AP Spanish

Description of Course:

In AP Spanish, students will gain a better comprehension and understanding of the language. Students will gain proficiency in their written skills in both formal and informal contexts. The class is conducted completely in Spanish and students are encouraged to practice this even outside the classroom with their teachers, family members, and/or peers. Students should be able to use the Spanish language to:
? express themselves orally through formal and informal presentations, debates, or role-plays
? comprehend various letters, stories, instructions, internet articles, magazine articles, and other literature
? demonstrate a cultural understanding and comparison of the Hispanic customs with their own

TEXTBOOKS & OTHER BOOKS USED:
Denevi, Marco; Yates, Donald A. (Edited)
Rosaura a las Diez
Prentice Hall, 1964.
Díaz, José M.; Leicher-Prieto, Margarita; Nissenberg, Gilda
AP Spanish: Preparing for the Language Examination
Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007.
Couch, James H.; McCann, Rebecca D.; Rodríguez-Walter, Carmel; Rubio-Maroto, Angel
Una Vez Más
Longman Publishing, 1993.

Teaching Strategies:

Summer and outside of class:
The Summer prior to the AP class, I provide students with a copy of the syllabus and expectations. By doing this, they are able to possibly look for and purchase the textbooks and also fine-tune areas in which they feel weak. This also helps students to continue using the language so there is not a huge gap between the school years.
In addition, I provide a variety of information about activities and events that students may do to use the language on my website. Such examples may include but are not limited to: concerts by upcoming Hispanic groups, festivals, and even conferences. Students are encouraged to use Spanish with each other, family members, and any other opportunity that presents itself.

Technology:
Technology is used often in AP Spanish. Students are using the internet to obtain current authentic news articles, research, and other activities. My webpage is also utilized and students use this for additional written, speaking, and listening practice. They can also use it for additional cultural information as well. Technology is used to record their speaking activities including practice tests, analysis, and even general comments on topics. For their listening practice, I use a variation of options from live speakers to CD’s to online. Computers, MP3 players, projectors, CD players, and scanners help to provide a variation of authentic language.

Speaking Strategies:
In addition to having the class conducted in Spanish, students are also provided numerous opportunities to speak in Spanish. Examples of such activities are: formal and informal presentations, debates, and mini-plays. In addition, students do various speaking activities from their textbooks.

Reading Strategies:
Students read from their textbooks, other materials such as poems or stories, the internet, magazines and journals in Spanish. They are exposed to as much authentic material as possible. Examples include: internet articles, magazines and newspapers in Spanish, and other literary examples.

Writing Strategies:
Students have numerous opportunities to develop their writing skills. One major example is writing formal essays done in class on a n appropriate topic. This is then evaluated on the pre-determined criteria and then discussed. Students keep their essays in their AP binders to help encourage and illustrate their improvement. Students will write informal letters from various prompts and even emails and optional on-line discussions. Other examples include: creating writing tasks, reactions, and dialogues.

Listening Strategies:
Listening activities are done throughout all levels of Spanish. In AP Spanish, students will be listening to various songs in Spanish and fill-in the missing words. From that, they interpret the lyrics and discuss their interpretations. Another listening activity that they do is done by listening to both long and short narratives on CD. They then answer both written and oral questions. Another listening activity is also from DVD’s of movies, interviews, and television shows in Spanish. Native guest speakers are another authentic example of what is used.

FIRST SEMESTER

UNIT I
? Introductions
? Go over Summer reading selections and activities
? Discuss goals of class and expectations
? Students will need to have a 1 ½ inch (or larger) for AP Spanish; students will be keeping samples of their earlier writing and listening to compare with later samples; this will help show improvement
? Students will choose a Spanish speaking country that they will keep throughout the course; they will be using this country to find out information that they will present in both written and oral forms; this could include customs and a comparison with the US, business information, and literature.
? Students will be given my website address to be able to refer access for additional listening practice and writing prompts
? Go through the AP test format
? Explain the writing and listening activities that students will be doing throughout the course with each unit

UNIT II
? Lección 1 from Una Vez Más text
? Do first in class writing assignment from their textbooks and CDs; then peer edit with specific samples of writing to correct (using Collins Writing format) from AP Spanish workbook
? Start listening activities with guidance for key information; students will be asked to outline the information and take notes, complete grids, or use other organizers to extract detailed information versus main ideas from AP Spanish Workbook and
? In order for students to see their progress, they will be keeping both samples of writing and listening activities in their AP Spanish binders
? Do activity of directions (using imperative)
? Find article from any internet news story and underline the use of the passive voice

UNIT III
? Use segunda lección from Una Vez Más text
? Discuss crime investigations; use examples of CSI, have possible guest from any police force (local, state, federal, border patrol, Homeland Security) come in to discuss findings and use of knowing another language
? Students need to write their own “CSI” summary which includes: what was the crime/what happened, who, where, when
? Have professor come and explain current bills in Congress having to do with Immigration; talk about the situation for immigrants currently

UNIT IV
? Tercera & quinta lección from Una Vez Más
? For their chosen country, students need to look at the economics of what is happening and present a formal presentation on what will happen (from their estimates).
? Students will also listen to the partial lyrics of a song and then will (in small groups) tell what will happen with the remaining lyrics.

UNIT V
? Cuarta lección from Una Vez Más
? From letters written by students in lower level classes, the AP students will take on the persona of “Estimada Abby” and give advice in Spanish.
? Students will listen to various songs from current popular artists such as Ricky Martin or Luis Fonsi and fill-in the missing lyrics. Then, they will need to explain what the songwriter is trying to express about what may or may not happen, the feelings, etc.
? Students will research any social problem that may be happening in their country and give advice to on how to solve the issue.

UNIT VI
? Sexta lección from Una Vez Más
? Students will research health concerns or problems within their country and give a formal presentation with handouts and visual aids.
? Students will research the same concerns here in the US and then write a comparative essay.
? A guest speaker on health care and concerns will come in and the students will then role play from the information given. One will be a person who needs health care and the other will be the health care worker.

MIDTERM EXAMS

UNIT VII
? Review semester goals and upcoming tasks and objectives
? Discuss the AP test and address any concerns
? Read about the numerous possibilities that exist for them that exist by knowing another language and culture.
? Discuss the influence of the Latino in the numerous areas of sports, entertainment, and jobs
? Have students do short presentations on the percentage of people here in the US from their country and give the names of some famous people from their country.

UNIT VIII
? Séptima lección from Una Vez Más
? Poetry recitation, writing, analyzing using poems from the AP lit list
? “Rimas” por Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer

UNIT IX
? Octava lección de Una Vez Más
? Students will need to write an original play; act it out with props, and the length is between 20-30 minutes

UNIT X
? Novena y décima lección de Una Vez Más
? Students will read various childrens’ stories in Spanish and some will act out parts. Then they will write a comparison of what they read versus the enactment done by each group.
? Students will write and present their own children’s stories

UNIT XI
? Lección once de Una Vez Más
? Students will discuss stereotypes and impressions
? From the discusión, students will gather information about a stereotype discussed to see if others view it the same way or there is a variance (such as age, ethnicity, social class). Students will then do a formal presentation with handouts and visual aids on their findings.
? Students will role play various stereotype scenes and then discuss how it could be treated differently or how they could react differently.

UNIT XII
? Lección doce from Una Vez Más
? Rosaura a las Diez overview
? Go over various literary terminology
? Students will write in their journals about the book and their thoughts, advice, interests
? AP Exam practice; role play
? Rosaura oral presentations
? AP Exam practice based on Rosaura (fill-in etc)
? Exam critique related to Rosaura
? Synthesis for formal writing

UNIT XIII
? Lección trece from Una Vez Más
? AP Exam strategies and practice; analyze reason for answers
? Write ensayo about moral choices
? More practice based on individual needs

AP EXAM!!!

UNIT XIV
? Students will apply for a job by writing a cover letter, filling out an application and interviewing (with a native speaker).
? Students will put on a performance/activity for elementary students to show them the opportunities of learning another language
? Students will discuss and plan various tutoring possibilities for both native speakers learning English and any student who struggled with or is struggling with Spanish.