AP SPANISH
LANGUAGE
Preparing our students for
challenging expectations in
Spanish communication
WHAT SHOULD OUR
STUDENTS KNOW AND
BE ABLE TO DO?
Let’s look at the claims and
evidence (from AP Central)!
EXPECTATIONS
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CLAIMS about students who score a 3, 4, 5 (As
stated on the AP Central Web site):
The student has strong communicative ability in
Spanish in the Interpersonal, Interpretive, and
Presentational modes.
The student has a strong command of Spanish
linguistic skills (including accuracy and fluency) that
support communicative ability.
The student comprehends Spanish intended for
native speakers in a variety of settings, types of
discourse, topics, styles, registers, and broad
regional variations.
EXPECTATIONS
Claims (continued)
The student produces Spanish
comprehensible to native speakers in a
variety of settings, types of discourse,
topics, and registers.
 The student acquires information from
authentic sources in Spanish.
 The student is aware of some cultural
perspectives of Spanish-speaking
peoples.
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EXPECTATIONS
EVIDENCE shown by students who score a 3,
4, 5 (As stated on the AP Central Web site):
 Identify and summarize the main points and
significant details and make appropriate
inferences and predictions from a spoken
source, such as a broadcast news report or a
lecture on an academic or cultural topic related
to the Spanish-speaking world.
 Identify and summarize the main points and
significant details and predict outcomes from an
everyday conversation on a familiar topic, a
dialogue from a film or other broadcast media, or
an interview on a social or cultural topic related
to the Spanish-speaking world.
EXPECTATIONS
Evidence (continued)
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Identify and summarize main points and important
details and make appropriate inferences and predictions
from a written text such as a newspaper or magazine
article or contemporary literary excerpt.
Write a cohesive and coherent analytical or persuasive
essay in reaction to a text or on a personal, academic,
cultural, or social issue, with control of grammar and
syntax.
Describe, narrate, and present information or persuasive
arguments on general topics with grammatical control
and good pronunciation in an oral presentation of two or
three minutes.
Use information from sources provided to present a
synthesis and express an opinion.
EXPECTATIONS
Evidence (continued)
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Recognize cultural elements implicit in oral and
written texts.
Interpret linguistic cues to infer social
relationships.
Communicate via Interpersonal and
Presentational written correspondence.
Initiate, maintain, and close a conversation on a
familiar topic.
Formulate questions to seek clarification or
additional information.
Use language that is semantically and
grammatically accurate according to a given
context.
SPECIAL
CHALLENGES
They need it all!
STUDENTS NEED
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Rich, varied vocabulary, vocabulary, vocabulary!!!!
Command of elementary structures and the ability to
communicate in various tenses in both moods.
The ability to synthesize and develop cohesive
writing and speech.
The ability to comprehend different genres of written
and spoken language with a variety of dialects and
accents.
The desire to challenge themselves and raise the
bar personally to be the best they can be!
BENEFITS OF THE NEWER EXAM
☺I can see these now!
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More global, holistic exam/rubrics
The rubrics are more forgiving than before with
the focus being grammar.
Higher order thinking skills
More real world skills with focus on world issues
and culture
Synthesis is cross-curricular…same
expectations in other higher level courses.
Integration of skills is vital to everyday
communication.
THE AP SPANISH
LANGUAGE EXAM
Now let’s take a look at the
exam!
2009 AP SPANISH LANGUAGE
EXAM
Handout
 Section I: Multiple Choice (50% score)
Listening (20%) and Reading (30%)
 Section II: Free Response (50% score)
Writing (30%) and Speaking (20%)
SECTION I: MULTIPLE CHOICE
Listening:
Short dialogues and
narratives without
questions written out
 Variety of contexts
 Variety of accents and
registers
 Usually in order
 Noise and natural
atmosphere
Strategies:
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Train students to listen for
setting.
Train students to read over
options for short selections
first.
Can be tricky…words used
may lead students to
wrong choice.
LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN
(See handout of authentic
resources.)
Sharing
SECTION I: MULTIPLE CHOICE
(continued)
Listening:
Long dialogues and
narratives with
questions (not spoken
aloud)
 2 minutes to read over
 Listen
 2 minutes to complete
 Some students complete
as they go, others take
notes and complete later.
 Can be very long…5-8
minutes!
Strategies:
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Read, listen for any
sources, setting, general
information…helps with
context.
Some students complete as
they go, others listen
intently and take notes,
completing the multiple
choice in the 2 minutes
later.
Students need to discover
what works best for them.
LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN!!!
Sharing
SECTION I: MULTIPLE CHOICE
(continued)
Reading Comprehension:
Journalistic and/or
literary selections
followed by multiplechoice questions.
Strategies:
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Note source for more
contextual information.
Quickly scan
questions/options.
Note any visual components.
Underline, circle, anything to
help focus on what you may
need later.
May need to “insert” an
additional sentence.
Need to make cultural
inferences.
READ, READ, READ (See
handout.)
Sharing
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR ALL MULTIPLE CHOICE
Tell students to concentrate on what they
KNOW not on what they don’t know.
Don’t get “hung up” on unknown
vocabulary…they will not know it all!
 Word root and word family strategies
(handout)
 Don’t be tricked!
 Guess if you can eliminate 2 answers.
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SECTION ll: FREE RESPONSE
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Interpersonal (Informal)
Strategies: Prep Book
Writing:
Excellent help
10 minutes, 60 words or
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Register
more.
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Salutation
Context may be email, short  Address each bullet
note, business, etc.
point.
Focus on task completion,
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Closing
topic development, and
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Tenses…attention to
language use.
bullets.
10% free response score
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Target 65 – 70 words
and leave time to edit.
SECTION ll: FREE RESPONSE
(continued)
Presentational or Formal
Writing:
 55 minutes, 200 words or
more.
 Integrated skills (Listening,
Reading, Writing)
 3 fuentes (2 written, 1 oral)
 Synthesis, not summary!
 Cite sources throughout.
 Cohesive writing
Strategies:
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Underline and take notes while
reading and listening.
CITE sources.
Recognize, interpret, infer,
evaluate, and synthesize.
CAUTION: Do not simply
summarize each source
independently; synthesis is key!
Thesis (paragraph),
development (2-3 paragraphs),
conclusion (paragraph)
TRANSITIONS (handout)
RICH vocabulary
Goal: 230 words, allow edit
SECTION ll: FREE RESPONSE
(continued)
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Interpersonal (Informal)
Speaking:
Simulated interpersonal
conversation
Interact/role play – 20
seconds per response.
5-6 opportunities to speak
Focus on task
completion, topic
development, and
language use.
10% speaking score
Strategies:
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Read over outline (Twice: 30 secs.
& 1 minute) and jot down ideas.
Attention to register (Don’t flip
flop!)
Listen for tenses!
Address each bullet point.
Use «muletillas». (Handout)
Self-correct
At about the penultimate time they
speak, there is a “curve” thrown!
Cross off or check prompts
completed: Students can “get lost”
or confused.
SECTION ll: FREE RESPONSE
(continued)
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Presentational or
Formal Speaking:
2 fuentes (1 oral, I
written)
Integrated skills
(Listening, Reading,
speaking)
5 minutes to read, then
listen, 2 minutes to plan,
2 minutes to speak.
Synthesis, not summary!
Cite sources throughout.
Cohesive speaking
10% speaking score
Strategies:
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Underline and take notes
while reading and listening.
CITE sources.
Recognize, interpret, infer,
evaluate, and synthesize.
CAUTION: Do not simply
summarize each source;
synthesis is key!
Thesis, development,
conclusion.
Compare and contrast!
(Handout - organizers)
Goal: Fill 2 minutes.
RICH vocabulary
TRANSITIONS (handout)
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR FREE RESPONSE
SECTIONS
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Teach students to use the rubrics:
 ALWAYS FOCUS ON: Task completion, Topic
development, Language Use
 Consider having them evaluate themselves to check
against your score.
Use Bloom’s verbs in Spanish for higher order thinking:
http://d228.ubiobio.cl/nuevacarpeta/taxonomiabloom.html
Fill time in speaking sections!
Be confident and say something when prompted!
Don’t listen to those around you…keep speaking even if
they stop!
JURIED SCORES
Practice and Discussion
JURIED SCORES
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Interpersonal and Presentational Writing
Read and score in small groups.
 Share
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and discuss.
Interpersonal and Presentational Speaking
Listen, take notes, score in small groups.
 Share
and discuss.
SPECIAL
TECHNIQUES
Let’s explore and share!
WHAT WORKS IN MY
CLASSROOM
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My Web site: I make a lot available to my students at all
times…Connect them when I am not with them!
Summer Review: Focusing on the four domains – listening,
speaking, reading and writing
Syllabus: Printable from my Web site
News journals: 1 audio and 1 written per week or every two
weeks. Later…they can choose related news to analyze and
compare.
Vocabulary: Triángulo workbook and the auto-pruebas
WHAT WORKS IN MY
CLASSROOM (continued)
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Extra speaking and listening
Writing - Self-correction and reflection: Coding of first
drafts with rubric scores; revision; student scores self.
Audacity: Get familiar with recording.
Use graphic organizers for audio sources to help with
Comparing and Contrasting
NO ENGLISH EVER, unless a grammar explanation
merits it!!!
Consider the National Spanish Exam for extra practice
http://www.nationalspanishexam.org/prac_exam.htm
AUTHENTIC
RESOURCES
Examples and Sharing
AUTHENTIC LISTENING AND
READING NEWS RESOURCES
 http://spanish.wn.com/
 http://libraries.mit.edu/guides/types/flnews/spani
sh.html
 http://www.un.org/spanish/News/
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/spanish/news/
 http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/pop_
up.asp?fpVname=SPA_PAIS&ref_pge=map&tfp
_map=Europe
 http://www.formato21.com.mx/
LISTENING RESOURCES
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http://notesinspanish.com (Conversaciones por
tema/castellano)
http://www.palabravirtual.com/ (Una colección de
poemas en varios formatos: audio, video y texto)
http://www.stereojoya.com.mx/ (Música en español)
http://www.los40.com.mx/player/Radio/40Principales/
http://www.los40.com.mx/radio.aspx
http://www.laits.utexas.edu/spe/siteindex.php (Various
topics and countries/pronunciation)
http://albalearning.com/ (Audio books, literature)
¡GRACIAS!
¡Buena suerte en el examen!