Category Archives: Private Spanish lessons

CXC Spanish

The CXC Spanish Examination (CAPE Spanish): Ace your Spanish exam

In our last blog post, we talked about the CXC CSEC examination and the exam pattern, and syllabus for CSEC Spanish. We also discussed some tips and reviewed some resources for preparing for the CSEC Spanish examination. Today we discuss the syllabus, exam pattern, and learning tips and resources for the CXC CAPE Spanish examination.

The Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) is designed to provide certification of academic, vocational and technical achievement to students who, having completed a minimum of five years of secondary education, wish to further their studies.

The Spanish syllabus for CAPE (Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination), emphasizes on the development of the four language skills (listening, reading, speaking and writing) and the knowledge of Hispanic culture.

Exam pattern: CXC Spanish (CAPE)

  1. Paper 01 (1 hour): Listening Comprehension (30% weightage)
    Candidates are to answer six compulsory short-response questions.
  2. Paper 02 (2 hours and 10 minutes) Reading and Writing (30%)
    Candidates are to answer three questions.
  3. Paper 03 (2 hours) Literary Analysis and Themes (20%)
    Candidates are to answer two questions.
  4. Paper 04 – Oral Examination (20%)

Syllabus: CXC Spanish (CAPE)

  1. UNIT 1: LA FAMILIA, LA SOCIEDAD Y EL MEDIO AMBIENTE (THE FAMILY, SOCIETY AND THE ENVIRONMENT)
    1. Module 1: El individuo, la familia y la vida diaria (The individual, family and daily life)
    2. Module 2: La sociedad y los asuntos sociales (Society and social issues)
    3. Module 3: El medio ambiente (The environment)
    4. Themes and Related Texts
      1. La juventud

        García Ramis, Magali     Felices días tío Sergio, San Juan: Antillana, 1986.
        Cisneros, Sandra   La casa en Mango Street, United States: Vintage, 1994.

      2. El individuo y la sociedad
        Esquivel, Laura   Como agua para chocolate, New York: Anchor Books, 1989.
        García Lorca, Federico   Bodas de sangre, Madrid: Alianza Editorial, 2006.

  2. UNIT 2: LAS ACTUALIDADES, LA TECNOLOGÍA Y LA ECONOMÍA (THE NEWS, TECHNOLOGY AND THE ECONOMY)
    1. Module 1: Las actualidades (The news)
    2. Module 2: La ciencia y la tecnología (Science and technology)
    3. Module 3: La industria y los asuntos económicos (Industry and Economic Affairs)
    4. Themes and Related Texts
      1. El mundo moderno
        1. Allende, Isabel        Cuentos de Eva Luna, Mexico: Debolsillo, 2008.

          (a)  ”Dos palabras” pp 15-24
          (b)  ”la mujer del juez” pp 156-166
          (c)  ”Un camino hacia el norte” pp 167-180
          (d)  ”El palacio imaginado” pp 249-265
          (e)  ”De barro estamos hechos” pp 266-277.

        2. Ortiz, Lourdes         Fátima de los naufragios. Madrid: Planeta, 1998:
          (a) “Fatima de los naufragios” pp 7-22
          (b) “La piel de Marcelinda” pp 25-42
          (c) “El vuelo de la mariposa” pp 43-96
          (d) “Desayuno de trabajo” pp 99-108
          (e) “El Farero” pp 111-117

        3. El compromiso político y social
          Carpentier, Alejo    El reino de este mundo, New Jersey: Lectorum Publications, 2010.
          García Márquez, Gabriel   El coronel no tiene quien le escriba, United Kingdom: Manchester University Press, 1981.

A detailed list of topics can be found here: http://www.cxc.org/SiteAssets/syllabusses/CAPE/CAPE%20Spanish.pdf

Preparing yourself for the CXC Spanish examination (CAPE)

  1. Start well in time: The exams begin in April (21st to 28th – Orals) and May (Spanish unit 1 – May 15th, unit 2 – May 20th). Start at least 6-8 months in advance and take one topic at a time. After finishing each topic, solve a lot of past question papers on that topic. Then move on to the next topic. Leave the last 1 month completely for practice

  2. Get expert help: If you truly want to ace the examination, then study Spanish with the help of an expert native tutor. The CAPE Spanish needs you to develop listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills. To truly master the listening and speaking skills, you need interaction with someone who speaks Spanish – and can help you speak it too! An expert will also be able to guide you with an organized study plan, grammar help, regular practice, and more. If you can’t find a tutor in your city, you can take 1on1 lessons with an expert tutor over Skype – from the comfort of your home – at hours convenient for you!
    If you haven’t started preparing yet, we recommend taking at-least 3-4 sessions a week along with self-study and practice.

  3. Self study: Along with the tutoring sessions, you should spend at-least an hour studying yourself. You can find some great self-study lessons and practice exercises online on the topics prescribed in the syllabus for the CAPE Spanish exam. We have listed some resources at the end of this post.

1on1 Live Skype lessons with native Spanish tutors – To help you ace the CXC Spanish Exam

Live lessons with expert native tutors is the most effective and personalized way to learn Spanish.

CultureAlley offers 1on1 video conferencing based lessons with expert Spanish tutors who can help the students with all aspects of the CXC examination. The lessons are completely interactive, and fun, and include all 4 aspects – reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

The tutors personalize the course completely to focus on topics related to the CXC examination, and focus on topics which the student finds difficult. They give regular practice exercises to help with the problem areas.

The lessons include:

  1. Grammar practice,
  2. Conversational practice,
  3. Vocabulary,
  4. Fun exercises like role playing, reading, music based listening practice, watching videos and understanding their meaning, and more!

You can take these lessons at hours convenient for you. All you need is a Skype account, and you can get connected with one of our tutors for 1on1 lessons from the comfort of your home!

Find out more
To book a Skype session just fill up this form

More resources:

70 free audio-visual lessons with interactive practice: Cover topics like: talking about family, introductions, beginning and ending letters, expressing opinions, commands, business Spanish, Spanish grammar and more!

Audio dictionary (English to Spanish): with curated words and audio support so that students can hear the pronunciation

So start preparing for your CXC exam today!

Private Spanish lessons

Private Spanish Lessons with Spanish Teachers on Skype

Serious About learning Spanish? We have a group of native, expert, and professional teachers, who can teach you 1on1 on Skype.

How can I learn Spanish on Skype?

There is nothing that can help you learn Spanish faster than interacting with real people who speak Spanish. And it gets even better if these people are Spanish teachers!
At CultureAlley, we offer private Spanish lessons with Spanish teachers on Skype. These are 1on1 lessons where you can talk to expert Spanish teachers (from Spain & Latin America) who are trained and experienced in teaching Spanish. See a sample profile here.
The Skype lessons take place over a 1on1 video conferencing based interface – so you can see the teacher, hear the teacher, and talk to the teacher.
Each teacher is hand-picked after thorough screening of his/her teaching experience, certifications, and educational background. They are experienced in tutoring over Skype and they all speak fluent English.

Why is learning Spanish with private lessons on Skype effective?
  1. Personalization: Because these are 1on1 private lessons – the lesson content and exercises are completely personalized based to suit your learning needs and starting level. The pace of each lesson can also be personalized to suit your learning pace.
  2. 1on1 Interaction: You get to talk to, and hear a native Spanish teacher through out the lesson. You practice with an expert, and get immediate feedback to improve your Spanish.
  3. Flexibility: You can take the lessons based on your availability. Pick the hours that you are available for and we will find a Spanish teacher who fits your needs to teach you on those hours.
What does a typical lesson cover?

The Spanish course is completely customized to suit your learning needs. Whether you are a beginner traveling to Spain, or a business professional wanting to learn business Spanish, or an intermediate learner looking for help with a text or an exam, or an advanced learning wanting some help with the accent – we have Spanish teachers who can customize the lessons for all these needs

The teacher would design a presentation/PDF and take you through it during the lesson along with other interactive activities. Lessons cover:

  • Conversations
  • Grammar
  • Pronunciation
  • Practice exercises
  • And fun: Music, movie clips, reading practice, and more!
For what level are these lessons? I am a beginner – can I take these?

We have teachers for all levels of Spanish – be it Spanish for beginners, intermediate level, or advanced level.

How is interacting with teachers better than interacting with just any native?

A person who can speak Spanish may not be equipped to teach Spanish. While interacting with natives will help you understand their accent better or learn some new words, you may feel lost and feel the lack of structure or flow – you may be able to talk, but not learn too much.
An expert Spanish teacher on the other hand, knows what is needed to be taught basis your needs, can create quality content, and is equipped with the latest teaching methods. They will also be able to help you practice more effectively.

When can I take the Skype lessons?

Whenever it works for you! Just let us know your preferred time slots and we will find a coach who is available on the same hours and connect the two of you. We usually take just 24-48 hours to pair you with the right coach.

How much does each lesson cost?

Each lesson costs between USD 12-20 per hour. You would be offered discounts for bulk bookings. We accept payments via PayPal and credit cards.

Okay, I am interested, how do I book a Skype lesson on CultureAlley?

Fill up this form: https://docs.google.com/a/culturealley.com/forms/d/1pOhbfNl3UEVxTPBIOMUXrn3RPKECUyeFLWfgJL1GRbM/viewform

Or

Email us on contact@culturealley.com with:
1) Your learning objectives
2) Your starting level
3) The timeline you have in mind to learn the language
4) The day(s) and time slot(s) that would work for you for the programme.
5) Your time zone

We will email you the profiles of Spanish tutors who fit your needs and are available on your preferred time. You can choose the best coach from those profiles and confirm your lesson.

Need further information?
Chat with us live on CultureAlley to find out more!