AP Spanish Language and Culture
Course Overview:
AP Spanish Language and Culture is comparable in content to a third-year level course in AP Spanish Composition and Conversation. Students who enroll in this AP course must have a Spanish teacher recommendation and should have received a final grade of “B” or above for the previous year. Learning and production (interpersonal, interpretive and presentational) will focus on the following six themes: Contemporary Life, Personal and Public Identities, Global Challenges, Science and Technology, Beauty and Aesthetics, and Families and Communities. Students should already have a strong command of Spanish grammar and vocabulary. Spanish will be spoken by both student and teacher almost exclusively. Students are required to take the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam.
Text Books:
- Triángulo Aprobado (2013)
- Temas (2014)
- En Español Level IV (2004)
Assessments:
Varied. All assessments will follow the AP Central/College Board Recommendations and the approved AP Audit (below), along with the State of Ohio World Languages Standards. Details can be found on the following websites:
http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Ohios-Learning-Standards/Foreign-Language
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/exam/exam_information/4554.html
First Quarter:
Natalie Gemelas AP Spanish Language and Culture Syllabus 2016-2017
- This AP Spanish Audit covers learning goals and standards for all 4 quarters.
Overview of Course: This Spanish AP Language and Culture Course has been designed to expose student participants to:
- Demanding reviews of grammatical structures
- Formal presentations and projects
- Continual vocabulary development and recycling centered around the 6 AP themes
- The process of formal and informal writing
- Extensive conversational practice
- Listening and reading comprehension activities
- The cultures that comprise the Spanish-speaking world through the study of history, art, literature, music and current events
In summary, the students in this course will work to develop proficiency in the Spanish Language while addressing content material comparable to a 3rd year college-level Spanish course. This course will place emphasis on the 5 Cs of foreign language learning which are: Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisonsand Communities. The students in this course are REQUIRED to hear, read, write and speak wholly in the Spanish Language; thus, increasing their fluency while preparing them thoroughly for the AP Spanish Language Exam. This new exam also centers around 6 basic themes: Los Desafíos Mundiales; La Ciencia y La Tecnología; La Vida Contemporánea; Las Identidades Personales y Públicas; Las Familias y Las Comunidades and La Belleza y La Estética. All students enrolled in this course are REQUIRED to participate in the AP Spanish Language Exam in May. This is an Avon Lake High School curricular policy and cannot be changed or altered.
THE THREE COMMUNICATIVE MODES AND FOUR BASIC SKILLS OF LANGAUGE LEARNING AND CULTURE: This AP Course has been designed to incorporate the three communicative modes: Interpersonal [interactive communication], Interpretive [receptive communication], and Presentational [productive communication]) while integrating the four skills of foreign language learning and culture on ALL activities in which students will be asked to participate. The four skills are: Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing and are explained in greater detail below.
LISTENING: In this course, students will listen to the dialogues of native Spanish speakers, authentic videos, songs, movies, news reports and the entire audio program provided with each textbook along with other teacher and/or student-chosen selections. Students can also be asked to outline information, complete grids, use graphic organizers, paraphrase, take dictation and extract the main ideas and supporting details from a selection including—who, what, where, when, why and how-- while listening. Later, students apply these strategies when using audio sources as inputs for both the essay and formal speaking sections of the AP Exam.SPEAKING: In this course, a great deal of emphasis will be placed on oral activities. Students are REQUIRED to speak in Spanish daily with the instructor and each other. They are also encouraged to use Spanish outside of the classroom as much as possible. In addition, the instructor will speak COMPLETELY in Spanish throughout ALL aspects of this course. Samples of speaking activities are: formal presentations, oral summaries, narrations, paraphrasing, class discussions-both formal and informal, and interactions with guest speakers.
READING: Even though this syllabus is quite filled with curricular materials, and we will not be able to read every story in our textbook, we will be using some of the stories, while also incorporating readings from other texts and authentic sources. Reading selections will come from various literature books, authentic newspapers, magazines, short stories, novels and poems.
WRITING: The goal of writing in this course is that the students will develop the ability to write for a variety of purposes, as well as a variety of audiences. Some of the important aspects of writing that will be covered in this course are: word choice, effective introductions and conclusions, use of transitional devices, use of appropriate register, formal and informal writing, AP style writing, and timed writing. Students will also keep a journal, write book/movie reviews, invitations, news stories and TV scripts. Written compositions and essays will be required on a weekly basis throughout the entire course. Formal Instruction in writing is evidenced by instruction in brainstorming, pre-writing, writing an introduction/conclusion, providing details and synthesis. Most compositions are modeled on the format used in the AP Exam. However, some creative writing compositions are assigned as well. Part of the grade for composition includes conferencing with the instructor and rewriting to improve writing proficiency.CULTURE: All of the activities designed for and completed in this course will revolve around themes that explore and analyze cultural elements intrinsic to the Hispanic Culture.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS/EVALUATION: Students will be graded on the following items. (NOTE: The Avon Lake City School District Honors’ Grading Scale will be used to calculate final scores in this class. The Instructor will implement the AP/Collegeboard approved rubrics in all facets of the evaluation process.)
- Tests and quizzes assessing the three communicative modes integrating culture and the four skills of language learning (listed above) using the AP rubrics.
- AP Class Folder/Notebook
- Journal
- Essays/Written Compositions WEEKLY.
- Projects/Presentations
- Original Children's Book Project
- Speaking Self-evaluation/Daily Participation
- Daily graded class activities-integrating advanced vocabulary and grammar
- Semester Exam- this is a shorter, practice AP Language Exam using multiple choice items, free response questions that are similar in type and difficulty to those on the AP Exam and essay questions based on materials studied in class.
- Simulated Exam-given as the midterm.
- FINAL CLASS PROJECTS PRESENTED AFTER THE AP SPANISH LANGUAGE EXAM AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
COURSE OUTLINE:
To teach the AP Spanish Language Course, our school uses En Español IV (McDougal Littell), Nuevas Vistas Curso II (Holt), Temas (Vista Higher Learning) Triángulo Aprobado 5th ed. and Triángulo 4th ed. (Wayside) as the core materials. En Español IV provides the students with a thorough overview of the culture, history, art, literature and people of the Spanish-speaking World. We will complete this textbook at the beginning of the school year because it is started in our Spanish IV Honors Course; plus it also has several advanced listening activities which help prepare students for the challenging listening parts of the AP Exam.
Triángulo Aprobado 5th ed., Triángulo 4th ed. and Temas provide students
AP SPANISH LANGUAGE TEXTS AND WRITTEN SOURCES USED AS SUPPLEMENTALS:
Armen, Judy. Abriendo Puertas: Lenguaje. Evanston, Illinois: McDougal Littell Inc. 2007
Couch, J. and R. McCann. Una vez más: un repaso completo de gramática avanzada 3rd ed. Boston, Massachusetts: Pearson Publishers, 2009.
Draper, Jamie and June Phillips. The Five Cs: Standards for Foreign LanguageLearning. Boston, Massachusetts: Heinle & Heinle Publishers, 1999.
Draggett, Parthena. Temas. Vista Higher Learning: Boston, MA 2014.
En Español IV. Evanston, Illinois: McDougal Littell Inc. 2004
Gatski, Barbara and John McMullan. Triángulo, 4th ed. Sándwich, Massachusetts: Pearson/Prentice Hall/Wayside, 2006.
Gatski, Barbara and John McMullan. Triángulo Aprobado 5th ed. Sándwich, Massachusetts: Pearson/Prentice Hall/Wayside, 2013.
Gordon, Ronni and David Stillman. Repaso. Columbus, Ohio: McGraw-Hill Companies.
Jarvis, Ana and Raquel Lebredo. Continuemos. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Publishers, 2003
Nuevas Vistas Curso II. Orlando, Florida: Holt, Rinehart and Winston Publishers: 2006
Sandstedt, Lynn and Ralph Kite. Conversación y Repaso, 8th ed. Boston, Massachusetts: Thomson & Heinle, 2004
**NOTE: Other books, newspapers, magazines and authentic readings MAY be used in class per teacher discretion.
With extensive vocabulary building and recycling, and a wide selection of materials taken from authentic sources presented in the same format as the AP Spanish Language Exam. The use of these books allows for tremendous interaction in the classroom, language building and usage opportunities, and practice with the format of the AP Spanish Language Exam. While the chapters of the Triángulo Text are outlined in detail below, the Temas Text will be used from time to time as needed—especially as the exam date approaches. The Temas Text is an excellent source of review activities that are similar in style and difficulty to those presented on the actual AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam.with extensive vocabulary building and recycling, and a wide selection of materials taken from authentic sources presented in the same format as the AP Spanish Language Exam. The use of these books allows for tremendous interaction in the classroom, language building and usage opportunities, and practice with the format of the AP Spanish Language Exam. While the chapters of the Triángulo Text are outlined in detail below, the Temas Text will be used from time to time as needed—especially as the exam date approaches. The Temas Text is an excellent source of review activities that are similar in style and difficulty to those presented on the actual AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam.
- Nuevas Vistas Curso II will provide students access to a very, advanced text book that thoroughly reviews grammar and vocabulary, while also providing an excellent video program and authentic written segments and literature excerpts..
- First Semester
First Semester
Unit 1- Triángulo 5th ed
Introductory Projects
Unit 2- Triángulo 5th ed
Unit 3- Triángulo 5th ed
Unit 4- Triángulo 5th ed
Unit 1- Nuevas Vistas Curso II
MIDTERM EXAM/Practice AP Exam
MIDTERM EXAM/Practice AP Exam
Second Semester
Unit 6- Triángulo 5th ed
Temas (this semester this AP Spanish Text will be used periodically per teacher discretion)
Unit 6- Triángulo 5th ed
Temas-Unidad 1 (repasar)
Unit 8- Triángulo 4th ed
Temas- Unidad 2 (repasar)
Unit 9- Triángulo 4th ed
Temas-Unidad 3 (repasar)
Unit 9- Triángulo 4th ed
Temas-Unidad 4 (repasar)
Unit 10- Triángulo 4th ed
Temas- Unidad 5 y 6 (repasar)
WEBSITES AND AUTHENTIC LISTENING RESOURCES
www.apcentral.collegeboard.com
AP Central Website with practice activities and strategies. Be sure to click the AP Spanish Language Homepage link.
Grammar Review
Grammar and Vocabulary Review
Extra Practice/Text Book Web Site
Conjugation Practice
Articles, Links, Current Events
Radio de Las Naciones Unidas
Radio Mundo Real
Univision Radio
Andalucía Live TV
Antena 3 Noticias
www.informativos.telecinco.es/
Informativos Telecinco Noticias
www.telemadrid.es/informativos/
Telenoticias Telemadrid
EiTB Actualidad
www.langlink.net/langlink/detail.aspx?id=spanish
Authentic Listening Materials
www.elhuevodechocolate.com/index.html
Fun, Games, Fables, Music
http://laits.utexas.edu/spe/sup09.html<;/a>
University of Texas Web Site- dedicated to oral proficiency with role-play situations.
SCOLA
CNN en español
Nuevos horizontes
Think Spanish
Yabla
www.cervantes.es/portada_b.htm
Instituto Cervantes
Internet Activities for the Foreign Language Classroom
Portalmix
www.pbs.org/itvs/laciudad/index.html
The City: La ciudad (PBS)
El Mundo.es
Ecos Magazine
Voice of America News
Mexico Online
National Spanish Exam
http://prensaescrita.com/<;/a>
Prensa Escrita
Audiria
El Castellano
Todoele
Paper Boy
Caracol Radio and TV (Colombia)
General Information/Human Interest Stories from Spain
Mexican Travel Sites
Links to a Variety of Sources
http://www.rnw.nl/espanol<;/a>
Great sites from the Netherlands for all kinds of Spanish Stories
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Online Magazine with a variety of subjects from Spain
WORLD Fact Book on all Foreign Countries and Governments in Spanish
World Health Organization
http://www.videoele.com/Curso.html<;/a>
Videos for learning Spanish
Vocabulary Practice/Placement Tests
Temas Text Book- Supersite
*NOTE: This is NOT a complete list of all of the web sites that we will use in class. Others may be added as the course progresses per teacher discretion.
Second Quarter:
- See Audit
Third Quarter:
- See Audit
Fourth Quarter:
- See Audit
