Introduction

In present day society, the Spanish language is no longer learned only to satisfy personal desires; instead, the acquisition of Spanish responds to the linguistic needs of a society with the objective of meeting the demands of the use of language internationally. Therefore, many people have dedicated themselves in developing a variety of programs for teaching Spanish as a second language (SSL) or a foreign language (SFL), with the intention of promising significant results in a short period of time. Unfortunately, the results have not been as expected, since these programs have been focused on teaching the structure of the language (synthetic programs) and not its use (analytic programs). This, in turn, affects the proper teaching and learning of a second language. An effective program must be fully analytical and established on a solid methodological basis that strengthens the learning process and guarantees substantial results in the acquisition of a second language; such principles are considered in the content of this Spanish Curriculum.

As part of strengthening the teaching/learning of the Spanish language in Belize, a Spanish curriculum has been developed in order to establish a solid foundation for teachers who teach the Spanish Language at the secondary level. This curriculum is aimed to create effective teaching strategies and standardizing the teaching of the Spanish language in all educational institutions of Belize. 

For the development of this curriculum and programs, the standards of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) were considered as a guide; the framework establishes clear and defined criteria concerning the different levels in learning of a second language. Based on those criteria, this curriculum assigns level A2.1 for First Form Level, A2.2 for Second Form Level, B1 for Third Form level, and B2 for Fourth Form Level. Levels A1.1 and A1.2 can be developed at the Primary Level, and C1 and C2 can be developed at the university level, complementing the six levels presented by the CEFR.

Concerning teacher’s training in the teaching of a second language, this curriculum provides them with fundamental and accurate information (theoretical field) that is applicable at all high school levels. This will contribute in achieving success in teaching/learning of a L2 within that educational level, producing competent students capable of using the target language. In this theoretical section, a variety of topics are presented such as: identifying the target group and their linguistic needs; the justification and foundation of the curriculum; the development of the different competencies and learning skills; the selection of didactic material; the factors that contribute in the learning process; the activities, content, evaluation criteria; the teaching of the lexical, and the implementation of the communicative and task-based approaches. Such topics are all in connection with the parameters established by the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for the teaching of a second language.

The Methodological Section provides details concerning the process involved in elaborating the Spanish Program, establishing the learning objectives intended to be achieved at the end of the program. This section is intended to bring the theory into practice. The Program Design provides a detailed outline about the nature of the program. In this section of the curriculum, the details of the general objectives for each program are presented. Likewise, factors such as the functional content or specific descriptors about the use of the language, the lexical content, the grammatical content and descriptors, the final tasks of each unit, a guide to develop the preparatory activities (subtasks) and post-tasks, the timing, the details concerning the didactic sequencing and the learning context, the evaluation criteria, the learning objectives, etc. are all briefly presented.

In conclusion, the objective of this curriculum is to provide teachers with the necessary information for the teaching of Spanish as a second language. It is also aimed to facilitate the appropriate method/approach and effective teaching strategies for educators. It will also serve as a guide for teachers in the preparation of lesson plans and the delivery of the lesson. Also, a workbook is provided to aid students in the development of their language skills.