Spanish Question Words

Overview

Age Group: KS2 (Ages 9-11)
Class Size: 7 students
Duration: 10 minutes
Subject: Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) - Spanish
Focus: Introduction to Spanish interrogatives (question words)
UK Curriculum Reference:

• MFL programmes of study for KS2 – Languages National Curriculum (2014)
• Key Stage 2 Modern Languages: Understand and respond to questions involving familiar vocabulary and phrases.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, all students will:

• Recognise and understand basic Spanish interrogative words: ¿Qué?, ¿Quién?, ¿Dónde?, ¿Cuándo?, ¿Por qué?, ¿Cómo?, ¿Cuál?
• Be able to match Spanish question words to their English meanings.
• Begin to form simple questions in Spanish using interrogatives.

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Curriculum Links and Pedagogical Considerations

• Language Skills: Developing listening and comprehension through exposure to question words in context.
• Active Participation: Encouraging oral participation and interaction to build confidence.
• Cultural Awareness: Introducing language structures as a precursor to immersive cultural learning.
• Cognitive Development: Supporting memory through multimodal input (visual, auditory and kinesthetic).

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Materials Needed

• Colourful flashcards with Spanish interrogatives (large font) and English translations (on reverse)
• Picture prompts related to the interrogatives (e.g., clock for ¿Cuándo?, map for ¿Dónde?)
• Whiteboard and marker
• Simple props (optional) to encourage engagement

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Lesson Structure

Time	Activity	Resources	Differentiation
0:00 - 2:00	Engagement – Warm-up with a fun greeting in Spanish, ask a question in English to the class. Show a colourful flashcard with ¿Qué? and say “This means ‘What?’ in Spanish.” Invite a student to repeat.	Flashcards	Visual learners benefit from flashcards, auditory learners from repetition.
2:00 - 5:00	Teach and Match – Introduce remaining interrogatives one by one with flashcards and pictures. After introducing all seven, have students match Spanish question words to English meanings on the board or with printed matching sheets.	Flashcards, pictures, matching sheets	Able students complete faster; those needing support can work in pairs.
5:00 - 8:00	Practise Forming Questions – Using picture prompts, model simple questions. For example, show a clock and say ¿Cuándo? then: ¿Cuándo es la fiesta? Encourage students to repeat and try making their own questions aloud in small groups.	Picture prompts, whiteboard, props	Encourage lower ability students to repeat and higher ability students to innovate questions.
8:00 - 10:00	Quick Quiz & Wrap-Up – A rapid-fire flashcard quiz: show a Spanish question word flashcard and students shout out the English meaning or vice versa. End with a recap and ask students what their favourite Spanish question word was.	Flashcards	All students can engage; challenge faster learners by timing answers or extending with full questions.

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Assessment and Feedback

• Continuous informal assessment through observation of student participation and pronunciation
• Matching activity serves as formative assessment to check understanding
• Rapid quiz allows quick check of recall
• Teacher provides positive reinforcement and corrective feedback where necessary

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Extension Ideas

• Use question words in a simple dialogue or role play to practise in context
• Encourage students to bring their own questions from home for the next lesson
• Link to literacy by having students write a short quiz for classmates using the interrogatives

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Reflection for Educators

• The lesson design prioritises active learning and multisensory engagement within a very short timeframe.
• Flashcards and physical prompts make abstract grammar accessible to young learners.
• Timing is tight, so teacher flexibility is key: adjust pace according to student responses.
• This approach aligns well with the UK MFL approach, focusing on spoken language and comprehension rather than complex grammar at KS2.

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Note: This lesson can be adapted easily for remote learning by using digital flashcards and interactive quizzes.