“Essential Questions/Enduring Understandings and Classroom Applications”
GUSTAVO VERZBICKIS
SPANISH TEACHER
ABRAHAM CLARK HIGH SCHOOL
ROSELLE, NEW JERSEY
Content Area: World Languages Spanish
Grade: AP Spanish Language
CREATING A WIKI SPACE FOR THE AP SPANISH LANGUAGE CLASS
Standard 7: Communication & Culture for the 21st Century
All students will be able to communicate, to understand and be understood in real world contexts, in at least one world language in addition to English.
For this particular project, students will be also able to create a virtual space to share experiences and ideas, exchange knowledge, communicate decisions, facts, and
events. They will also be able to be part of a cooperative learning experience.
Descriptive Statement:
Students will use language to understand and interpret spoken and written language (interpretive), engage in meaningful conversation and negotiate meaning
(interpersonal), and present information, concepts and ideas (presentational) as they gain understanding of the perspectives of the culture(s)while experiencing its products
and practices, make connections with other content areas, compare the language/culture studied with their own, and participate in home and global communities in or
outside a school setting.
Creating a Wiki Space for the AP Language Class means the students will create a network where all their work will be in. This virtual space will become the place where
they are going to do their homework, their presentations. They will post in there all the information they will consider useful for the class to use and any other type of
resources in order to improve the class as a group of people sharing a learning experience.
Strand: Interpretive Interpersonal Presentational
Essential Questions
Interpretative
How do my experiences and cultural background influence what I hear and
read?
Interpersonal
How do I get through a situation with a complication?
Presentational
How do the use of cohesive devices, multiple resources, and technology
strengthen my presentation?
Enduring Understanding
I will understand that…
Interpretative
Reading and listening are defined as one-way communication, what I bring to the
text both experientially and culturally influence my interpretations of it.
Interpersonal
I must use a wide range of communication strategies and cultural knowledge to solve
authentic problems in the language.
Presentational
How successful I am in presenting on a topic depends on how I choose to present
the information linguistically and visually.
CONTENT

Advanced Low
CUMULATIVE PROGRESS INDICATORS (CPIS)
Interpretive:
Interpersonal:
Presentational:


Bilingualism
Universal Themes in
literature
 The Power of the Media and
Manipulation of the
Message within the context
of the home and target
cultures.




Demonstrate an understanding of
spoken and written language and
nuances of culture, as expressed by
speakers of the target language in
informal and some formal settings.
Evaluate information from oral and
written discourse dealing with a variety
of topics.
Analyze and critique readings from
authentic texts on topics of which they
have limited previous experience.
View a podcast, video clip, on-line
video, on-line audio clip, or other
emerging on-line vehicle; or, read a
blog, a social networking site, or an online site related to targeted themes.





Interact in a variety of familiar and a
few unfamiliar situations using
culturally appropriate verbal and
non-verbal communication
strategies.
Ask and respond to questions as part
of group discussion on topics of
personal, academic or social nature
in informal and some formal
settings.
Engage in oral and/or written
discourse in a variety of time frames
on topics of personal or social
interest, on topics studied in other
core content areas, and on some
unfamiliar topics.
Use language in a variety of settings
to further personal, career, and
academic goals.
Exchange information through a
video/phone/on-line conference,
texting, IMing, e-pal, or other
emerging on-line vehicles.





Create a research based analysis of a
contemporary theme showing the
perspectives of multiple cultures.
Use language creatively in writing for
personal, career or academic
purposes
Analyze the relationship between the
structural elements and/or cultural
perspectives of authentic selections
with that of selections in English or
other target language sources.
Analyze how the perspectives of the
target culture(s) are manifested in
their products and practices, how
they change over time, and compare
those changes with home cultural
perspectives.
Create a podcast, videocast, video
clip, multimedia presentation,
electronic poster, or use other
emerging technologies to create a
product for posting on a social
network, educational, or personal
webpage, or to be sent to a target
language audience via e-mail.
INSTRUCTIONAL FOCUS
Making a Wiki Space for the AP Language Class is a long term project. In order to make the evaluation easier the project will be divided in 4 stages.
Stage 1/Marking Period 1:
On this period of time students will be able to understand and learn how to create a wiki space. For this goal, students will be able to:
Interpretive mode:
Understand the concept of the wiki space as a virtual network.
Compare and differentiate Wiki with other networks like MySpace, Hi5, etc.
Interpersonal mode:
Answer questions and make their own questions related to how wiki space works.
Presentational mode:
Demonstrate comprehension of the concept of wiki space.
Share this experience with the rest of the class.
Stage 2/Marking Period 2:
On this stage students will experience how to use the wiki space. For that purpose they will post homework, small projects, videos, sounds, links and information useful for
them and for the rest of the class.
Interpretive mode:
Apply what they learned during the first marking period by posting on line all the tasks they have to do for the class.
Incorporate other technologies such as Skype, Voice Thread, in order to make video conferences, audio and video files.
Interpersonal mode:
Keep in touch with the rest of the class in order to exchange information, ideas, questions and doubts related to how to use the wiki space.
Presentational mode:
Present and propose to the class different resources they consider useful to improve the wiki space.
Stage 3/Marking Period 3:
On this stage students will experience how to use the wiki space in order to establish interdisciplinary connections.
Interpretive mode:
Chose a subject or subjects to establish the interdisciplinary connections.
Interpersonal mode:
Keep in touch with the rest of the class in order to create a criteria for the make interdisciplinary connections..
Presentational mode:
Elaborate and present an interdisciplinary project.
Stage 4/Marking Period 4:
On this stage students will apply all they have learned during the year in order to connect the wiki space with other schools.
Interpretive mode:
Reflect on the importance of making connections with the rest of the world.
Interpersonal mode:
Schedule meeting with the teacher and other students to ask each other questions and establish common criteria.
Presentational mode:
Make a final presentation.
Interdisciplinary/Assessment Implementation Strategies
Interdisciplinary Connections
There are different ways to connect the language with other subjects. With English teacher we have done in the past a literature project with Franz Kafka. Students read
Metamorphosis in English and Carta al padre in Spanish. Because Carta al padre is an autobiographical piece it is very explanatory and useful to access to the rest of Kafka's
books. Service Learning is another wonderful way to make interdisciplinary connections. Just to talk about a couple of ways to do that.
Technology Integration
Little by little, as it was already explained before, student will be incorporating different software and tools in order to integrate technology with the rest of the learning
areas.
Global Perspectives
Students will experience the importance to not to be isolated in the present world by making connections with other schools worldwide.
Summative:
At the end of the school year, students will have to integrate all they learned during the year in a final presentation.
Interpretive:
Students will have to reflect on the importance of having been working in a network like this
Interpersonal:
Students will have be very cooperative and generous in order to have a cooperative learning experience.
Presentational:
Students will have to demonstrate knowledge by presenting their final project to the rest of the class.