Qualification
Pearson Edexcel IGCSE
International GCSE Spanish specification 4SP1.
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE · Specification 4SP1
Online IGCSE Spanish Course
Develop your Spanish listening, speaking, reading and writing through a structured home-study course. Build practical language skills for everyday situations while preparing for all three Pearson Edexcel International GCSE examinations.
Immediate access to the online course and audio materials
37 structured lessons across five modules
Optional tutor marking and live speaking support
Start your Spanish course
£14.99 / month
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£24.99
Includes:
- Course materials subscription
- Academic induction session and booking fee
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🔒 Minimum 6 months subscription applies.
Course overview
Develop practical Spanish for real-life communication
Improve your ability to understand and communicate in Spanish across familiar, practical situations. The course develops vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation and communication skills through reading, writing, listening and speaking activities.
Course structure
5 modules · 37 lessons
Study everyday topics before focusing closely on listening and speaking skills.
Recommended study time
Approximately 200 hours
Work through the course at a pace that suits your timetable and intended examination date.
Enrolment
Start at any time
There is no fixed term date, so you can begin when it suits your study plans.
Previous experience
Some Spanish is recommended
The opening lessons revise basic building blocks, but the course is not intended for complete beginners.
Assignments
5 assignments · 3 practice papers
Assignments include written and spoken components and are followed by practice for all three examination papers.
Assessment
Listening, reading, writing and speaking
Three externally assessed papers test all four language skills across five topic areas.
Entry and grading
Untiered · grades 9–1
All candidates sit the same three papers and can access the full range of grades.
This is not a complete-beginner Spanish course
Some previous experience of Spanish will be helpful. The first lessons revise essential vocabulary and language structures, but students should already have encountered some basic Spanish before beginning IGCSE-level study.
Regular speaking practice is essential
Speaking is a compulsory part of the qualification and can be particularly challenging for distance-learning students. Students should practise conversational Spanish regularly through tutorials, language exchanges, classes or suitable opportunities outside the course.
Expect to use Spanish actively
Language learning requires more than reading lesson notes. Progress comes from listening to Spanish, speaking it, reading unfamiliar material and producing your own written responses as frequently as possible.
How the course works
Practise listening, speaking, reading and writing together
The first four modules develop everyday vocabulary, grammar and communication across the five Pearson topic areas. The final module focuses particularly on listening and speaking, including preparation for the compulsory oral examination.
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Enrol and start online
Receive immediate access to your online Spanish course and its accompanying audio materials without waiting for a fixed term date.
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Study vocabulary and grammar in context
Work through explanations and activities covering family, school, travel, daily life, work, health, entertainment and the environment.
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Use Spanish actively
Complete listening, reading and writing activities and practise speaking through separately booked tutorial time, conversation classes or other suitable opportunities.
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Prepare for all three examinations
Develop examination technique through dedicated practice for Listening, Reading and Writing, and the compulsory Speaking paper.
Additional language support
Plan for both written and spoken support
Written assignment components can be submitted through purchased marking. Spoken components require separately booked tutorial time, so Spanish students should expect to use more interactive support than students on many text-based courses.
What you’ll study
Five modules covering practical everyday Spanish
The 37 lessons cover personal life, education, employment, travel, the wider world, social activities, health and daily communication. The final module provides concentrated preparation for the listening and speaking papers.
Module 1 About Me Family, appearance, personality, greetings, nationalities, jobs, hobbies and clubs. 7 lessons
- Family Life
- Appearances and Personality
- Greetings
- Family Members
- Nationalities, Countries and Jobs
- Hobbies
- Joining Clubs
Tutor-marked Assignment A — written and spoken components
Module 2 Day-to-Day Life Weather, home, local areas, daily routines, food, school and future plans. 8 lessons
- The Weather and Seasons
- The Domestic Environment
- House and Home
- Towns and Regions
- Daily Routine
- Mealtimes
- School and Future Plans
- Studying
Tutor-marked Assignment B — written and spoken components
Module 3 Holidays and Travel Transport, directions, tickets, tourism, accommodation, holiday activities and dealing with problems. 9 lessons
- Travel, Transport and Finding the Way
- Holiday Time and Travel
- Buying Tickets
- Tourism
- Talking about Holidays
- Accommodation
- Holiday Activities
- Keeping in Touch
- Lost Property
Tutor-marked Assignment C — written and spoken components
Tutor-marked Assignment D — written and spoken components
Module 4 Modern Life Emergencies, chores, healthy living, work, entertainment, shopping and environmental issues. 8 lessons
- Emergency Services
- Domestic Chores
- Healthy Living
- Part-Time Jobs and Work Experience
- Entertainments
- Shopping
- The Environment
- General Revision of Topics
Tutor-marked Assignment E — written and spoken components
Practice Examination — Paper 2: Reading and Writing
Module 5 Speaking and Listening Skills Everyday conversations, tourist situations, narration, spontaneous responses and listening-test practice. 5 lessons
- Listening and Speaking Basics
- Everyday Transactions
- Tourist Situations
- Narration and Giving Information
- Practice Listening Test
Practice Examination — Paper 3: Speaking
Practice Examination — Paper 1: Listening
Build language skills progressively
Work through the modules in order so that vocabulary, grammar and confidence develop gradually. The later activities assume familiarity with language introduced earlier in the course.
Do not leave listening and speaking practice until the final module. Use Spanish aloud and listen to authentic spoken Spanish regularly throughout your studies.
Exams and assessment
How Pearson Edexcel IGCSE Spanish is assessed
The qualification is assessed through three externally marked papers covering listening, reading, writing and speaking. Questions draw on five topic areas and require students to understand and communicate in Spanish.
Paper 1 · Listening
4SP1/01
30 minutes
Plus 5 minutes’ reading time
40 marks
Available marks
25%
Of the qualification
Students listen to recorded statements, monologues and conversations and identify main points, specific details, opinions, attitudes and meaning from context. Each recording is heard twice.
Paper 2 · Reading and Writing
4SP1/02
1 hour 45 minutes
Exam duration
80 marks
40 reading · 40 writing
50%
Of the qualification
The reading section uses factual, non-fiction and literary material. The writing section includes a 60–75 word task, a 130–150 word task and a grammar exercise requiring students to manipulate words correctly.
Paper 3 · Speaking
4SP1/03
8–10 minutes
Speaking assessment
40 marks
Available marks
25%
Of the qualification
Students complete a picture-based discussion followed by two spontaneous conversations on different topic areas. They must express opinions, justify their ideas and refer to past, present and future events.
Entry and grading
Untiered · grades 9–1
All three papers are targeted at the full grade range and are normally available in the June examination series.
Examination language
Questions and answers in Spanish
Questions are presented in Spanish and students are generally required to respond in Spanish. Instructions are supplied in Spanish and English.
Dictionaries
Not permitted in any paper
Students must develop the vocabulary and communication strategies needed to deal with unfamiliar language without using a dictionary.
Speaking assessment
Conducted and recorded by the centre
The speaking examination must be carried out in Spanish, recorded and administered according to Pearson’s prescribed task and topic-selection procedures.
Examination entry
Confirm the speaking arrangements before choosing a centre
Course enrolment does not automatically enter you for the examinations. Private candidates need a Pearson-approved centre willing to enter them for all three components of specification 4SP1.
Before committing to a centre, confirm that it can conduct and record Paper 3 Speaking as well as host the Listening and Reading and Writing papers. Not every private-candidate centre offers speaking examinations.
Support and add-ons
Choose the written and spoken support you need
Your subscription provides the structured online course and audio materials. Written marking, live speaking practice, direct tutor contact and printed course materials can be purchased separately when needed.
Assignment support
Written and spoken components
Tutor-marked assignments contain both written and spoken work. Purchase marking for the written component and book tutorial time separately to complete the spoken component.
Purchasing written marking alone does not complete the full assignment.
Assignment marking bundle£44.95
Spoken components Tutorial time purchased separately
Exam preparation
Practice examination support
Purchase marking for the Paper 1 Listening and Paper 2 Reading and Writing practice examinations and receive feedback on language accuracy and examination technique.
Paper 3 Speaking is not included in the marking bundle and must be completed through separately booked tutorial time.
Practice examination marking bundle£47.50
Paper 3 speaking mock Tutorial time purchased separately
Written tutor contact
Email Tutor Support
Ask focused questions about vocabulary, grammar, written responses, course activities or examination technique through the managed Email Tutor Support service.
Email Tutor Support£10.00 / month
Live language support
One-to-one tutorials
Book a live tutorial for spoken assignment components, conversation practice, pronunciation, grammar explanation or preparation for the speaking examination.
Tutorial time Purchased separately
Study your way
Printed course materials
Add printed Oxford Home Schooling materials if you prefer working through vocabulary, grammar and written exercises on paper. Audio activities remain available online.
Printed course materials£50.00
Plan ahead
Language courses need active support
Regular speaking practice is essential. Students should budget for tutorial time or arrange another reliable source of conversational Spanish throughout the course.
Spanish course support
Build the right mixture of written and spoken support
Prospective students can compare the available marking, tutorial and support services. Existing students can purchase Spanish add-ons through their account.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about the IGCSE Spanish course
Find answers about previous Spanish experience, speaking practice, examinations, assignments, dictionaries, audio resources and examination-centre arrangements.
Is this course suitable for a complete beginner?
No. Some previous experience of Spanish is recommended. The first lessons revise important building blocks, but the course progresses to IGCSE-level work and is not intended to teach the language completely from scratch.
Which language skills does the course cover?
The course develops listening, speaking, reading and writing. It also covers vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, cultural awareness and strategies for understanding unfamiliar language.
Which topics will I study?
Pearson groups the content into five areas: Home and Abroad; Education and Employment; Personal Life and Relationships; The World Around Us; and Social Activities, Fitness and Health.
Course lessons include family, home, school, work, holidays, travel, shopping, health, entertainment and environmental issues.
How much speaking practice will I need?
You should practise speaking regularly throughout the course. The compulsory oral examination requires spontaneous conversation, opinions, justification and references to past, present and future events.
Tutorials, conversation classes, language exchanges and regular practice with a suitable Spanish speaker can all help.
How do Tutor-marked Assignments work?
Each assignment contains written and spoken components. Written work can be submitted through purchased assignment marking.
Spoken components require separately booked tutorial time. Purchasing written marking alone does not complete the whole assignment.
How many examination papers are there?
There are three externally assessed papers: Listening, Reading and Writing, and Speaking.
Listening contributes 25%, Reading and Writing contributes 50%, and Speaking contributes 25% of the qualification.
What happens in the speaking examination?
The speaking paper lasts between eight and ten minutes. It begins with a discussion based on a picture selected in advance and continues with two conversations on different topic areas.
The assessment is conducted entirely in Spanish and must be recorded by the examination centre.
What sort of picture is needed for Paper 3?
The picture must show at least two people, contain background objects and show interaction or activity. It must not contain text that could support the student’s answers.
Students discuss what they can see, factual details, possible past or future events, opinions and the wider topic represented by the picture.
How do I arrange the speaking examination?
You need a Pearson-approved centre that accepts private candidates and is willing to conduct and record Paper 3. Confirm this before paying an entry fee, as not every centre offering written examinations also offers speaking.
Can I use a dictionary in the examinations?
No. Dictionaries are not permitted in any of the three examination papers.
A bilingual dictionary remains useful during the course for developing vocabulary and checking how words are used.
Do I need to buy a Spanish textbook?
No compulsory textbook is identified. The online course provides the structured lessons and accompanying audio resources.
A good bilingual dictionary, grammar reference and additional reading or listening resources can be useful, but these are supplementary.
Are audio materials included?
Yes. Audio resources accompany exercises and tests in the speaking and listening module. They include skills practice and a listening test that supports preparation for Paper 1.
What can I study after IGCSE Spanish?
The qualification provides a foundation for further study of Spanish or another modern language, including progression to AS or A level where entry requirements are met.
Course materials
Spanish audio, dictionaries and additional practice
The online course and its accompanying audio materials provide the main structured programme. Additional reading, listening and conversation practice will help students develop the breadth and confidence required in the examinations.
Audio resources are included
The course includes audio resources for selected activities and tests, particularly in Module 5. These develop listening comprehension, pronunciation and confidence in spoken Spanish.
Students should use the audio regularly rather than saving all listening practice until the end of the course.
No compulsory textbook
The course introduction does not identify a separate compulsory Spanish textbook. The Oxford Home Schooling lessons provide the main structured teaching material.
Additional Spanish books, audio courses and grammar references are optional ways to broaden vocabulary and gain further practice.
A bilingual dictionary is recommended for study
A good medium-sized Spanish–English bilingual dictionary can help with comprehension, vocabulary and accuracy during the course. Students should learn how entries, abbreviations and alternative meanings are presented.
Dictionaries cannot be used in any of the final examination papers.
A grammar reference can be useful
A clear Spanish grammar book can provide additional explanations of verb forms, agreements, pronouns, word order and other structures encountered during the course.
A grammar book is optional and should support rather than replace the structured lessons and activities.
Keep a personal vocabulary book
Record useful new words and phrases together with their English meanings and an example of how they are used. The process of writing vocabulary down helps learning and creates a useful personal revision resource.
Regular exposure to Spanish matters
Read suitable Spanish articles, stories, websites and information leaflets, and listen to Spanish broadcasts, videos and conversations whenever possible.
Try first to understand the general meaning without checking every unfamiliar word. This develops the communication strategies needed for authentic examination material.
Ready to begin?
Start your online IGCSE Spanish course
Enrol at any time and begin working towards Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Spanish through a structured, flexible home-study course covering listening, speaking, reading and writing.
- Start studying at any time
- Immediate access to the course and audio materials
- Prepare for all three Spanish examination papers
Start your Spanish course
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