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Maximising Success in Spanish IGCSE Paper 2: Key Strategies for Reading and Grammar

Updated: Sep 16




In addition to the notes, tips, and examples provided in the documents on the IGCSE Exam Focus page, several strategies can significantly enhance your candidates' chances of success in Paper 2 (reading, writing, and grammar). These strategies focus on exam order, question-type integration, and assessment for learning (AfL) practices.


Originally published 2nd October 2023, moved to our blog on the 5th of September 2024.


1. The Best Order for Pupils to Approach the Exam


By the time you’ve guided your pupils through your IGCSE Scheme of Work, you will have a solid understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. You'll know which question types they tend to struggle with and which ones they can tackle confidently without spending excessive time.


In my experience teaching for this paper, I’ve found that certain question types benefit from a fresh mind or a little extra time, while others rarely show improvement regardless of how long pupils spend on them. For example, my pupils often perform better on question types that require logic and careful analysis, such as the grammar section and Q2, when they attempt these earlier in the exam. This could be because they’re not yet feeling the pressure of time, allowing them to focus on identifying the grammatical features or word types more accurately.


Similarly, I’ve noticed that when pupils address the writing section earlier, they tend to score higher in both the writing and reading sections. Their minds are fresh, so they’re better able to incorporate the tenses and structures they’ve prepared, reducing the likelihood of careless mistakes. This approach also ensures they spend time on productive skills (such as writing a coherent essay), rather than getting stuck on an overly challenging reading question.


Given these trends, I encourage my pupils to start from the back of the paper, beginning with the grammar section, then moving on to the writing tasks, before finally addressing the reading questions. Here’s the order I recommend:


  • Question 8 (grammar)

  • Question 6 (short writing)

  • Question 7 (long writing)

  • Question 2 (reading)

  • Question 3 (reading)

  • Question 4 (reading)

  • Question 1 (reading)

  • Question 5 (reading)


One downside of this method is that pupils could forget to check their papers for missed questions. However, this issue can be easily addressed through consistent practice in mock exams.



2. Consistently Integrate Question-Types into Your Teaching


I cannot emphasise enough the importance of integrating exam-style question types into your teaching. While I firmly believe that grades aren’t everything, familiarity with the assessment style is crucial for success. Pupils who understand the exam format are more likely to approach the assessment with confidence, which ultimately leads to better learning outcomes.


While varied comprehension activities and information retrieval exercises should be part of your teaching throughout the year, as the exam approaches, it's crucial to focus on building familiarity with specific question types. The more comfortable pupils are with how they are assessed, the better they perform—not just in exams, but in their overall learning journey.


3. Apply Good AfL Practices with Paper 2 Question-Types


When working on specific question types during class or providing feedback on homework, it’s essential to be meticulous in assessing pupils' understanding of the reasoning behind their answers. Best practice in AfL (Assessment for Learning) should not only focus on the correct answers but also the logic and methodology that led to those answers.


If you're concerned that pupils may rely too heavily on AI tools, translators, or dictionaries when completing homework, consider adapting your assignments to require them to "show their workings out." Much like in Maths, demonstrating how they reached an answer is just as important as the answer itself, particularly in Paper 2 where understanding grammar is essential. By asking them to articulate their reasoning, you can help build their logical skills and identify gaps in their grammatical knowledge.


I hope you’ve found these tips useful!


Don't forget, you can gain access to any of our Spanish IGCSE reading and gramar documents through a subscription that includes Spanish Step 4. Alternatively, you could purchase a bundled package (see below).




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