Metropolitan New York Chapter
Mr. Bernard A. López, President
Dr. Liliana Soto-Fernández, Editor
Volume 37, Issue 1
President’s Message
September-October 2009
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1
I hope you had a wonderful and restful summer! The
officers, board members and I have been busy
planning this year's activities for you and your students.
You already received an email from us to inform you of
the NYCAFLT conference on October 31st at the UFT
building. We are sponsoring a session being given by
Professor Edgardo Díaz of John Jay College entitled
"Using Music in the Spanish Classroom." More
information and registration information can be found
on our newly designed website: www.aatspmetny.org
The theme of this year's Gala is "Perú: Literatura y
Cultura. ¡Descubre la Tierra de los Incas!" Related to
the Gala, we are sponsoring two competitions for
students: one will be a poster contest and the other a
video commercial contest. The poster contest will be
open to students from K-12 and the video commercial
contest will be for high school students only. The
winning entries will be showcased at the Gala! More
information to follow. Our Winter Cultural Outing will be
January 9th to celebrate El Día de Los Reyes Magos.
We are arranging for a cooking demonstration and
lunch at a local popular Mexican restaurant! So, mark
your calendar.
I am always eager to listen to your ideas and
suggestions, so email me at blopez@aatspmetny.org
See you October 31st!
2
President’s Message
Fall Meeting
NYSAFLT/UFT Regional Conference
Chapter Poster Contest
3-5
6
National Spanish Exams (NSE)
Meet Our Board
Winter Outing
6-8
9
Photo Album: Albuquerque 2009
2010: AATSP in Guadalajara, Mexico
Awards & Scholarships
10
11
12-13
14
15
Why AATSP?
Professional Conference for Second Lang. Teachers
Chapter Poster Contest: “La belleza que es Perú”
Outstanding Teacher of the Year
Announcements
In Memoriam
Bernie López
President
Metropolitan New York Chapter
Calendar of Events
Don’t forget to vote!
AATSP Officer Elections will take place
electronically. Check your e-mail for
information and links.
Chapter Poster Contest:
Meeting
We will hold our first general membership
meeting on Saturday, October 31 at the UFT
Headquarters on 52 Broadway in Manhattan.
Prof. Edgardo Díaz Díaz will present on the use
of music in the Spanish classroom, something all
teachers can benefit from. Don’t miss it! Early
registration, prior to October 17 will be $25.00.
After October 18th the price goes up to $40.00.
This meeting will take place within the NYCAFLT
Regional Meeting. Cost of the meeting will
include breakfast and lunch.
NYSAFLT/NYCAFLT/ UFT Conference
UFT Headquarters
52 Broadway
New York, N.Y.
Program:
Prof. Edgardo Díaz Díaz, “Using Music in the
Spanish Classroom”
Date: 10/31/09 Time: 8:00.a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
NYSAFLT/NYCAFLT/UFT REGIONAL
CONFERENCE
The New York State Association of Foreign
Language Teachers / New York City Association
of Foreign Language Teachers of the UFT will be
having its Regional Meeting on October 31, 2009
at the UFT Headquarter on 52 Broadway in New
York City. The theme of this conference is
“Quality Teaching and Learning in the World
Language Classroom”. There will be sessions of
interest to all! Prof. Edgardo Díaz Díaz from John
Jay College of Criminal Justice will be presenting
a session on the use of music in the Spanish
classroom. Registration flyer and program are
enclosed. Don’t miss it!
(Registration form on p. 11)
“La belleza que es el Perú”
The Metropolitan New York Chapter is proud to launch
our first chapter poster contest entitled "La belleza que
es Perú. Unlike the national contest it will have four
categories; the fourth category will include high school
students. There will be one prize per category; the
prize will be $50.00 per category. Posters will be on
display at the Gala and possibly used as part of the
invitations and cover for the cookbook. Entry forms are
attached.
Requirements:
1.
Each poster must be created by only one
student. Teachers may submit a total of three posters
per grade category: K-3, 4-5, 6-8 and 9-12.
2.
Entries must be 12 x 18 inches and may be
drawn in pencil, crayon, pen, ink or markers. This
year’s theme must be written on the poster. Students
may use a variety of artistic approaches to represent
the theme. Any writing on the poster must be in
SPANISH.
Posters will be judged on their
applicability to the theme, creativity, and uniqueness.
3.
Sponsoring teachers of students entering the
contest must be current AATSP members.
4.
Each poster must be accompanied by the
AATSP student information form which may be
duplicated. Please TYPE information and attach to
the back of the entry with tape ON ALL SIDES – do
not staple!
5.
Posters must be received by December 1,
2009. Teachers of winning students will be notified
by January 15, 2010 or as soon as possible. Mail
posters first class, FLAT, not rolled or folded and
protected by cardboard.
Mail posters to:
Deme Savopolis
MS 104M
330 East 21st Street
New York, New York 10010
(Entry form on p. 13)
National Spanish Exams (NSE) Online
The National Spanish Examination is an online,
standardized assessment tool given voluntarily by over
3000 teachers throughout the United States to measure
proficiency and achievement of students who are
studying Spanish as a second language.
From 1957 until 2005, the National Spanish Examination
was administered in a written format. Beginning in 2006,
the National Spanish Examination was administered in
an online format through the Quia Corporation and will
continue as the first online national foreign language
exam.
From left to right Kevin Cessna-Buscemi, Liliana
Soto-Fernández and Stana Sukunda
The mission of the National Spanish Examination is to
recognize student achievement and to promote
language proficiency in the study of the Spanish.
NSE is committed to providing teachers with assessment tools and offering students opportunities to practice
their language skills and know their Spanish language proficiency rating through taking the exam.
The purpose of the National Spanish Examination is
1. to recognize achievement in the study of the Spanish language
2. to promote proficiency in interpretive communication in the Spanish language
3. to assess the national standards as they pertain to learning Spanish
4. to stimulate further interest in the teaching and learning of Spanish
In addition:
· Many teachers state that they use the National Spanish Examination to prepare students to take other
standardized tests such as AP, IB, SAT II and college placement exams.
· Many administrators state that they can use data from the National Spanish Examination to create reports
to show how their schools have improved over an academic year.
Exam levels:
1. The levels for the exam will be:
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Regular -Students for whom the only contact with Spanish is in the classroom.
Outside Experience - Students who have had outside experiences beyond the classroom:
o The student has participated in a FLES (elementary program) of between 3 and 6 years.
o The student is a heritage speaker who has had exposure to Spanish but limited practice
in his/her home environment.
o The student has been enrolled in a Spanish immersion program for the prior 3 years or
more.
o The student's principal language is (1) another romance language (French, Italian,
Portuguese, Rumanian) or (2) a language derived from a romance language (Catalan,
Galician, Sicilian, etc.)
Bilingual - Students who come from homes where Spanish is the predominant language
The student has grown up in a home where Spanish is spoken.
The student is bilingual to some degree in both English and Spanish.
The following language experiences may place a student in either the outside experience category or the
bilingual category. Teachers will advise students as to which category is appropriate.
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A student has lived (after age 6) in a Spanish speaking country for more than one year.
A student has studied in a Spanish speaking country for more than 4 months.
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A student whose principal language of communication at home is Spanish or Spanish/English.
A student whose principal language of communication outside the home is Spanish or
Spanish/English.
What’s new with NSE for 2010?
 Global Citizenship Scholarships for Underclassmen
NSE will offer TEN (10) Global Citizenship Scholarships for Underclassmen which will cover the cost of tuition
for a two-week Spanish immersion program through Concordia Language Villages. Click here for information
on how to apply for the Global Citizenship Scholarships for Underclassmen.

Junior Travel Awards for Students
NSE will offer EIGHT (8) travel awards to Peru through a commercial study/travel group. This trip will run
concurrently with a trip offered by the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica, NSE's sister organization. Click here for
information on how to apply for the Junior Travel Awards.

Scholarships for
NSE will offer to high school seniors graduating in 2009, THREE (3) scholarships of $2000, SEVEN (7)
scholarships of $1000, High School Seniors and SEVEN (7) scholarships of $500. Click here for information
on how to apply for the Senior Scholarships.

Study Abroad Scholarships for Teachers
The National Spanish Examination is committed to providing teachers with opportunities to continue their
professional development. This year NSE is offering FOUR (4) scholarships to study abroad for teachers who
are AATSP members and who have registered students to take the National Spanish Examination. Click here
for more information about Scholarships and Grants for Teachers.
 Test Preparation
Previous National Spanish Examinations have been placed online and are available free to all teachers and
students. These exams may be practiced using the online format.
There are no changes for 2009 in:
Test Registration.
Test Content.
Test Administration.
Test Results.
Test dates: March 1st to April 10th, 2010
Registration Deadline: January 31, 2010 – No forms will be available online after Jan. 31, 2010
Note: Teachers are obligated to pay the amount due for any exams ordered during the regular
registration period (November 1, 2009 – January 31, 2010) in order to avoid a late fee of $2.00 per
examination; all payments must be postmarked by February 10, 2010.
Mail a copy of your e-mail invoice with a check made payable to National Spanish examinations to:
National Spanish Examinations
2701 Beech Street – Suite P
Valparaiso, IN 46383
DO NOT MAIL YOUR CHECK TO YOUR LOCAL CHAPTER COORDINATOR
Frequently asked questions about the NSE
[Answers from the NSE website]
How long is the test?
The test consists of two parts: (1) an achievement test based on specifications for vocabulary and specifications
for grammar and (2) a proficiency test which assesses interpretive communication based on the specifications
for listening comprehension and reading comprehension. The achievement test contains 40 items and the
proficiency test contains 34 items. The time limit for each section of the test is 40 minutes.
Note: Schools may chose (1) to give the exam during the regularly scheduled class time over two
consecutive days or (2) to administer the exam in one sitting of at least 90 minutes.
Whom may I contact for more information?
Test Administration
Test Content
NSE Registration / AATSP Dues
Stana Sukunda
Kevin Cessna-Buscemi
Megan Gartside
What are the exam levels?
In order to allow students with like-exposure to compete with each other, NSE has defined seven levels as
follows:
o
Level 01 - Entry level for any program where the course content is equivalent to the first half of first year
high school Spanish. (Grade 7 and some Grade 6 programs)
o
Level 1 - Second year for JHS / MS students where the course content is equivalent to the second half
of first year high school Spanish. (Grade 8) or entry level for any program where the course content is
equivalent to a full year of high school Spanish. (Grades 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12)
o
Level 2 - Second level of high school Spanish. (Grades 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12)
o
Level 3 - Third level of high school Spanish. (Grades 9, 10, 11 or 12)
o
Level 4 - Fourth level of high school Spanish. (Grades 10, 11 or 12)
o
Level 5 - Fifth level of high school Spanish. (Grades 11 or 12)
o
Level 6 - Sixth level of high school Spanish. (Grade 12)
Meet our board!
We encourage meeting the members of our board of directors. They represent you, the members of our
chapter. Please approach them, when you see them at meetings or events. They want to hear what your
needs are so that they can better serve you!
President: BERNARD A. LÓPEZ
Vice Presidents:
MAGALI ÁLVAREZ
YVETTE MATO-MARCH
Treasurer: GLENN NADELBACH
Secretary: DEME SAVOPOLIS
Board:
GABRIELA ALTOMARINO
MARA-LEE BIERMAN
ANTONIO RADAMES DE LA CAMPA
YOLANDA DIAZ TOLEDO
MONICA LEÓN
XAVIER NIETO
DIANA RASCHELLA
TERESA RIOSECO
CATHERINE ROVIRA
CATHERINE SCOTT
PHILIP WAX, JR.
Past President: DR. MARILYN KISS
Newsletter Editor: DR. LILIANA SOTO-FERNÁNDEZ
Winter Cultural Outing
Save the Date: January 09, 2010
A celebration of Three Kings Day! Leave holiday stress behind and join us for a day of
relaxation, collegiality and good food. Don’t miss it!
AATSP Photo Album: Albuquerque 2009
.
AATSP 2009
Albuquerque, New Mexico
\
AATSP Chapter
Delegate Assembly
NEXT YEAR GUADALAJARA, MEXICO. DON’T MISS IT!
:
Make plans now to attend the 92nd Annual Conference in
Guadalajara, Mexico, July 10-13, 2010.
Conference hotel and registration information will be available in
early fall.
Awards & Scholarships
The following awards and scholarships are offered by AATSP. Please take advantage of these great opportunities.
Go to aatsp.org and click member resources for additional information. Don’t miss out!
All members are invited to submit proposals for Academic Papers, Sessions, Poster Sessions and
Workshops.
Please plan now to join us! Registration will begin in January. Register early to take advantage of our EARLY
BIRD discount rate.
LIST OF AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS
AATSP AWARDS
1. AATSP Outstanding Service Award
2. AATSP Outstanding Teacher of the Year Awards
A. Elementary Level (Grades K-8)
B. Secondary Level (Grades 9-12)
C. Two-year College Level
D. College or University Level
3. Robert G. Mead, Jr. Distinguished Leadership Award
4. Robert G. Mead, Jr. Travel, Study, and/or Research Award
5. Maria Isabel Abreu Award
6. AATSP Chapter Incentive Award
7. ISE Language Matters Award
AATSP SCHOLARSHIPS AND STIPENDS
1.
Summer Study Scholarships to Spain and Mexico
2. Annual Meeting Travel Stipends
American Association 9
Why AATSP?
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.
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Annual Meetings. Two days or more of workshops and three days of sessions on all
aspects of teaching of Spanish and Portuguese.
Association voice in the Joint National Committee on Languages. We work together
with other language associations.
.Chapters at the local/state level. Additional AATSP activities close to your home.
Enlace. The Association’s newsletter, published three times annually.
FLES Committee. Gives information on establishing and maintaining FLES* programs, and
sources for FLES* materials.
Hispania. The Association’s quarterly journal, which includes articles on pedagogy,
literature, linguistics, and computer assisted language instruction.
National Spanish Examinations. A motivational competition for secondary school
students.
.
Outreach. A program that brings techniques and information from Annual Meeting
workshops back to the chapters and school districts.
Outstanding Teacher Awards. Presented to an outstanding teacher at k-8, 9-12,
community college and college/university levels.
Pedagogical Resource Center. Materials and activities for all aspects of classroom
teaching for elementary, secondary, and college levels.
Placement Bureau. A placement service both for AATSP members and for schools
seeking faculty.
Portuguese Newsletter. Published semi-annually by the Exec. Secretary-Treasurer of Phi
Lambda Beta, Portuguese Honor Society.
Professional Development Workshops. Regional workshops on current topics cosponsored by AATSP and Embassy of Spain.
Publications. Spanish for Business and the Professions. Forthcoming: Spanish for Native
Speakers.
Regional Meetings. Meetings of all chapters in the northeast; meetings for other areas
planned.
Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica. An honor society with many benefits for secondary
students.
Summer Seminar in Mexico. Two-week annual immersion session in Mexico.
Travel Stipends for Spain and Mexico scholarship recipients.
T-Shirts/Sweatshirts/Tote Bags. Designs in Spanish and Portuguese for students and
professors.
American Association 10
Annual Professional Conference for All Second Language Teachers (LOTE)
sponsored by
The New York City Association of Foreign Language Teachers of the United Federation of Teachers
and the New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers
Saturday, October 31, 2009
8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M
UFT Headquarters at 52 Broadway in Manhattan
“Quality Teaching and Learning in the World Language Classroom”
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Publishers and Vendors – Bring your complete school address including zip-code in order to receive
complimentary copies from publishers.
Workshops on the Junior High, Middle School, High School Levels
Breakfast and Lunch
Language-Specific Workshop Sessions sponsored by AATSP (Spanish) , AATF (French), ATI (Italian)
and the Chinese Language Teacher Association
Check the UFT Website for a complete listing of workshops. Go to www.uft.org
1. Click on member services (on your left hand side)
2. Scroll down to UFT today and click on union committees
3. Scroll down to Foreign Language and click on events, news & services
4. Click on calendar of events
For Additional Information: (212) 598-7772
Detach and mail to: UFT, NYCAFLT/UFT Annual Professional Conference
Broadway, 12th Floor, Professional Committees, New York, NY 10004
52
Trains 4 or 5 to Wall Street; Train 1 to Rector St.; Train #2 and #3 to Wall St.; Train R to Rector;
Train E to World Trade Center; A or C to Broadway-Nassau; J to Broad Street; Information: www.MTA.Info
Parking available nearby: Central Parking System Battery Garage at 70 Greenwich St. and State Pearl
Garage at
One Battery Park Plaza between State St. and Whitehead on Pearl Street
Early Registration fee: $25.00 postmarked by Wednesday, October 21, 2009
After Oct. 21 or On-Site : $40.00
Please enclose a check or money order payable to: NYCAFLT/UFT
Name ____________________________ ________________________________________________________
Home Phone (
Street
)
E-mail
City
School
Street
Phone (
City
American Association 11
State
Zip
State
Zip
)
Language(s) taught: __________________________________________________________________________
The American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese
Metropolitan New York Chapter
2009-2010 Elementary / Middle School and High School Poster Contest
La Belleza que es Perú
Requirements:
1.
2.
Each poster must be created by only one student. Teachers may submit a
total of three posters per grade category: K-3, 4-5, 6-8 and 9-12.
Entries must be 12 x 18 inches and may be drawn in pencil, crayon, pen, ink,
paints or markers.
This year’s theme must be written on the poster.
Students may use a variety of artistic approaches to represent the theme.
Any writing on the poster must be in SPANISH. Posters will be judged on
their applicability to the theme, creativity, and uniqueness.
3.
4.
5.
Sponsoring teachers of students entering the contest must be current AATSP
members.
Each poster must be accompanied by the AATSP student information form
which may be duplicated. Please TYPE information and attach to the back of
the entry with tape ON ALL SIDES – do not staple!
Posters must be received by December 1, 2009.
Teachers of winning
students will be notified by January 15, 2010 or as soon as possible. Mail
posters first class, FLAT, not rolled or folded and protected by cardboard.
Mail posters to:
Deme Savopolis
MS 104M
330 East 21st Street
New York, New York 10010
6.
Prizes – the student with the winning poster in each category will be awarded
$50.00.
7.
Outstanding posters will be showcased at the Annual Gala. Posters may be
duplicated for use by the chapter
American Association 12
The American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese
Metropolitan New York Chapter
Student Information Entry Form – Chapter Poster Contest 2009-2010
Please TYPE all requested information and attach form to back of poster and tape ON
ALL SIDES. (Do not staple).
Name of student____________________________________________________ Grade____
Name of school______________________________________________________________
School Address _____________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
School Phone (___)_______________________ Principal ___________________________
Sponsoring Teacher’s Name ___________________________________________________
Sponsoring Teacher’s E-mail address ___________________________________________
Sponsoring Teacher’s AATSP Member ID Number _________________________________
Signatures: We understand that the poster entry becomes the sole property of the
AATSP Metropolitan New York Chapter and that it may be duplicated and/or displayed at
meetings.
Student Signature _________________________________ Date _____________________
Sponsoring Teacher’s signature _____________________ Date ______________________
Parent/Guardian‘s Signature ________________________ Date ______________________
PLEASE DUPLICATE THIS FORM AS NEEDED
American Association 13
The American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese
Metropolitan New York Chapter
OUTSTANDING TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD
The AATSP Outstanding Teacher of the Year Awards will be given to Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese
representing the following four categories:
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Elementary Level: Grades K-8
Secondary Level: Grades 9-12
Two-year college level
College or university level
ELIGIBILITY
To be considered the nominee must meet the following requirements:
1.
2.
3.
Membership in the national AATSP for at least five consecutive years.
Provide evidence of teaching Spanish and/or Portuguese for at least five consecutive years at any level of
instruction.
Your application materials should include:
 A current curriculum vitae (resume).
 No more than three letters of recommendation, which may include letters from administrators,
colleagues or other significant references. Letters of recommendation should be written by those who
have firsthand knowledge of the candidate’s teaching abilities. Letters should provide evidence of
outstanding teaching from a variety of sources such as direct classroom observation; student evaluations;
teaching portfolios including videos; review of course syllabi and print and/or on-line teaching materials.
 A personal statement. The candidate should provide evidence of professional excellence in teaching
Spanish or Portuguese in a two or three page statement, which presents the candidates teaching
philosophy and involvement in related activities and professional organizations. In this position
statement the candidate may comment on any of the following topics:
 > How are students inspired to want to speak Spanish or Portuguese and to develop proficiency in the
other language skills?
 > How are creativity and ingenuity used in planning classroom activities that help to challenge students?
 > What activities are used to develop critical thinking and higher order thinking skills?
 > How is a sense of global understanding developed in the students?
 > To what extent has the candidate demonstrated leadership and participation?
 > In what way has the candidate shared knowledge or information with colleagues?
NOMINATIONS
1.
2.
3.
Nominations may be submitted by any AATSP member in good standing, including self-nominations
The letter of nomination or recommendation should include the following information:
 In what capacity the nominator has known the person nominated.
 How the excellence of the nominee has been assessed.
 The rationale for proposing the candidate as a most deserving person for the award.
All nomination materials must be submitted in electronic format and sent via e-mail.
NOTES
The award will be presented at the Annual Spring Gala 2010.
Send all nomination materials via e-mail to: Bernard A. Lopez, execadm@hotmail.com by Monday, March 1, 2010
American Association 14
Announcements:
Calendar of Events

Biennial AATSP - Northeast Regional
Meeting 10/09 -10/12, 2009

General Membership Meeting- 10/31/2009

AATSP National Elections

Scholarships and Stipends DeadlineDecember 1, 2009

Chapter Poster Contest- December 1, 2009
In Memoriam

Winter Outing- January 9, 2010
It is with great sadness that we inform you of
the passing of Vicente Fernández, husband of
Liliana Soto-Fernández, our newsletter editor.
Contributions in his memory can be made to the
Bishop Luis Amigó Foundation at 91 West 23rd
St., Bayonne, New Jersey 07002.

Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award –
March 1, 2010
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Spring Cultural Outing – March 13, 2010

Annual Gala- April 17, 2010
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Awards Ceremony- May 16, 2010
(tentative)

AATSP Annual Conference 07/10-13, 2010Guadalaja, Mexico

National Spanish Exam Deadline – January
31, 2010
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National Portuguese Exam
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October 31, 2009 Annual Professional
Conference for All Second Language
Teachers at the UFT headquarters.

November 6, 7 & 8: Círculo de Cultura
Panamericano will hold its annual fall
meeting at William Patterson University in
Totowa, N.J.
American Association 15