Topic 2: Technology in everyday life — AQA GCSE Spanish

Topic 2: Technology in everyday life explores how digital technology has transformed the way we communicate, access information, and manage our daily routines. In the context of AQA GCSE Spanish, this topic covers vocabulary and structures related to mobile phones, social media, online shopping, and the impact of technology on relationships and leisure time. Understanding this topic is essential because it reflects modern life and appears frequently in reading, listening, writing, and speaking exams.

You will learn to describe your own use of technology, discuss its advantages and disadvantages, and express opinions about issues like screen time and online safety. The topic builds on basic present-tense verbs and introduces more complex structures such as the present continuous and the near future (ir a + infinitive). Mastering this area not only boosts your exam performance but also equips you with language skills relevant to real-world conversations about technology.

This topic connects to broader themes in the GCSE course, such as identity and culture (how technology shapes communication) and local/global issues (e.g., digital divide). By the end of this topic, you should be able to hold a conversation about your tech habits, write a blog post about online life, and understand authentic texts about technology in Spanish-speaking countries.

• →Vocabulary for devices and actions: el móvil, la tableta, el ordenador, navegar por internet, descargar, chatear, enviar mensajes.
• →Opinion phrases with reasons: 'Creo que la tecnología es útil porque...' (I think technology is useful because...), 'No me gusta pasar mucho tiempo en las redes sociales porque...' (I don't like spending a lot of time on social media because...).
• →Present continuous tense: 'Estoy usando el móvil' (I am using my phone) to describe ongoing actions.
• →Near future tense: 'Voy a comprar un nuevo portátil' (I am going to buy a new laptop) to talk about plans.
• →Comparative structures: 'Es más rápido que...' (It is faster than...), 'Es menos adictivo que...' (It is less addictive than...).

• Ability to express and justify opinions on social media usage
• Ability to describe the impact of mobile technology on daily routines
• Use of appropriate vocabulary related to digital communication and devices
• Ability to discuss advantages and disadvantages of technology
• Correct use of past, present, and future tenses when narrating experiences with technology

• 💡Use specific vocabulary like 'descargar', 'enviar', and 'navegar' rather than generic verbs
• 💡Practice using reflexive verbs for daily routines involving technology (e.g., 'conectarse')
• 💡Prepare a range of opinions (positive and negative) regarding social media to ensure flexibility in the speaking and writing exams
• 💡Ensure you can manipulate the language to talk about future technological trends using the future tense
• 💡In the speaking exam, always give a reason for your opinion. For example: 'Me encanta usar Instagram porque puedo ver fotos de mis amigos' (I love using Instagram because I can see photos of my friends). This shows higher-level thinking.
• 💡Use a variety of tenses to impress. Talk about what you did yesterday (preterite: 'Ayer usé el ordenador'), what you normally do (present: 'Normalmente chateo con mis amigos'), and what you will do (near future: 'Voy a ver un vídeo').
• 💡Learn key phrases for discussing advantages and disadvantages: 'Por un lado... por otro lado...' (On one hand... on the other hand...), 'La ventaja es... / El inconveniente es...' (The advantage is... / The drawback is...).

• Over-reliance on English-based word coinage (e.g., creating non-existent Spanish verbs from English)
• Confusing the use of 'ser' and 'estar' when describing digital states or locations
• Failure to use appropriate register when discussing formal vs informal digital communication
• Neglecting to provide justifications for opinions expressed about technology
• Confusing 'jugar' (to play a game) with 'tocar' (to play an instrument). For technology, use 'jugar a videojuegos' (play video games).
• Forgetting to use the subjunctive after 'cuando' in future contexts: 'Cuando tenga tiempo, navegaré por internet' (When I have time, I will surf the internet), not 'tengo'.
• Mixing up 'redes sociales' (social media) with 'medios de comunicación' (mass media). Social media is a subset of mass media.