1. The Journey to the AP Spanish Language Exam
ACTFL 2010
AP Spanish
Spanish 4
Spanish 3
Spanish 2
Spanish 1
Elizabeth Sacco
World Language Consultant
Thank you so much for being here today to share with me some thoughts and ideas as to how we can better prepare our students, not only for the Ap Spanish Language exam, but to be more proficient in the language and culture of the Spanish-speaking world. I was an French and Spanish teacher for 31 years as well as a department chairperson. For 8 of those years I taught AP Spanish and this will be my 9th year as an AP reader. As a world language teacher, preparing students for the AP Spanish language exam was my biggest challenge. I loved teaching the course, exploring language and culture at an advanced level with my students, but it wasn’t easy. We had a 7-12 language program. We gave the NYS proficiency in grade 8, the regents exam in grade 10, level 4 in grade11 and the AP in grade 12. There should have been enough time for the students to be prepared for this exam, I eventually realized, that it wasn’t about time, it was about the journey. You see until the AP classe, students were never asked to listen and respond to audio and print material in a timed matter and later, with the changes in the AP exam never had to synthesize this material in an oral or written presentation.
AP is a registered trademark of the College Board

2. Spanish Language Advanced Placement Course Objectives
Communicate in Spanish in interpersonal, presentational
and interpretive mode
Communicate with accuracy and fluency
Understand Spanish intended for native speakers in a
variety of settings, types of discourse, topics and
registers
Acquire information from authentic sources in Spanish
Demonstrate awareness of cultural perspectives of
Spanish-speaking peoples

3. THE AP TASK: Section II Free Response
Read !
Listen!
Write!
Part A-2: Formal Writing (Integrated Skills)
Task: Formal writing, integration of listening, reading and
writing, an example of the interpretive and
presentational mode. Read 2 documents, listen to a
related source/recording, and respond in writing to a
written prompt. All are authentic sources.

4. THE AP TASK: Section II Free Response
Part B-2: Formal Oral Presentation (Integrated Skills)
Task: Formal speaking, integration of reading, listening and speaking, an example of the interpretive and presentational mode. Read one document and listen to a recording and respond orally to a written prompt. All are authentic sources.
*Source: AP Spanish Language : Workshop
Materials
Read!
Listen!
Speak!

5. One of the goals of the new AP World Language curriculum is to better organize and suggest learning sequences for Pre AP starting in levels 1,2,3.
A page that should be studied by all teachers levels 1-4
apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/teachers_corner/3499.html

6. “Developing and Integrating Skills at Different Levels”
JOSÉ DÍAZ
AP Spanish Language
Workshop Materials
“Developing and Integrating Skills at Different Levels”

7. “ As I will show, teachers can incorporate many activities and steps at
any level that will prove to be very useful to students learning
Spanish.
The key is to make sure we do not use these skill-building activities
solely in the AP course but that we begin incorporating them at level 1.
By the time students enroll in the AP course, they will have acquired a
wealth of techniques and skills that will prove extremely useful when
dealing with more complex texts.
Although the exam is at the end of the tunnel, what we do in class is
what counts in developing the students’ proficiency, and that should be
our main objective.
To begin, you need to examine your curriculum, especially your
textbooks and make decisions.”

8. Goals for this workshop:
1.Take a closer look at the skill-building
activities that help students reach the
benchmarks of the AP Spanish Language
exam.
2. Learn how to create activities that parallel the
AP Spanish free response section tasks for levels 1-
4 using textbook program materials

9. Skills needed to reach course benchmarks:
Using illustrations and graphic organizers
Making predictions
Writing organization
Analyzing chronological order
Activating prior knowledge
Identifying author’s purpose
Identifying main points, summarizing and making inferences
Recognizing cultural elements
Taking notes
Formulating questions
Synthesizing

11. Making Predictions

12. Identifying author’s purpose

13. Analyzing a written text-visualizing, comparing and contrasting

14. Writing organization

15. To add ones own words to what was already said
SYNTHESIS
To blend ones own ideas with ideas found in other sources to create something new
SUMMARY
To add ones own words to what was already said
This is a new evaluation- now of process and product-can use some words to express an idea from source but should not be word for word
Many feel that this is an unfair and too difficult a test, I say it has given more meaning to authentic use of language. Think about how we use it- we read something about a topic, we hear others speak about the topic in conversation or in the news, and then we present our views based on what we have learned and our personal experiences.

16. So far! Identified the purpose Identified the skills
Identified the tasks
On to creating the AP practice activities using ready-made materials!

17. How to create practice questions for the Formal Free Response Section of the Spanish AP Language Exam
Select a topic, i.e. the family, the environment, leisure activities, the weather…
Compile a list of all the audio and video sources in your program that correspond to the topic.
Compile a list of all the readings in your program that correspond to the topic.
İ Ojo! A video can be an audio or (with transcript) can be a reading exercise
An audio(with transcript) can be a reading exercise
A reading can be an audio exercise (with CD)
A song can be an audio or a reading exercise (with lyrics)
Write a level appropriate AP questions for the Formal Writing
and Formal Oral Presentation tasks using related audio and text.
So now that we know what the journey is, what skills we need our students to acquire along the journey, let’s create AP type practice activities . Whether it be for the written or oral formal task, this is what we need to begin

18. Practicing and Presenting Tasks
With the class
Within a group
With a partner
Individually
With visuals-posters, PowerPoint ..model the
process and show the end product.

19. ¡Aventura Components!
Reading – Textbook: Cultura viva, Lectura cultural, Lectura personal, Tú lees, Workbooks, EMC’s i-Culture web site, EMC’s Internet Resource Center Audio- Chapter dialogs and readings, Chapter listening activities, Supplemental chapter listening activities, Testing program, EMC’s i-Culture web site.

20. emcp.com/iculture

22. AP Formal Writing Task: Level 1
The following question is based on the information from the
accompanying Sources 1 and 2. The sources include both print and audio
material. First, you will have 10 minutes to read the print material.
Afterward, you will then hear the audio material; you should take notes
while you listen. Then, you will have 9 minutes to plan your response and
20 minutes to write your essay. Your essay should be at least 50 words in
length.
¿ Es más importante jugar a un deporte o jugar a videojuegos?
¿ Por qué?
Source 1: Text , Tú lees, El mundo de los deportes, pp
Source 2: Audio, Testing Program, Chapter 7, Listening Activity 5
CD 2 Track 10

23. ¿ Es más importante jugar a un deporte o jugar a videojuegos?
¿ Por qué?

24. AP Formal Writing Task Level 2
The following question is based on the information from the accompanying
Sources 1 and 2. The sources include both print and audio material.
First, you will have 9 minutes to read the print material. Afterward,
you will hear the audio material; you should take notes while you
listen. Then, you will have 8 minutes to plan your response and 30 minutes
to write your essay. Your essay should be at least 75 words in length.
¿ Cómo afecta el uso de los coches a la contaminación del aire?
¿ Es posible reducirla?
Source 1: Text, Cultura Viva, Por un aire más puro, p 131
Source 2: Audio, i-Culture, i-News , , Con los coches menos
contaminantes

25. ¿ Cómo afecta el uso de los coches
a la contaminación del aire?
¿ Es posible reducirla?

26. AP Formal Writing Task : Level 3
The following question is based on the accompanying Sources 1 and 2. The sources include both print and audio material. First, you will have 8 minutes to read the print material. Afterwards, you will hear the audio material; you should take notes while you listen. Then, you will have 6 minutes minutes to plan your response and 35 minutes to write your essay. Your essay should be at least 100 words in length. ¿ Qué podemos hacer para que los jóvenes lean más? Source 1: Text, “Un Aula muy especial,” p 103 Source 2: Audio: Text, Lectura cultural, “Los jóvenes españoles y la lectura,” p 118

27. ¿ Qué podemos hacer para que los jóvenes
lean más?

28. AP Formal Writing Task: Level 4
The following question is based on the accompanying Sources 1-3. The sources
include both print and audio material. First, you will have 7 minutes to read the
printed material. Afterward, you will hear the audio material; you should take notes
while you listen. Then, you will have 5 minutes to plan your response and 40 minutes
to write your essay. Your essay should be at least 200 words in length. .
Explica porqué te interesaría o no matricularte en una universidad hispana.
Source 1: Test booklet, “Enseñanza,” p 42
Source 2: Workbook, exercise 6, “El sistema educativo hispano,” pp
Source 3: Audio: Text, Cultura viva, “El proceso de matricula,” p 106

29. AP Formal Speaking Task Level 1
The following question is based on the accompanying printed article and
audio selection. First ,you will have 4 minutes to read the article. Afterward,
you will hear the audio selection; you should take notes while you listen.
You will have 3½ minutes to plan your answer and 45 seconds to record your
answer.
Describe tu casa ideal.
Source 1: Text, La casa de mis sueños, p 262
Source 2: Audio, Text- La casa de Elisa, p 246, CD 12, Track 4

30. Describe tu casa ideal

31. AP Formal Speaking Task Level 2
The following question is based on the accompanying printed material and
audio selection. First , you will have 3 minutes to read the printed article.
Afterward, you will hear the audio selection; you should take notes while
you listen. You will have 3 minutes to plan your answer and 60 seconds to
record your answer.
¿ Piensas que la tecnología es buena o mala? ¿ Por qué?
Source 1: Text p 5, Cultura viva, El mundo es un pañuelo
Source 2: Audio, Text- p 4, Diálogo 1, ¡Ay, qué aburridos! CD 1, Track 3

32. ¿ Piensas que la tecnología es buena o mala? ¿ Por qué?

33. AP Formal Speaking Task: Level 3
The following question is based on the accompanying printed
material and audio selection. First you will have 5 minutes to read
the narrative. Afterward, you will hear the audio selection; you
should take notes while you listen. You will have 2 ½ minutes to plan
your answer and 90 seconds to record your answer.
¿ Por qué es importante que los jóvenes se mantengan en forma?   
Source 1: Test booklet, Cómo mantenerse en forma, p 115
Source 2: Audio, Text, Cultura Viva, “Los juegos deportivos
estudiantiles,” p 355

34. ¿ Por qué es importante que los jóvenes se mantengan en forma

35. AP Formal Speaking Task: Level 4
The following question is based on the accompanying printed material and
audio selection. First you will have 5 minutes to read the narrative.
Afterward, you will hear the audio selection; you should take notes while
you listen. Then, you will have 2 minutes to plan your answer and 2 minutes
to record your answer.
Explica los beneficios de lo que se llama “la medicina alternativa.”
Source 1: Text, “ La medicina alternativa,” p 249
Source 2: Audio, i-culture; “Medicina tradicional,”

36. PROGRAM COMPONENTS
Student Edition with 8 thematically organized chapters divided into 2 lessons.
Annotated Teacher’s Edition with audio CDs-more than 6 ½ hours of formatted AP listening and speaking practice.
Workbook-student and teacher editions with 3 hours of audio on CDs and downloadable audio
Exam view® Test Generator with 2 hours of audio on CDs and downloadable.
Website (downloadable audio, additional speaking, listening and writing activities)
First lesson a more generic content related to a topic of high interest to the student-second gives students the opportunity to more contemplative discussions, debates and essays.

37. Contains 14 exercises for each of the 10
sections of the AP Spanish Language Exam
Includes 2 complete practice exams
Features a variety of native voices
Fun and interesting topics

38. The College Board World Languages Framework , 2004
Why ?
The College Board World Languages Framework , 2004

39. If a doctor, lawyer, or dentist had 40 people in his office at one time, all of whom had different needs, and some of whom didn't want to be there and were causing trouble, and the doctor, lawyer, or dentist, without assistance, had to treat them all with professional excellence for nine months, then he might have some conception of the classroom teacher's job.  ~Donald Quinn