AP Spanish Language and Culture
Teacher: Sra. Soulé
Course Overview
The AP Spanish Language and Culture course is designed to help students move from the intermediate level towards the advanced
level of proficiency in interpersonal, presentational and interpretive communication modes in Spanish. Unit goals are stated in the
form of Essential Questions relating to the AP themes. These essential questions drive instruction; students are regularly assessed
and receive formative feedback to refine communication skills and develop deep understandings relating to the essential questions.
This course is the equivalent of a third year college level. The Ap Spanish Language and Culture course is conducted
EXCLUSIVELY IN SPANISH (see attached “Palabra de honor”contract).
Class Materials
 Binder, binder paper, pens, pencil and a highlighter.
 Textbooks:
- Abriendo paso, temas y lecturas
- Abriendo paso, gramática
- Preparing for the Language Examination, AP Spanish
- Spanish novel (to be announced)
Grading Policy
Speaking and class participation (25%) Students will receive a grade based on their involvement in the classroom and their
attempt and effort to communicate in the target language, both during class as well as before and after class time. Spanish will be
exclusively spoken by the teacher and by the students, except in very RARE cases. Students will be expected to use circumlocution
to convey their message exclusively in the target language. Oral presentations will be graded in this category as well. Follow “La
palabra de honor”. See attached rubric for criteria. ****Attendance, tardiness, and coming prepared to class with all materials will
also be graded in this category.
Writing (15%): Students will be continually expected to write in the target language, including but not limited to analysis, reflection,
research, etc. Students should expect to write at least one formal essay per theme. Every day, class will begin with “la palabra del día”
.Students will define the word and present to the class. On occasions, class will begin with a timed writing activity on varied themes.
*Grammar Workshop Students are expected to enter the course with all the grammar knowledge necessary to succeed in the AP Spanish
Language course. Nonetheless, students will have frequent review and practice of the basic grammar structures that they have learned in
past years in the form of in-class activities and homework.
Listening (15%) As research and theory on second language acquisition indicate that students’ linguistic growth is related to the
amount of time spent with the language in meaningful exposure to it, students will receive a grade based on their active listening in
the classroom and their attempt and effort to use the target language, at all times (Krashen,1982). This category includes all
interactive listening activities, including but not limited to dialogues, narratives, short films, television shows, group presentations, etc.
See attached rubric for the detailed criteria for this grading section. This section will also include quizzes to check for listening
comprehension.
Reading (15%): Students will be expected to read various types of literary works both in class and at home. Students should be
able to summarize, synthesize, analyze and/or criticize all of the information for class discussions. Reading quizzes may be given to
check for comprehension.
Tests/Projects (30%): Quizzes and tests will be given once or twice a week and may be associated with any aspect of the class or
homework. Some of these quizzes will be given without notice or for homework. Tests and projects are administered at the end of
each chapter, semester or year-end. *Note: Unless stated differently, all tests and assignments are expected to be completed
individually. Copying information or having your assignment translated by others or through the internet will not be considered
acceptable will result in a zero and a parent-teacher-student conference.
Daily/Weekly/Monthly Activities to address Learning Objectives
• La palabra del día—students explore a word a day, analyze its meaning, find root words, synonyms and antonyms, and make
linguistic comparisons.
• Las noticias: weekly, students will be summarizing and synthesizing current event articles from various Spanish-speaking
countries to present to the class.* See Resource List below.
• Las discusiones—at various times during the year, students are responsible for posting a link to a news article, video, or
podcast to the class blog, and creating a discussion question for all in class to participate in an online or class discussion.
• Language lab-students practice recording a simulated conversation and a cultural comparison. All samples are assessed using
the AP scoring guidelines for this assignment. Sometimes the teacher scores the work and other times the students and their
classmates score each other. This is an excellent way for students to internalize and understand the scoring guidelines.
• Writing: approximately every three weeks, a formal, well-organized, synthesized, analytical or persuasive essay on an
appropriate topic in reaction to a text or information is discussed or viewed in class. The essay is evaluated for its content,
organization, cultural relevancy, range and appropriateness of vocabulary, and grammatical accuracy.
• Blog postings (Edublogs.org)- letters, e-mails, poems, abstract writing, creative writing, or writing reactions to articles and
lectures through an interactive social network and/or blog on topics/themes.
Edublogs.org- __________________________
• Every 2-3 weeks, a new theme is introduced; however, interconnectedness of themes is expected and encouraged. Within the
basis theme, students work on all aspects of communication: Interpretive, Interpersonal, and Presentational. In lieu of a test for
each theme, students are evaluated based on various assignments graded according to the AP World Language and Culture
Scoring Guidelines available in the AP Spanish Language and Culture Course and Exam Description. The following is a list of
themes that are cover in this course.
Course Planner
Theme 1: Las identidades personales y públicas
Recommended Contexts: Personal Beliefs, Personal Interests, Self-Image, National and Ethnic Identities Alienation and Assimilation
Theme 2: Las familias y las comunidades
Recommended Contexts: Customs and Values, Family Structure, Childhood and Adolescence
Theme 3: La vida contemporánea
Recommended Contexts: Education and Careers, Travel and Leisure, Lifestyles
Theme 4: Los desafíosmundiales
Recommended Contexts: Economic Issues, Environmental Issues, Health Care and Medicine
Theme 5: La ciencia y la tecnología
Recommended Contexts: Access to Technology, Effects of Technology on Self and Society, Science and Ethics
Theme 6: La belleza y la estética
Recommended Contexts: Defining Beauty, Defining Creativity, Visual and Performing Arts
General resources:
BBC Radio: Estudio 834: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/spanish/programmes/estudio_834/
BBC Mundo: www.bbcmundo.com
Radio Naciones Unidas: http://radio.un.org/es/ and http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/spanish/news/
Radio Televisión Española: www.rtve.es/
BBC News in Spanish: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/spanish/news/
Univisión: www.univision.com
People en español: www.peopleenespanol.com/pespanol/
TV Azteca: www.tvazteca.com/
Zambombazo: http://zachary-jones.com/zambombazo
UNICEF: www.unicef.org/spanish/videoaudio/video_radio.html
Ver-taal: www.ver-taal.com/
CNN en español: www.cnn.com/espanol
Practica Español: www.practicaespanol.com/
El País (Madrid): www.elpais.es
Veintemundos: www.veintemundos.com/en/
El Mundo: www.elmundo.es
www.20minutos.es
SPEAKING AND CLASS PARTICIPATION RUBRIC
Preparation
for Class
4
3
2
1
Excellent
Satisfactory
Below average
Unsatisfactory
I frequently “forget” to
bring required materials
to class. (and/or) I am
often not ready to begin
when the bell rings.
I frequently have to ask
to borrow materials. I
am rarely ready to begin
when the bell rings.
I always brought all my
materials and
assignments to class.
I usually brought all
materials and
assignments to class.
I am always ready to
work without being
reminded by the
teacher.
I am usually ready to
work and when the bell
rings.
I actively participated in
all activities and
discussions with a
positive attitude. I took
risks. My presence made
a positive impact on
getting tasks done.
I showed interest in
activities and
participated, though
sometimes passively
rather than actively. I
sometimes took risks.
My presence generally
made a positive impact
on getting tasks done.
My participation during
class activities was
usually minimal. I
showed little interest
during class activities. I
took few risks. My
contribution to the class
was minimal.
I seldom put forth any
effort during activities.
My presence in class
had little or no impact
on accomplishing tasks.
I am always on task
during pair and group
activities the entire
time.
I complete most group
and pair activities in
allotted time.
I sometimes need to be
reminded to stay on task
during group activities
or I carelessly rush
through activities.
I give minimum effort
during pair and group
activities and I am often
off task.
Listening
I actively listen when the
teacher and fellow
students speak in the
target language (TL). I
showed respect for my
classmates and my
teacher.
I actively listen when the
teacher speaks in the
target language. I was
rarely distracted when
others spoke. I was
never disrespectful of
my classmates or
teacher.
I sometimes listen when
the teacher speaks. I
was often distracted
when my classmates or
teacher spoke (and/or) I
was disrespectful at
times.
I “tune out” when the
teacher begins speaking
in the TL. I rely on other
students to tell me what
to do in English (and/or)
I was disrespectful and
distracting to others.
Speaking
I stayed in the target
language (TL) the entire
class period. I
volunteered to speak
and regularly answered
questions in the TL. I
respond in the TL to
everyone.
I occasionally used
English without
attempting to express
myself in the TL first. I
volunteered to speak
and answer questions in
TL.
I generally used more
English than the TL and
needed to be reminded
to speak TL (and/or) I did
not volunteer or answer
questions much.
I almost exclusively use
English when talking
with the teacher and
classmates or I speak as
little of the TL as
possible during class,
pair (and/or) group
activities or I don’t speak
at all.
I always arrive on time
and have no unexcused
absences.
I have arrived tardy to
class 1 to 3 times and
have no unexcused
absences.
I have arrived tardy to
class 3 to 5 times and
have no unexcused
absences.
I have 1 or more
unexcused absences.
Frequency of
Participation
Focused/
on-task during
activities
(Use of the
target
language)
Attendance/
Tardies
AP Spanish Language and Culture
Student Contract
I _______________________________________________ have read and agreed that:
-Daily practice, including listening to the radio/pod-casts from various parts of the world, the news, music, movies, etc.,
speaking with as many people as possible, speaking only Spanish in-class, reading magazines, newspapers, articles, subtitles
with videos/movies in Spanish, and writing as much in Spanish as possible, is very important in order to be prepared and
comfortable in the class and on the day of the test.
-I must take responsibility for my own learning and success.
-We will also have weekly presentations of news stories from around the Spanish-speaking world. Each student will present
to the class, on a rotating basis of weekly to every few weeks.
-Since we take responsibility for our own learning, we will take the time to get our own practice outside of class with
speaking, listening (post on Edublogs.org in Spanish), reading, and writing.
-All of my work will be my own; I will not copy from others or from the Internet without citing properly and prior teacher
authorization. My work will be shared in class and might be used as a learning tool.
-I have read ALL the information presented in the AP Spanish and Culture syllabus course and I understand my
responsibilities as outlined above and agree to make an honest and complete effort to become more able to communicate
effectively in Spanish and succeed on the AP Spanish Language and Culture course.
__________________________________
* Student signature
______________
__________________________________
* Today’s date
* Parent/Guardian signature
AP Spanish Language and Culture
LA PALABRA DE HONOR
Because practice is required to learn a second language, and because I wish to make as much progress a possible during class, I pledge to only use Spanish when I speak to the
teacher; to only use Spanish when I speak to my classmates; to use Spanish exclusively from the time I enter the classroom until I leave it for the end of the period.
Furthermore, I understand that I may speak to the teacher in English before or after school when I have questions or doubts that I am unable to express in Spanish.
Lastly, I understand that If I choose to break the pledge, it will result in a lowered participation grade (3 points off each time you break the pledge) and if necessary a conference with
the teacher.
Student signature_____________________________________
Parent Signature____________________________________
Date:_______________________________________________
*REQUIRED: TURN IN CONTRACTS SIGNED TO AP SPANISH TEACHER