Many A-Level Spanish students prepare the two-minute IRP presentation carefully but feel much less confident about the discussion that follows. The presentation can be planned and practised; the questions cannot be predicted with certainty.

This does not mean that the discussion is impossible to prepare for. Although the precise wording will vary, most questions serve a recognisable purpose. Some test knowledge, while others ask students to explain their research, defend a conclusion or consider an alternative interpretation.

Good preparation is therefore not about memorising dozens of complete answers. It is about organising your knowledge so that you can retrieve relevant evidence, adapt it to the question and explain your reasoning in clear Spanish.

How does the A-Level Spanish IRP discussion work?

Both AQA and Pearson Edexcel require students to complete an independent research project connected with a Spanish-speaking country or community. In both specifications, students present part of their research before answering questions and taking part in a longer discussion.

The discussion assesses their ability to engage with questions, communicate accurately and demonstrate detailed, analytical knowledge of the subject. Students need to do more than recall information: they must use evidence to develop arguments, justify opinions and form conclusions.

There are, however, some important differences between the two examination boards.

AQA

Under AQA, students give a presentation lasting no more than two minutes, followed by a discussion of nine to ten minutes. The project should draw on a range of sources, including material in Spanish, and the student may refer to the Candidate Record Form during the assessment but cannot use additional notes. The AQA A-Level Spanish specification explains the requirements in full.

Pearson Edexcel

Under Edexcel, the presentation and discussion together are recommended to last ten to eleven minutes. The two-minute presentation must summarise at least two named written sources and include a justified personal response to them. Students record between six and ten key findings in English on Form RP3. They may consult this form during the examination but cannot add further notes to it. Full details are available in the Pearson Edexcel A-Level Spanish specification.

Most of the preparation described in this guide applies to both boards. Whichever specification you follow, you need to understand the project well enough to respond without relying on a script. Hesitation is not automatically a problem when it allows you to formulate an idea or correct an error. What matters is whether you understand the questions, develop your answers and take part in a genuine discussion.

Why memorising answers is risky

Preparing likely questions is useful, but learning complete answers can create a false sense of security. An examiner may approach a familiar issue from a different angle. A student who has prepared ¿Por qué elegiste este tema? may still struggle when asked:

¿Qué aspecto de tu investigación te pareció más significativo?

The two questions are related, but the second requires the student to select and evaluate part of the research rather than repeat how the topic was chosen.

Official examiner guidance emphasises the importance of genuine interaction. Students who depend on pre-learned material may find it difficult to respond to follow-up questions based on what they have just said.

The safer approach is to prepare ideas, evidence and possible challenges. The same knowledge can then be adapted to several questions.

Questions about your topic and research

The examiner may begin by exploring why you selected the subject and how the project developed. Possible questions include:

• ¿Por qué elegiste este tema?
• ¿Por qué es relevante para el mundo hispanohablante?
• ¿Cambió tu pregunta durante la investigación?
• ¿Qué esperabas descubrir antes de empezar?
• ¿Qué fuente te resultó más útil y por qué?
• ¿Encontraste información contradictoria?

A response such as Elegí este tema porque me interesa mucho is not wrong, but it provides little scope for discussion. A stronger answer connects the initial interest with a specific aspect of the research:

Elegí este tema porque había estudiado la dictadura de Pinochet, pero sabía muy poco sobre sus consecuencias a largo plazo. Durante la investigación me interesó especialmente la manera en que Chile sigue afrontando la memoria de ese periodo.

Students should also be able to explain what their sources contributed. A government report, newspaper article, interview or campaign website may each be useful for a different reason. Rather than calling a source reliable simply because it is well known, explain what evidence it provided, what perspective it represented and whether it had any limitations.

Questions testing knowledge and analysis

Other questions will explore how thoroughly the student understands the subject:

• ¿Cuáles fueron las principales causas?
• ¿Cómo ha cambiado la situación?
• ¿Qué papel desempeñó el gobierno?
• ¿Cuáles fueron las consecuencias más importantes?
• ¿Qué medidas se han tomado?
• ¿Hasta qué punto han funcionado?

A focused answer supported by one relevant example is normally stronger than a long sequence of facts. A useful response contains a direct answer, evidence and an explanation of why that evidence matters.

Knowledge alone, however, will not secure the highest marks. Students must also evaluate their findings. Analytical questions may include:

• ¿Cuál fue el factor más importante?
• ¿Hasta qué punto estás de acuerdo con esta interpretación?
• ¿Fue positivo o negativo este cambio?
• ¿Quién tuvo mayor responsabilidad?
• ¿Qué explicación te parece más convincente?

Compare these responses:

Hubo varias causas, como la crisis económica, la inestabilidad política y la desigualdad.

Aunque la inestabilidad política creó las condiciones necesarias, considero que la crisis económica tuvo una influencia más inmediata porque redujo el apoyo al gobierno y aumentó el descontento social. No obstante, sería demasiado simple atribuir el cambio a una sola causa.

The second answer selects the most important factor, explains the judgement and recognises the complexity of the issue. Expressions such as principalmente, en gran medida, hasta cierto punto and sin embargo are useful when they clarify this relationship between ideas.

Questions that challenge your conclusion

The examiner may question an argument or introduce another interpretation. This does not necessarily mean that the student has made a mistake. It is often an opportunity to demonstrate deeper analysis.

Possible challenges include:

• ¿Qué diría una persona que no está de acuerdo contigo?
• ¿Hay pruebas que contradigan tu conclusión?
• ¿No estás dando demasiada importancia a ese factor?
• ¿Existen limitaciones en tu investigación?
• ¿Tu conclusión se aplica a todo el país?
• ¿Cambiarías tu conclusión si tuvieras más información?

Repeating the original claim more firmly is rarely persuasive. A stronger answer acknowledges the challenge before defending or adjusting the argument:

Es cierto que las reformas mejoraron la situación legal de las mujeres y que sería injusto ignorar esos avances. Sin embargo, los datos sobre la brecha salarial indican que la igualdad jurídica no siempre se ha traducido en igualdad económica.

Useful openings include Estoy de acuerdo hasta cierto punto, Esa sería una limitación de mi conclusión and Depende del periodo o de la región que consideremos. These should remain flexible tools rather than the beginnings of memorised paragraphs.

What if you do not understand a question?

Even a well-prepared student may misunderstand a word or an unexpectedly long question. Pretending to understand usually creates a larger problem. It is reasonable to ask:

• ¿Podría repetir la pregunta, por favor?
• ¿Podría formularla de otra manera?
• Cuando dice…, ¿se refiere a…?
• ¿Me está preguntando si…?

If you understand the question but need a moment to think, begin naturally with No lo había considerado desde esa perspectiva, pero… or Basándome en lo que investigué…. These expressions create a little thinking time while still moving towards a relevant answer.

A practical way to prepare

For each main conclusion, organise five elements:

Element	What to prepare
Claim	The argument or conclusion
Evidence	A fact, example or source supporting it
Significance	Why the evidence matters
Challenge	A possible objection or alternative view
Response	How you would defend or qualify the claim

A student researching tourism in Barcelona might argue that tourism creates employment but places pressure on housing. They could support this with figures on jobs and short-term rentals, recognise that tourism is not the only cause of the housing crisis and explain why it has nevertheless intensified the problem in central neighbourhoods.

This single preparation can support questions about benefits, disadvantages, causes, policy and the limitations of the conclusion. It is more flexible than writing a separate script for every possible question.

How to practise the discussion

Practice should include questions the student has not seen before. If every mock follows the same sequence, the student may become confident in one rehearsed conversation without becoming more adaptable.

A productive practice session should combine expected questions with follow-ups based on the student’s precise answers. The teacher or partner should challenge one conclusion, ask about the value of a source and approach part of the topic from an unfamiliar angle.

Recording the discussion can reveal repeated vocabulary, grammatical weaknesses or answers that contain evidence but no explanation. Feedback should then produce a concrete target, such as supporting every main conclusion with one precise example or acknowledging an alternative view before defending the original argument.

Prepare for a conversation, not an interrogation

The IRP discussion can feel intimidating because the questions are unknown. That unpredictability is also what allows a well-prepared student to demonstrate genuine understanding.

Effective preparation does not attempt to eliminate every surprise. It gives the student command of the evidence, a clear understanding of how the conclusions were reached and enough linguistic flexibility to approach the same idea from different perspectives.

The presentation introduces the project, but the discussion is where students show that the research has genuinely become their own. Someone who can compare sources, defend a judgement and reconsider an assumption is better prepared than someone who has simply memorised an impressive script.

Students who have not yet selected a subject can begin with my guide to A-Level Spanish IRP topics and research questions. Those looking at the course more broadly may also find my article on how to get an A in A-Level Spanish useful.

Looking for support with your A-Level Spanish IRP?

My one-to-one A-Level Spanish tuition helps AQA and Edexcel students organise their research, identify gaps in their knowledge and practise the unpredictable questions that make the IRP discussion demanding.

Lessons are adapted to the student’s project, examination board and current performance. The purpose is not to provide a script, but to help the student understand the subject well enough to discuss it with confidence, accuracy and independence.