Serrano, jserrano@chatham-nj.org, 10-11, 1
AP SPANISH
COURSE SYLLABUS and EXPECTATIONS
A. ABOUT THE COURSE:
The AP Spanish Language course, conducted completely in Spanish, aims to prepare students to
demonstrate their level of Spanish proficiency across three communicative modes (Interpersonal [interactive
communication], Interpretive [receptive communication], and Presentational [productive communication])
and the five goal areas outlined in the Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century
(Communications, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities).
The course is comparable to advanced level college and university courses that emphasize the use of
Spanish for active communication. It encompasses aural/oral skills, reading comprehension, grammar, and
composition. Students are given ample opportunities throughout the course to provide evidence of their
proficiency through the use of formative and summative assessments. These include, but are not limited to,
individual and group oral presentations, interactive discourses and debates, weekly essay writing, reading
and listening comprehension assessments. At least one form of assessment will be given per week. Course
content reflects a wide variety of academic and cultural topics (i.e. the arts, history, current events, literature,
culture, etc.).
Materials used include authentic resources in the form of recordings, internet, films, newspapers,
magazines, etc. as well as authentic literature and the more traditional texts. Rather than a mastery of any
specific subject matter, the course develops integrated language skills, which are in themselves useful and
which can be applied to various activities and disciplines. Integrating language skills and synthesizing
written and aural materials are an integral part of the AP Spanish Language course.
Course objectives are to help the student:
 understand Spanish spoken by native speakers at a natural pace, with a variety of regional
pronunciations, in both informal and formal contexts;
 develop an active vocabulary sufficient for reading newspaper and magazine articles,
contemporary literature, and other non-technical writings (websites, letters and emails,
advertisements, signs and instructions) in Spanish without dependence on a dictionary;
 express oneself by describing, narrating, inquiring, and developing arguments in Spanish,
both orally and in writing, with reasonable fluency, using different strategies for different
audiences and communicative contexts.
B) RESOURCES USED:
Blanco, José A., et. al. Imagina español sin barreras. Boston: Vista Higher Learning, 2007.
(This textbook offers an integrated program with related internet resources available to the student at
www.imagina.vhlcentral.com , which include audio, video, grammar, etc.)
Abriendo puertas: Lenguaje, McDougal Littell, 2007.
Abriendo puertas: Literatura, McDougal Littell, 2007.
Gatski, Barbara & John McMullan. Triángulo, Wayside Publishing, 2006
Couch, James H., et. al. Una vez más, New York: Longman Publishing Group, 2003
Various Internet sites such as:
Radio Naciones Unidas http://www.un.org/radio/es/; http://www.podcast.net/cat/93; etc.
Serrano, jserrano@chatham-nj.org, 10-11, 2
C) SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL:
Various other resources will be used such as films, music, literature, etc. Examples of these materials are
listed below; however, this list is neither all-inclusive nor limiting.
 Films – i.e. feature-length films such as “La historia oficial” and “El Norte,” as well as short duration
films from various Hispanic countries (i.e.“El día menos pensado” and “Raíz”)
 Prose and poetry from Spanish and Latin-American authors
 Works of art from such artists as Velázquez, Picasso, Goya, Dalí, Kahlo, Rivera, etc.
 Extensive use of internet resources for current, authentic newspaper articles, radio programs, video
news clips, songs, etc. from a variety of websites all over the world
 Consistent and frequent use of the Language Lab for interpersonal, interpretive and presentational
communication.
D) ABOUT THE AP EXAM:
The AP Spanish Language Exam is not based on specific course content but instead attempts to evaluate
levels of performance in the use of the language both in understanding written and spoken Spanish and in
writing and speaking with ease in correct and idiomatic Spanish in informal and formal modes. Samples of
the formats for all parts of the exam will be provided to the students and regularly employed in context via
exercises, homework, and assessments during the course of the year. The AP Spanish Language 2007 Exam
Format is shown below. The Final exam for this AP Spanish Language course will incorporate all aspects of
this AP Exam model, albeit in a shorter version, and be scored in this fashion as well.
Section
Item Type
Number of Questions and %
Weight of Final Score
Section I
Multiple Choice
70-75 questions
50%
85-90 min.
Time
Part A:
Listening
Short and Long Dialogues
and Narratives
30-35 questions
20%
30-35 min.
Part B:
Reading
Reading Comprehension
35-40 questions
30%
50-60 min.
50%
Approx. 85
min.
30%
Approx. 65
min.
20%
Approx. 20
min.
Section II
Free Response
Informal Writing
Part A:
Writing
Part B:
Speaking
Formal Writing
(Integrated Skills)
Informal Speaking
(Simulated Conversation)
Formal Oral Presentation
(Integrated Skills)
1 prompt (10%)
10 minutes
1 prompt (20%)
55 minutes
5-6 response prompts (10%)
20 seconds to respond to
each
1 prompt (10%)
2 minutes to respond
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UNITS (subject to change):
1) People & personalities (“Personas y personalidades”)
a) Themes: explore personal relationships; reaction to others; family; friends & acquaintances;
typical personal daily activities (i.e. visiting the doctor, shopping, etc.)
b) Imagina, lessons 1 (“Sentir y vivir”) & 4 (“Generaciones en movimiento”)
c) Fonts: Literature-“Una sortija para mi novia” (Padró), “El nieto” (Rojo); Films- “Momentos de
estación” (Cabaña), “Raíz”(Urresti), “Adiós mamá” (Gordon); Songs- “Ojalá” (S Rodríguez),
“Veinte años” (Buena Vista Social Club)
d) Grammar: ser vs. estar, verbs like gustar, por vs. para, reflexive verbs, present subjunctive, “Do
Now” review activities covering basic verb tenses (i.e. present)
2) City vs. World & Nature (“Ciudad vs. Mundo y Naturaleza”)
a) Themes: environmental issues and solutions; modes of transportation
b) Imagina, lessons 2 (“Vivir en la ciudad”) & 5 (“Las riquezas naturales”)
c) Fonts: Literatura- “La fiesta del árbol” (Mistral), “Valle del fuego” (Balaguer); Song- “¿Dónde
jugarán los niños?” (Maná); Film- “El día menos pensado” (Plá); current news articles and radio
broadcasts via Radio Naciones Unidas
d) Grammar: preterite vs. imperfect, future, conditional tenses, “Do Now” review activities
3) Beliefs & Ideologies (“Creencias e ideologías”)
a) Themes: differing opinions; human rights; terrorism; war & peace
b) Imagina, lesson 6 (“El valor de las ideas”)
c) Fonts: Art- “Guernica,” (Picasso),“El tres de mayo” (Goya); Literature- “Masa” (Vallejo),
“Preso sin nombre, celda sin número” (Timerman); Film- “La historia oficial” (Piñeyro); current
news articles, radio broadcasts
d) Grammar: past subjunctive, if/then clauses, comparisons/superlatives, commands, “Do Now”
review activities
4) Diversity and Immigration (“Inmigrantes y diversidad”)
a) Themes: advantages and disadvantages of immigrants and diversity; changes/problems/solutions
b) Imagina, lesson 10 (“Destino y diversidad”)
c) Fonts: Art- Botero, Rivera; Literatura- “Cajas de cartón” (Jiménez); Film- “El Norte” (Thomas),
“Un día sin mexicanos” (movie critiques); Songs- “Hablemos el mismo idioma” (Estefan), “Visa
para un sueño” (J L Guerra), literatura- “Un puñado de tierra” (Campos Cervera), “Letanía del
mar” (de Burgos), “Mi raza” (Martí); current news articles, radio programas vía Radio Naciones
Unidas, etc.
d) Grammar: object pronouns, passive voice, negative/indefinite expressions, “Do Now” review
activities
5) Work and Play (“Oficio y ocio”)
a) Themes: cultural and professional identity; who am I, what do I do and why?
b) Imagina, lessons 7 (“Perspectivas laborales”) & 9 (“Las diversiones”)
c) Fonts: Art- “Las dos Fridas” (Kahlo); Literature- “El delantal blanco” (Vodanovic), “Dos
Palabras” (Allende), “Borges y yo” (Borges), bios regarding Hispanics in various professions
and sports; Film- “Espíritu deportivo” (Bourges); current newspaper article (“Busco profesión”),
radio broadcasts
d) Grammar: the perfect tenses, indicative vs. subjunctive, infinitive vs. gerund, “Do Now” review
activities
6) Communication & Technology (“La comunicación y la tecnología”) [time-permitting]
a) Themes: media and technology; science – friend or foe?
b) Imagina, lessons 3 (“La influencia de los medios”) & 8 (“Ciencia y tecnología”)
c) Fonts: Literature- “La intrusa” (Orgamibide); Film- “Happy Cool” (Dodero); current events,
news items, radio broadcasts
d) Grammar: adjective & noun clauses, relative pronouns, prepositions, “Do Now” review activities
7) Culminating Project - See description in “Grading” section below
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E) CLASS EXPECTATIONS:
The study of a foreign language requires an ongoing and fairly intense effort. For this course, it is not
unreasonable to assume that the average student put in additional hours of study and preparation per week.
This preparation includes keeping abreast of assigned readings, creating personalized notes from class
materials, performing independent listening activities in the Language Lab and/or at home (i.e. watching
news on Spanish TV), doing homework assignments and preparing for exams. Be aware of the fact that
learning a foreign language definitely takes preparation before class and focus and concentration during class
sessions.
You are expected to participate to the fullest during each class period – sharing ideas, expressing
yourself in Spanish, encouraging your classmates, and listening and respecting others. Participation is vital
to the existence of a foreign language class because the goal is to help you express what you think, believe,
and feel in the target language (i.e. Spanish). You must use Spanish exclusively. I will keep a running
evaluation of each student’s participation in class and take participation into account for each marking period
grade. If you are not in class, you cannot participate; therefore, requests to leave the classroom should be
kept to a minimum and only used when absolutely necessary. Excessive and/or frequent requests to leave the
classroom to visit the bathroom, nurse, other teachers, etc. will be duly noted.
Finally, you must feel free to come for extra help from me any time you are unsure about any of our class
topics. But please understand that you must demonstrate that you have tried to learn the material in the
classroom and at home. “I don’t understand grammar” or “Spanish grammar is impossible” are not valid
complaints. But, “I don’t understand how to use the conditional verb tense when I pose cause-and-effect
statements in Spanish” or “Please help me clarify how an author’s use of symbols in a story can parallel an
artist’s visual images in a painting to draw attention to the plight of war-torn citizens and people affected by
terrorism” demonstrates that you have put forth some effort and require help on my part. The more timely
that we address a question, the better!
F) HOMEWORK:
Each week you will receive various homework assignments that may consist of activities related to
grammar, building vocabulary, writing/reading assignments, listening assignments to which you may need to
respond via recording, etc. Another part of your homework responsibility will be to personally choose an
activity to perform every month. Your “Personal Homework Activity” will always be graded. The options
are as follows:
 Choose a grammar topic in which you feel a particular weakness or need to review. You will
then study that point and complete 3 different grammar exercises related to that specific topic to
hand in to me for corrections and grading. With your exercises, provide a synopsis of what the
topic was, why you chose it, and why you found the activities beneficial. You will also present
the grammar point to the class to enrich your classmates’ grammar understanding.
 Read a brief authentic piece in Spanish (i.e. newspaper/magazine article, short story, etc.),
summarize and analyze it, then provide a synopsis of your analysis in short essay format and
briefly present your findings to the class verbally. Be sure to present your own point of view and
support your position with valid substantiation from the material you read.
 Watch or listen to an hour of authentic Spanish programming, summarize and analyze the
program, then provide a synopsis of your analysis in short essay format and briefly present your
findings to the class verbally. Be sure to present your point of view and support your position
with valid substantiation from the material you watched. This may also be done with an
authentic Spanish-language film (movie or documentary.)
This personal exercise is in addition to any other homework that may be assigned each. You may choose
grammar exercises from Imagina, supplementary grammar texts, and/or internet sites. Similarly, printed
magazines, Spanish-language films, short stories, newspapers, poems, etc. can be found in class and/or in the
Language Lab via the internet. Your “Personal Homework Activity” must be VARIED and handed as per the
schedule provided to you under separate cover, whether we meet for class that day or not, and may be
completed in the Language Lab during lunch lab times.
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Other assigned homework may be graded periodically and grades will be added into the final grading
tally; you may not know ahead of time when I will collect the homework for grading.
G) ASSESSMENTS
Students will have weekly assessments of various types, i.e. essays, reading comprehension, etc.
Periodically, you will be given quizzes and tests regarding the material learned over the course of the class.
They may cover grammar, vocabulary, and/or content. Particular care will be taken to administer
assessments in keeping with the spirit of the AP Exam in that they will address listening, reading, writing,
and speaking. However, every assessment will not always cover every one of the four areas. For example,
an oral assessment/presentation may be required one time, while a written essay may be assigned another.
Some assessments will be individual, while others may be in a cooperative environment and presented in
groups. Although “Pop Quizes” may come up, I usually will prefer to give an idea of what the assessment
will entail a few days prior to administering it. Oral presentations or written essays may be preceded by a
rubric or specific instruction provided to the students in advance so you are aware of the specific
expectations and the time limits/deadlines involved.
At the end of each unit and/or marking period, students can expect a more comprehensive test to assess
the material covered over the course of that unit and/or marking period. Writing assignments may also be in
the form of journal entries, compositions, creative pieces, personal responses to current events in Spanish,
answering questions, etc. Some may be given in the form of homework assignments to be handed in for
grading. As with related readings, writing assignments will help you see the principles we are learning in an
authentic way as you respond to stories, poems, newspaper articles, etc. Please keep in mind that the
majority of the work in this course will demand that students comprehend, summarize, analyze, and
synthesize the material covered. You are always welcomed to provide your own opinion, but you must
always be prepared to document and support your stand with the information provided for your analysis.
Your creation/production of any/all responses will always be completely in Spanish.
H) GRADING:
All assignments, quizzes, tests, homework, etc. that are to be graded will have a specific point value
related to them. The students will receive points based on how well they perform on each assessment. Class
participation points will also be added into this calculation in the same manner. At the end of the marking
period, the total amount of points you received will be divided by the total number of possible points
available from all assessments, and the resulting percentage will be your grade for the marking period. The
interactive and presentational rubrics used for assessment purposes are in keeping with the AP Spanish
Language rubrics for writing and speaking. These are provided to the students.
This is an AP course so the expectation is that students who take the course will take the AP Exam in the
Spring. Only students taking the AP Exam and maintaining a cumulative grade of A- or better will be
considered for exemption from taking a Final Exam at the end of the school year. However, the students'
continued class participation and attendance AFTER taking the AP Exam will determine his/her actual
exemption of the final exam. Students who are exempt will be advised in due course. Additionally, after the
AP Exam, all students will participate in a year-end authentic task to synthesize the concepts discussed
during the year and perform a culminating project. This may be a thesis paper, Powerpoint presentation,
original work of literature/art, video production, etc. and will likely be in response to research or a visual
prompt (i.e. full length movie) that must be analyzed and/or an authentic situation for student consideration
and action (i.e. the planning of a College year abroad in a Spanish-speaking country). In any case, the
prompt/situation will encompass the unit themes we have discussed in class during the year and your project
will necessarily give appropriate reference to them. A full explanation, due dates and rubrics will be
provided for this when the project is introduced.
I) My contact information:
Josephine A. Serrano, Chatham High School
jserrano@chatham-nj.org or 973-457-2505, ext. 2835