Who is the IB Spanish Exam for?

Whether or not you’ve gotten a chance to take some IB Spanish practice exams, check out this section as a guide to everything you need to prepare for them, from Paper 1 to Paper 2, to the Oral etc...

Firstly, the IB Spanish exam is not the same for IB Spanish A students as it is for IB Spanish B students. In this breakdown we’ll be focusing on the IB Spanish B HL and SL exams.  There are also separate exams for IB ab Initio students that we won’t be covering here either.

There are many language courses and levels in the International Baccalaureate Diploma programme so it’s important to not get lost by knowing exactly what’s relevant to you!

If you really want to get ahead of the IB Spanish exams, make sure to book a trial tutoring session with one of our IB Spanish tutors, or at the very least check out our guide on how to easily get higher marks in each section of the exam.

What’s the difference between IB Spanish Standard Level (SL) vs. Higher Level (HL) in Language B?

Different from the IB Spanish A course, which is designed for native speakers, the IB SL and HL Spanish B course is appropriate for students who have a few years of experience with the Spanish language.

In IB Spanish Language B  the key difference between Standard Level (SL) and Higher Level (HL) lies in the recommended teaching hours: 

- 150 hours for SL 

- 240 hours for HL.

SL and HL also differ in the expected level of proficiency across different skills. Furthermore, HL students face an additional challenge of studying two literary works in Spanish. 

The IB Spanish books can seem tough at first, especially if you're a Spanish B HL student, but with tutoring from our IB Spanish tutors, students learn how to simplify even the most complicated literary works.

What are the 5 themes for the IB Spanish B Exam?

Both IB Spanish HL and SL exam share the following topics / themes (‘areas tematicas’):

1. Identities

• Explore language, culture, and identity, including the influence of past experiences and travel perspectives.

1. Experiences

• Analyze scientific advancements, cultural expressions, and the impact of personal and global experiences.

2. Human Ingenuity

• Assess how scientific progress, technological innovations, and cultural expressions shape human ingenuity.

3. Social Organization

• Examine the role of language in society, the impact of rules and regulations, and the organization of schools and communities.

4. Sharing the Planet

• Address environmental issues, consider sustainability in daily life, and evaluate challenges brought by globalization.

The three text types used to explore the 5 themes:

1. Personal: Casual writing like emails, texts, and diary entries.

2. Professional: Formal communication such as business letters and proposals.

3. Mass Media: Speeches for wide audiences, like podcasts and web pages

It can seem tricky to navigate these themes and texts during the IB Spanish exam, but by practicing them with our IB Spanish tutors you can resolve all your IB Spanish language B doubts.

What are the criteria for Marking Your IB Exam?

When marking your IB exam, three key aspects are considered:

1. Language: 

• Demonstrate a strong command of the language, including grammar rules, vocabulary variety, and the use of idioms and expressions.

2. Message:

• Convey a clear and relevant message, developing arguments logically with supporting examples.

3. Conceptual Understanding:

• Show an appropriate tone for the text type, considering the audience, purpose, and context.

Now that we’ve covered the themes in the IB Spanish Language B Exam, next let’s take a look at the Paper 1 and Paper 2 components of the IB exam.

What is Paper 1 in IB Spanish Language B?

External assessment lasting: 

• 1 hour and 15 minutes for IB Spanish SL

• 1.5 hours for HL

• 25% of overall marks.

• Choose one task out of three, each based on a different theme.

• Tasks may include personal diary entries, essays on environmental issues, or mass media tasks like speeches.

• Write approximately 450-600 words expressing opinions and incorporating relevant facts.

• Adapt writing style to the required tone, considering formalities.

What is Paper 2 in IB Spanish Language B?

External assessment lasting:

• 1 hour and 45 minutes for IB Spanish SL

• 2 hours for IB Spanish HL

• 50% of overall marks.

• Demonstrate receptive skills by comprehending 3 audio passages.

• Showcase reading skills by understanding 3 written passages.

• Multiple-choice questions, antonyms/synonyms, true/false statements, etc.

• Questions are based on course themes and exam texts. 

Still not sure how to prepare? Our IB Spanish tutors can give you lots of tips and tricks for both IB Spanish Paper 1 and Paper 2.

What is the Individual Oral IB Spanish Exam for Language B?

An interactive oral exam

• Accounts for 25% of final marks

• Lasts 12-15 minutes

• Conducted by your teacher, recorded and externally moderated

For IB Spanish SL Exam Oral you'll present using a visual stimulus, such as a prescribed theme-based photo. Choose from two pictures. Prepare 10 bullet points within 15 minutes. Showcase fluent spoken Spanish and interactive conversation skills.

For IB Spanish HL Exam Oral your presentation shifts from a visual stimulus to a talk about an extract from one of the two studied literary works (maximum 300 words). Prepare for 20 minutes and create around 10 bullet points, focusing on key ideas rather than complete paragraphs.

Get started with tutoring earlier to increase your chances of success.