Written Spanish: Education and Employment
This unit focuses on understanding written Spanish related to work or education, such as job adverts, emails, and course information. Learners must be able to present written information about work or study, including completing forms and writing short texts. The emphasis is on practical communication skills in a vocational context.
Assessment criteria
Topic Overview
This unit focuses on the vocabulary and structures needed to discuss education and employment in Spanish. You will learn to talk about your school subjects, daily routine, future career plans, and work experience. Mastering this topic is essential for real-life communication in Spanish-speaking environments and forms a core part of the WJEC Level 1 Award.
The content is divided into two main themes: education (school life, subjects, timetables, and opinions) and employment (jobs, work places, skills, and future aspirations). You will practise using the present tense to describe current situations and the immediate future (ir a + infinitive) to talk about plans. This unit builds directly on basic greetings and personal information, so you should already be comfortable introducing yourself.
Understanding this topic will help you in both the written and spoken components of the qualification. You will be expected to write short paragraphs, fill in forms, and answer questions about your school and work life. The vocabulary and grammar you learn here are also transferable to other topics such as free time and daily routine.
Key Concepts
Core ideas you must understand for this topic
- →School subjects and opinions: using 'me gusta' / 'no me gusta' with reasons (e.g., 'porque es interesante').
- →Telling the time and talking about timetables: 'a las ocho y media', 'los lunes tengo matemáticas'.
- →Describing your school: facilities, uniform, and rules (e.g., 'hay que llevar uniforme').
- →Jobs and workplaces: vocabulary for common professions (médico, profesor, dependiente) and places (hospital, colegio, tienda).
- →Talking about future plans using 'ir a + infinitive': 'voy a estudiar medicina'.
Learning Objectives
What you need to know and understand
- Understand written information relating to work or education, Be able to present written information about work or study
Assessment Criteria
Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio
- Comprehend key details from written Spanish texts about work or education.
- Produce clear and accurate written Spanish for work or study purposes.
- Use appropriate vocabulary and grammar for the context.
- Respond appropriately to written prompts or questions.
Assessment Guidance
Guidance for achieving higher grades
- 💡Read all instructions carefully before writing.
- 💡Practise writing short emails and forms in Spanish.
- 💡Check spelling and grammar before submitting.
- 💡Always include opinions and reasons in your answers. For example, instead of just saying 'estudio matemáticas', add 'porque es difícil pero interesante'. This shows a wider range of vocabulary and grammar.
- 💡Practise writing short paragraphs about your school day and future plans. Use time phrases (primero, luego, después) to structure your writing and make it flow naturally.
- 💡Pay attention to gender and number agreement when describing jobs. For a female doctor, use 'médica'; for male, 'médico'. Similarly, 'soy profesora' (female teacher) vs 'soy profesor' (male teacher).
Common Mistakes
Common errors to avoid in your coursework
- Misinterpreting formal vs. informal register.
- Spelling errors and incorrect verb conjugations.
- Omitting required information in written responses.
- Confusing 'trabajo' (work/job) with 'trabajador' (hardworking). Remember: 'trabajo' is a noun meaning work or job; 'trabajador' is an adjective meaning hardworking.
- Using 'ser' instead of 'estar' for temporary states. For example, 'soy enfermo' means 'I am a sick person' (permanent), while 'estoy enfermo' means 'I am ill' (temporary). In education/employment contexts, use 'estar' for being at school/work: 'estoy en el instituto'.
- Forgetting to conjugate verbs after 'ir a'. The structure is 'ir a + infinitive' – never conjugate the second verb. 'Voy a estudiar' is correct, not 'voy a estudio'.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions students ask about this topic
Pass / Merit / Distinction Evidence Checklist
How your portfolio evidence is graded for WJEC-CBAC Written Spanish: Education and Employment
Every vocational unit is marked against named criteria rather than an exam percentage. Your tutor's brief lists the exact codes for this unit — here is what each band is asking you to do.
Demonstrate baseline knowledge, accurate terminology, and core practical application.
Provide detailed analysis, structured explanations, and clear workplace reasoning.
Deliver thorough evaluation, original problem solving, and fully justified recommendations.
Before You Start
Prior knowledge that will help with this topic
- •Basic greetings and introductions: being able to say your name, age, and where you are from.
- •Present tense of regular -ar, -er, -ir verbs: e.g., hablar, comer, vivir.
- •Common adjectives and agreement: colours, sizes, and personality traits (e.g., grande, pequeño, simpático).
Coursework AI Review
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Key Terminology
Essential terms to know
- Understand written information relating to work or education, Be able to present written information about work or study
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