IB Spanish B HL study plan
IB Spanish B HL · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Receptive skills - reading comprehension of authentic written texts & Language in use and accuracy - grammar, vocabulary range, register and text conventions
Diagnose reading baseline by completing two full-length authentic texts (one informative, one argumentative) under 45-minute timing and log error types by question stem
Build a personal lexicon of 60 academic and connective phrases drawn from those texts, recording each with register (formal/neutral/informal) and one original example sentence
Practise skimming for gist on three 400-500 word articles, writing a one-sentence main-idea summary for each in under 90 seconds
Identify and correct five recurring grammar slips (e.g. ser/estar, preterite vs imperfect, subjunctive triggers) by rewriting faulty sentences from your own diagnostic
Your checkpoint
A diagnostic report of 400+ words listing reading error categories, a 60-entry annotated lexicon table, and five corrected grammar rules with original examples
Receptive skills - reading comprehension of authentic written texts & Language in use and accuracy - grammar, vocabulary range, register and text conventions
Analyse how authentic texts organise information by mapping the structure (thesis, evidence, concession, conclusion) of three opinion pieces
Infer meaning of unknown vocabulary from context in two texts, recording 25 inferences and verifying each against a dictionary
Distinguish fact, opinion and hypothesis in one editorial by highlighting and labelling every claim
Draft short answers (40-60 words) to six inference and author-purpose questions, then self-mark against a checklist of content, register and accuracy
Your checkpoint
A structure map plus labelled claim analysis of one editorial, and six written short answers with a self-assessment table
Receptive skills - listening comprehension of authentic spoken texts & Receptive skills - reading comprehension of authentic written texts
Train listening stamina by shadowing two 3-minute authentic audio clips (podcast, news bulletin) and transcribing 60 seconds verbatim
Practise note-taking on two interviews, capturing numbers, names and stance markers, then answer eight comprehension questions from notes only
Compare spoken and written registers by listing ten features (fillers, contractions, discourse markers) heard in audio and their written equivalents
Complete one timed reading paper (three texts) and record time per text and accuracy per question type
Your checkpoint
Two verbatim 60-second transcripts with self-correction marks, plus a timed reading paper scored and reflected on in 150 words
Receptive skills - listening comprehension of authentic spoken texts & Written productive skills - task 1 (e.g. formal letter, article, report, blog)
Identify speaker attitude and tone in four short clips by writing one adjective plus one justifying phrase for each speaker
Recognise connected-speech patterns (linking, elision) by marking ten instances in a transcript and replaying them aloud
Produce one formal letter (250-400 words) using a fixed scaffold: salutation, purpose statement, two developed points, closing formula
Revise that letter against a register checklist, replacing five informal items with formal equivalents
Your checkpoint
A listening log of four clips with attitude annotations, and a polished formal letter with a before/after register revision table
Written productive skills - task 1 (e.g. formal letter, article, report, blog) & Written productive skills - task 2 (e.g. argumentative or discursive text)
Compare conventions of four text types (article, report, blog, formal letter) by writing a one-page feature grid covering audience, structure, formulaic phrases and tone
Draft one article (250-400 words) with headline, hook, two developed paragraphs and conclusion, timed at 45 minutes
Build an argumentative toolkit of 15 discourse markers for concession, contrast and consequence, and deploy at least eight in a draft
Self-edit one draft for cohesion, checking pronoun reference, paragraph topic sentences and connector variety
Your checkpoint
A text-type feature grid plus one timed article draft with a marked-up self-edit showing at least eight changes
Written productive skills - task 2 (e.g. argumentative or discursive text) & Individual oral - presentation and discussion based on a literary extract
Plan and write one argumentative essay (300-400 words) in 50 minutes with a clear thesis, two supporting arguments and one rebuttal
Select and annotate a 20-30 line literary extract, identifying theme, narrative voice and three quotable phrases
Draft a 4-minute oral presentation on that extract with a structured outline: context, theme, evidence, personal response
Record the presentation and self-assess for fluency, pronunciation and range, noting five specific improvements
Your checkpoint
One timed argumentative essay plus a recorded 4-minute presentation with an annotated extract and written self-assessment
Individual oral - presentation and discussion based on a literary extract & Receptive skills - listening comprehension of authentic spoken texts
Rehearse the oral discussion by preparing and answering ten follow-up questions on your extract, including two on authorial technique
Practise paraphrasing rather than quoting by re-expressing five key extract lines aloud without losing meaning
Refine pronunciation of ten challenging words or connected phrases by recording and comparing against a model
Complete one full listening paper under exam timing and categorise every error as vocabulary, inference or attention
Your checkpoint
A question bank of ten discussion prompts with spoken answers recorded, and a scored listening paper with an error-category tally
Receptive skills - reading comprehension of authentic written texts & Receptive skills - listening comprehension of authentic spoken texts & Written productive skills - task 1 (e.g. formal letter, article, report, blog) & Written productive skills - task 2 (e.g. argumentative or discursive text) & Individual oral - presentation and discussion based on a literary extract & Language in use and accuracy - grammar, vocabulary range, register and text conventions
Simulate a full mock under timing: one reading paper, one listening paper and two written tasks across two sittings
Audit all written work from weeks 1-7 for recurring errors and produce a top-ten personal error list with corrections
Deliver a complete oral simulation (presentation plus 6-minute discussion) recorded in one take
Consolidate a one-page exam-day strategy sheet covering timing, question sequencing and checking routines
Your checkpoint
A full mock result summary with scores per paper, a top-ten error list with corrections, and a one-page strategy sheet
Milestones
Week 2: You can read a 500-word authentic article in under 12 minutes and answer inference questions with at least 70% accuracy, justifying each answer with a line reference
Week 4: You can follow a 3-minute authentic audio clip once and answer six comprehension questions with at least 70% accuracy, and your formal letter meets all four scaffold elements with consistent formal register
Week 6: You write a 300-400 word argumentative text in 50 minutes containing a clear thesis, two developed arguments and one rebuttal, and you deliver a 4-minute oral presentation without reading from a script
Week 8: Across the full mock you score at least 70% on reading and listening, complete both written tasks within time, and sustain a 10-minute oral interaction with only occasional self-correction