few simple thoughts and feelings, of structure and punctuation and interest of the
explanations and few details. Is uses simple language paragraphing. grammar. reader.
unable to present proper and work is not very
arguments. intelligible.

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 INTERNAL ASSESSMENT IN MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES - GUIDELINES FOR MARKING WITH GRADES
AURAL ASSIGNMENT (CLASSES IX & X)
Grade Understanding/ Recall Vocabulary Context/ Correlation to Other Marks
Comprehension Main Idea, Areas
Central Theme
I The candidate accurately The candidate recalls all the The candidate uses appropriate The candidate clearly 3
understands the central idea of important points made (written/ and correct vocabulary while understands the context and can
the passage as well as the verbal). recalling the points made. widely correlate the passage to
relevant points in the selected the other areas.
passage/ talk.
II The candidate gives ideas fairly The candidate recalls some of the The candidate uses correct but The candidate can moderately 2
close to the central / main idea of important points made (written/ simple vocabulary while understand the context of the
the passage as well as understand verbal). recalling the points made. passage and can moderately
some of the relevant points heard correlate the passage to the other
in the selected passage/ talk. areas.

III The candidate cannot fully The candidate recalls very few of The candidate makes various The candidate can only faintly 1
comprehend the passage and the important points made errors in vocabulary while understand the context of the
gives only a few ideas related to (written/verbal). recalling the points made. passage and relate it to the other
the central theme of the passage. areas.

IV The candidate is neither able to The candidate is unable to recall The candidate uses incorrect The candidate is unable to 0
understand the central/main idea the important points made vocabulary while recalling the understand the context of the
of the passage; nor able to (written/verbal) points made. passage and is unable to correlate
understand relevant points heard the passage to the other areas.
in the passage/talk.

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 INTERNAL ASSESSMENT IN MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES - GUIDELINES FOR MARKING WITH GRADES
ORAL ASSIGNMENT (CLASSES IX & X)
Grade Fluency of Language Subject Matter Organization Vocabulary/ Understanding Gesture Marks
Delivery
I Speaks with fluency and Matter is relevant, Content is well Uses appropriate While speaking, the Uses natural and 3
has full operational rich in content sequenced and well vocabulary and candidate emphasizes spontaneous
command over the and original. organized. pronounces words the important points. gestures that are
language. correctly. not out of place.

II The candidate speaks The subject matter The content is The candidate While speaking the Uses some natural 2
with fairly good fluency is mostly relevant, satisfactorily pronounces most candidate emphasizes gestures.
and has reasonable consisting of a sequenced and well words correctly and most important points.
operational command of few original ideas. organized. uses simple
the language. vocabulary.

III The candidate speaks The subject matter The subject content is The candidate While speaking, the Uses very few 1
with poor fluency and is irrelevant and very poor and lacks pronounces many candidate emphasizes natural gestures.
does not communicate lacks originality. organizational words incorrectly and some important
except for the most structure. uses inappropriate points.
basic information. vocabulary.

IV The candidate cannot The subject matter The subject content The candidate is While speaking, the Uses no natural 0
communicate even the is negligible. comprises of mere unable to correctly candidate is unable to gestures.
most basic information. words with no pronounce most words emphasize important
structured sentences. and has a limited points.
vocabulary.

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