The Hispanic World

Overview

In this second lesson of ¡Hola! Spanish Foundations, students build on greetings and introductory Spanish by locating Spanish-speaking countries and communicating simple factual information. They use maps, visuals and short Spanish sentences to develop accuracy, confidence and curiosity about the wider Hispanic world.

Learning intentions

• WALT use estar for location, colours and flag-description structures to identify a Spanish-speaking country.
• WALT describe a flag and locate its country using simple, accurate Spanish.
• WALT understand and communicate factual information through speaking and listening.

Key vocabulary

Vocabulary bank

Location and grammar	Colours	Flag and country description
estar / está / están	rojo	la bandera
en	amarillo	el país
al norte de	azul	los colores
al sur de	verde	tiene
al este de	blanco	lleva
al oeste de	negro	una franja
cerca de	naranja	una estrella
lejos de	morado	una cruz
	rosa	tres bandas

Sentence frames

• La bandera está en…
• La bandera tiene…
• Es de color…
• Tiene una franja/estrella/cruz…
• Está al norte/sur/este/oeste de…

Success criteria

• I can use estar accurately to say where a Spanish-speaking country or flag is located.
• I can use at least three colours accurately.
• I can describe a flag using at least two accurate details, such as a stripe, star, cross or number of bands.
• I can identify the Spanish-speaking country from a spoken or written flag description.

Curriculum links

• UK-NC-LANGUAGE-KS3-languages-key-stage-021: understand and communicate ideas, facts and feelings in speech and writing, using a range of vocabulary and structures.
• UK-NC-LANGUAGE-KS3-languages-key-stage-022: speak with increasing spontaneity, independence and accuracy, including describing and justifying information.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Retrieval practice. Students complete a quick retrieval task on country names, compass points and colours using mini-whiteboards. Teacher checks prior knowledge, then introduces the lesson goal: describing a flag to identify a Spanish-speaking country.

2. 5–12 min · Teacher modelling and choral repetition. Teacher models estar for location and the vocabulary bank, using colour-coded chunks for location, colour and flag details. Students listen, repeat chorally, then rehearse quietly and with a partner. Teacher models: “La bandera está en…”, “Es de color…” and “La bandera tiene…”.

3. 12–20 min · Guided flag descriptions. Teacher displays several flags and thinks aloud while building descriptions with the sentence frames. Students identify colours, bands, stars, crosses and locations, then practise describing one flag with a partner. Use dyslexia-friendly vocabulary grids and reduce copying by providing printed frames.

4. 20–32 min · Pair flag-description guessing game. In pairs, one student chooses a flag and describes it without naming the country, using estar, at least three colours and two flag-description details. The partner and then the class guess the Spanish-speaking country. Students swap roles. Teacher circulates, models accurate pronunciation and prompts use of cerca de, lejos de and compass-point phrases.

5. 32–38 min · Improve and extend. Students repeat one description, improving accuracy after teacher or partner feedback. Learners needing support use a reduced vocabulary grid and sentence frames; confident learners add two location phrases, porque and a justification, for example, “Está al norte de… porque…”.

6. 38–42 min · Retrieval check. Students complete a short individual mini-whiteboard check: translate or select key vocabulary, complete an estar sentence and identify a flag from a description.

7. 42–45 min · Final vocabulary check and exit response. Students complete a final vocabulary check covering location phrases, colours and flag details, then write or say one complete flag description. Teacher collects responses to identify vocabulary or grammar needing reteaching.

Resources

• the Hispanic world lesson deck
• the dyslexia-friendly Hispanic world map worksheet
• Onda 1 Zona de cultura, pp. 8–9
• MFL in the News Padlet
• Projector or interactive whiteboard
• Classroom atlases or a large displayed world map
• Mini-whiteboards and pens
• the retrieval practice exit ticket slips

Assessment

• Use retrieval practice and choral repetition to check recall and pronunciation of estar, location phrases, colours and flag vocabulary.
• During modelling and guided practice, check that students form accurate estar sentences and use the colour-coded chunks appropriately.
• During the pair guessing game, assess whether each student uses estar, at least three colours and two flag-description details, without naming the country.
• Use the final vocabulary check and exit response to identify accurate vocabulary recall, sentence-frame use and successful identification of a Spanish-speaking country.

Differentiation

• Provide dyslexia-friendly vocabulary grids with an uncluttered layout, clear spacing, sans-serif font, high contrast and colour-coded chunks for location, colours and flag details. Read vocabulary and instructions aloud and build in choral and repeated rehearsal.
• Reduce copying by supplying printed vocabulary banks and sentence frames. Learners needing support can use a reduced set of colours and details, a partially completed description and a flag-choice prompt before speaking.
• Model each phrase explicitly, allow paired rehearsal and accept pointing, oral responses or supported recording before independent writing.
• For learners needing further support, pre-teach está, en, compass points and colour agreement with visuals; provide a pronunciation model and a checklist of the required three colours and two details.

Extension

• Describe a flag using two location phrases, for example, “Está al norte de… y cerca de…”.
• Add porque and a justification to explain a choice or comparison, for example, “Prefiero esta bandera porque tiene tres bandas y una estrella.”
• Challenge students to give an increasingly independent description and answer a follow-up question about the country’s location or flag.