DP Spanish B

Find everything you need for the new IB Spanish B and Spanish ab initio courses, first taught from August 2027 and first assessed in May 2029. Our range includes new-edition coursebooks from Hachette Learning and Oxford University Press, all written for the updated IB subject guides and available to pre-order now.

New IB Spanish course: key dates

The new IB Spanish B and Spanish ab initio subject guides are released in February 2027. First teaching begins in August 2027, and first exams are in May 2029.

What’s changing in the new IB Spanish courses?

The exams stay the same. Paper 1, Paper 2 and the individual oral keep their current structure and weightings. The update brings clearer subject guides, more emphasis on critical thinking and concept-based learning, and new teacher support materials.

The new-edition coursebooks follow this updated guidance, so they’re the right choice for any class starting in August 2027 or later. Students sitting exams in 2027 or 2028 continue on the current courses.

IB Spanish B vs Spanish ab initio: which course is right for you?

IB Spanish B

Spanish B is for students with some prior Spanish and is offered at both SL and HL. The course is built on five prescribed themes with optional recommended topics.

At SL, the individual oral is based on a visual stimulus, and the Paper 1 writing task is 250–400 words. At HL, the individual oral is based on a literary extract, the Paper 1 writing task is 450–600 words, and students study two literary works originally written in Spanish.

IB Spanish ab initio

Spanish ab initio is for beginners with no or very little Spanish and is offered at SL only. The course covers five prescribed themes with 20 prescribed topics. The individual oral is based on a visual stimulus, the writing tasks are shorter and pitched at beginners, and no literature study is required.

New-edition IB Spanish coursebooks

Spanish B for the IB Diploma, 3rd Edition (Hachette Learning)

Written by Mike Thacker and Sebastián Bianchi, this Spanish B coursebook is available in print (384 pages) and as a Boost eBook, giving you print and digital options for flexible classroom use. Publication date: 18 March 2027.

Oxford Resources for IB DP Spanish B: Course Book (Oxford University Press)

Written by Ana Valbuena and Laura Martín Cisneros, this Spanish B coursebook is concept-based and developed in cooperation with the IB. It comes in print with online audio for listening practice. Estimated publication date: 4 February 2027.

Spanish ab initio for the IB Diploma, 2nd Edition (Hachette Learning)

Written by Rafael Mendoza, this ab initio coursebook is built for complete beginners. It is available in print (360 pages) and as a Boost eBook. Publication date: 25 February 2027.

Oxford vs Hachette: which IB Spanish B coursebook is right for you?

Choose Oxford if you want a concept-based course developed in cooperation with the IB, with online audio for listening practice.

Choose Hachette if you want the flexibility of a Boost eBook alongside print.

Many Spanish departments use one as their core text and the other for extra practice.

The five IB Spanish themes

Both Spanish B and Spanish ab initio use the same five prescribed themes, explored through texts from Spain and across Latin America.

• Identities: lifestyles, health and wellbeing, beliefs and values, language and identity
• Experiences: leisure, travel, life stories, customs and traditions, migration
• Human ingenuity: entertainment, artistic expression, media, technology, scientific innovation
• Social organization: relationships, community, education, the world of work, law and order
• Sharing the planet: the environment, human rights, equality, globalization, ethics

How IB Spanish is assessed from 2029

The final IB Spanish grade is split equally across four components, each worth 25%:

• Paper 1 (25%): writing in a chosen text type
• Paper 2 listening (25%): comprehension of audio passages
• Paper 2 reading (25%): comprehension of written texts
• Individual oral (25%): a presentation, discussion and conversation

Because listening counts for a quarter of the final grade, choose resources with audio, such as the online audio included with the Oxford IB Spanish B Course Book.

IB Spanish FAQs

When does the new IB Spanish B syllabus start?

The new IB Spanish B syllabus starts with first teaching in August 2027. The subject guide is released in February 2027, and first exams are in May 2029.

Is the IB Spanish B exam changing?

No, the IB Spanish B exam is not changing. The assessment structure and weightings stay the same. The update focuses on clearer guidance, critical thinking, conceptual understanding and new teacher support.

Is IB Spanish ab initio changing too?

Yes, IB Spanish ab initio is changing on the same timeline as Spanish B. It keeps its five themes and 20 prescribed topics, and remains an SL-only course for beginners.

Can students taking IB Spanish exams in 2027 or 2028 use the new books?

Yes, with care. Students taking exams in 2027 or 2028 should follow the current guide, but because the assessment structure is unchanged, much of the practice in the new editions is still useful.

When will the new IB Spanish books ship?

All three new IB Spanish coursebooks publish between February and March 2027 and can be pre-ordered now. Orders ship as soon as stock arrives.