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AP Spanish
AP® Spanish Language Syllabus
2011-2012
COURSE OVERVIEW
The AP® Spanish Language course is intended for students who have demonstrated excellence in Spanish and wish to take the AP® Spanish Language exam. The basis of the course is an intensive grammar review, frequent readings from a variety of Spanish and Latin American sources, continuous vocabulary acquisition and daily auditory and oral practice. Spanish is the official language of the course and will be spoken exclusively. The students are encouraged to practice Spanish throughout the year with their teacher(s) and peers. In the AP Spanish Language course, students will use Spanish to:
o Express themselves orally in a variety of settings on a variety of topics
o Read and understand selected materials from a variety of sources including short stories, periodicals, the Internet and poetry
o Initiate, maintain and close a conversation on a familiar topic
o Hear and understand conversations from a variety of sources in a variety of settings
o Express themselves formally and informally in writing on class-work, homework, journal entries, quizzes and tests using open-ended questions
o Correctly use word derivation strategies such as circumlocution, cognates, false cognates to broaden their use of the language
RESOURCES
The AP® Spanish Language course will be taught using a multitude of resources to cover all aspects of the Spanish language. The two primary texts are: Album and Avanzando: Gramática española y lectura. Album is a basic anthology by Spanish and Latin American writers, for reading, prediction, vocabulary enhancement, story-telling and analysis. Students will be exposed to a variety of literary genres and practice reading at a level comparable to the AP exam. This textbook provides a supplementary audio CD with listening exercises to accompany each story, as well as a website containing additional activities and information on authors and cultural issues addressed in the readings. Avanzando: Gramática española y lectura offers an extensive grammar review and practice at a third-year college level, vocabulary enrichment, and supplemental historical, geographical, and biographical information. The grammatical explanations are provided in Spanish alongside grammar and vocabulary exercises.
Other materials used in the course include Spanish-language websites that provide a variety of articles, videos, podcasts with recorded voice fragments and assorted materials selected from other textbooks.
Main Texts
De la Vega, Sara L., Salazar, Carmen. (2007). Avanzando: Gramática española y
lectura (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Renjilian-Burgy, Joy, Valette, Rebecca M. (2005). Album (3rd ed.). Boston, MA:
Houghton Mifflin Company.
Websites
Audiria
BBC Mundo
La Conexión Usa
CNN en español
Guía del mundo
http://www.guiadelmundo.org.uy
El Mundo
Notes in Spanish
Nuevos Horizontes
http://www.nuevoshorizontes.org
Prensa Escrita
Radio Naciones Unidas
Supplemental Texts
Blanco, J.A., Tocaimaza-Hatch, C. C. & García, P. N. (2011). Imagina: Español sin
barreras (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Vista Higher Learning.
Cabat, L. & Cabat, R. (1999). Momentos Hispanos (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Amsco
School Publications, Inc.
Kanter, A. (2011). Encuentros Maravillosos: Gramática a través de la literatura
(2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Lavoie, D. (2010). 5 Steps To A 5: AP Spanish Language 2010-2011. New York,
NY: McGraw Hill.
Leech, M. (2010). The Princeton Review Cracking the AP® Spanish Exam With Audio
CD (2011 ed.). New York, NY: Random House, Inc.
Langer de Ramírez, L. (1999). Cuéntame: Folklore y fábulas. New York, NY:
Amsco School Publications, Inc.
Walqui Van-Lier, A., Barraza, R.A., Dellinger, M.A. (2005). Sendas literarias 1:
Español completo para hispanohablantes. Needham, MA: Pearson Prentice
Hall.
Wasserman, C. & Wasserman, M. (1997). Prosa moderna del mundo
hispánico (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Amsco School Publications, Inc.
UNIT COMPONENTS AND FORMATS
Each unit includes work on the following skills and strategies:
Grammar
This course requires students to update and broaden their awareness of Spanish grammatical structures. There is a strong focus on the appropriate use of verb tenses and moods, as well as in-depth review of grammatical topics covered in previous years of Spanish study, including the use of prepositions, pronouns, and participles. Students are encouraged to correct themselves and each other to increase their understanding of grammar, in English as well as Spanish.
Reading
Each unit includes at least two reading selections. Many reading assignments are taken directly from our Album text, and others come from a variety of hard-copy resources the teacher has collected over the years or finds currently on the Internet. Students are encouraged to read each selection silently on their own, and respond to prepared written or spoken questions. They will learn to use context clues and other techniques to garner meaning without the use of a language dictionary.
Writing
Students will write in a variety of formats in order to demonstrate proficiency with grammar, vocabulary and facts, and to articulate their opinions. Writing exercises are completed in class and at home, and each unit contains several graded writing samples. Written assignments will often be read aloud, discussed in class, and used for peer- editing exercises. Students will regularly write formal compositions based on the material covered in each unit. They will keep a journal throughout the year to practice informal writing as well as to help track their progress and growth.
Listening
The teacher will conduct almost all instruction, explanation, and exercises in Spanish. Students will become accustomed to listening to a variety of Spanish accents and dialects as they listen to each other, other teachers at the school and any guest speakers. They will have many opportunities to listen to a variety of samples by native speakers from audio CDs provided by the textbooks, the Internet, and the teacher's diverse music collection. Students will learn techniques to grasp important information when listening to rapidly-spoken Spanish, and they will be tested on listening comprehension using multiple- choice and open-ended question formats.
Speaking
Spanish is the official language of the course; students are strongly encouraged to speak Spanish exclusively while in class and to practice Spanish consistently with other adults and peers outside the classroom. Students receive a class participation grade, based in part on the appropriate use of the language during class time. Students will practice conversing with each other, with the teachers at the school, and with guest native speakers regularly on a variety of topics, and will learn techniques such as circumlocution to successfully express themselves. Students will often be asked to orally summarize writing assignments and listening samples in order to improve vocabulary retention and practice, and will practice speaking out loud simultaneously in preparation for the oral component of the AP exam. Students will be encouraged to use a wide range of vocabulary and sentence structures in order to be creative and more expressive.
Assessments
Unit Exams
The unit exams will mostly follow the AP® Spanish Language exam model in a condensed format, including multiple-choice components, reading, listening and speaking components, and writing samples. As the formal exam approaches, some unit exams will be replaced with practice AP® Spanish Language exams to familiarize the students with the formal exam format and content.
Midterm Assessment
For our midterm exam, a performance assessment is given. One such assessment is where students are asked to research someone famous from Spain or Latin America. We will hold a "tertulia" where they must dress and speak as the person. I will then speak to all of the "characters" and retrieve information about their research during our conversations. They must also interact with one another as that person.
FIRST TRIMESTER
Unit 1 - La justicia social
Grammar
Major review of the basics
Accents
Punctuation
Sentence structure
Verb practice in the indicative: regular and irregular
Reflexive verbs
Spelling particulars: c, s, z
Reading
"Emma," and/or "Un día de estos" in Album
"Chile: dictadura y democracia" in Imagina
Selected newspaper and/or magazine articles, in print and/or online
Writing
Creating vivid, accurate descriptions using dynamic vocabulary and sentence structure
Composition on social justice, comparing and contrasting researched information
Journal entries
Listening
Accommodation to the different voices/accents of the teachers at our school and the various voices/accents of the students in the community
Music: "Venceremos"
Movies: Kamchatka or Machuca or Historia oficial
Speaking
Recounting and summarizing information previously listened to or written in an informal setting
Question/answer exercises with other students
Imitating the accents of peninsular v. Caribbean v. South American Spanish
Initiate and maintain a conversation on a familiar topic
Culture/History
Cultural and political events of Latin America, review of geography of Spain and Latin America, Independence Days (September 15th, 16th and 18th)
Unit Exam
Multiple-choice, speaking, listening comprehension, reading and writing
Unit 2 - La identidad hispana
Grammar
Verb practice in the past tenses
Verbs that change meaning with verb tense (preterit vs imperfect)
Irregular forms in the preterit and imperfect tenses
Review of the articles (definite vs indefinite)
Impersonal verbs
Pronouns and Adjectives (possessive, demonstrative)
Nouns and adjectives
Words with the prefixes: des-, in-, re-
Spelling particulars: b, v, sc
Reading
"El tiempo borra" and/or "El general Rueda" in Album
"México y el arte muralista" in Avanzando
Selected newspaper and/or magazine articles pertaining to Hispanic heritage
Writing
English-to-Spanish translations using covered verb tenses
Creation of appropriate Spanish past-tense verbs without English hints
Compositions comparing and contrasting stories and/or Hispanic identity
Journal entries
Listening
Listen to Mexican accents in "La Cucaracha" and Argentinean accents in "Milonga de Marfil Negro," discuss themes, various podcasts and audio clips from Internet
Speaking
Small-group discussions on assigned themes
Initiate and maintain conversations on familiar topics
Re-telling stories that have been previously read or heard
Spanish tongue-twisters (trabalenguas)
Culture/History
Hispanic Heritage Month, Día de la Raza vs Columbus Day, Spanish conquest of Latin America
Unit Exam
Multiple-choice, speaking, listening comprehension, reading and writing
SECOND TRIMESTER
Unit 3 - Leyendas, imaginación y fantasia
Grammar
Verb practice of future and conditional
Verbs of being (ser vs estar)
Present and past participles
Infinitive uses
Expressions with verb tener
Confusing words
Perfect tenses in the indicative
The verb haber
Passive voice and expressions with se
Verbs like gustar
Spelling particulars: que, qui, cue, cui, h
Reading
"Leyendas" and "El nacimiento de la col" in Album
Various fables from Cuéntame: Folklore y Fábulas
Selected newspaper and/or magazine articles, in print and/or online
Writing
Creating legends
Comparing and contrasting stories,
Constructing comprehensive paragraphs using a wide range of vocabulary, transitions, and appropriate sentence structure
Journal entries
Listening
Connecting the sound of a word to its spelling (accentuation), listening to fables and children's stories
Speaking
Small-group discussions on assigned themes
Re-telling well-known stories
Informal presentations to the class
Initiate, maintain, and close conversation on familiar topics
Asking questions to get more information
Culture/History
Día de los muertos, religion in Spain and Latin America, synthesis of indigenous and Catholic practices, legends and fables, Aztec cosmos
Unit Exam
Multiple-choice, speaking, listening comprehension, reading and writing
Unit 4 - Relaciones familiares
Grammar
Review of pronouns (subject, direct object, indirect object, personal, reflexive, etc.)
Verb Hacer with time frames ( hace + tiempo + que ...)
Spelling particulars: gue, gui, güe, güi
Reading
"Preguntas," "El nieto," and/or "Casa tomada" in Album
"El huésped de la maestra" in Prosa
Selected poetry and/or newspaper and magazine articles
Writing
Responding to written and spoken prompts
Composing orderly paragraphs
Using transition words and a wide range of vocabulary
Writing a short story
Journal entries
Listening
Continued practice with audio and video materials from Internet, television, and radio, critiquing other students' spoken Spanish.
Movie: Volver or Todo sobre mi madre
Speaking
Continued practice with voice-recording equipment
Informal spoken presentations with written and audio prompts
Practicing caroling in Spanish with Parranda-style songs and performances
Culture/History
Family life in Spain and Latin America, relationships, diversions, holiday season in Spain and Latin America: parrandas/asaltos, posadas
Midterm Assessment
THIRD TRIMESTER
Unit 5 - El amor
Grammar
Affirmatives and negatives
Commands
Indicative and subjunctive moods
Subjunctive review, expressions that require it, use with various tenses (imperfect, present perfect, pluperfect)
Clauses with si
Spelling particulars: g, j, ll, y, ío, ía, illo, illa
Reading
"Poema 20" in Imagina
"Primer amor" in Sendas literarias 1
"La ilusión de la despedida" in Momentos hispanos
Lyrics of a myriad of love songs in Spanish
Personal ads in Spanish-language newspapers
Personal profiles on Spanish-language websites
Writing
Responding to written and spoken prompts
Writing using a variety of sources
Creating personal ads, poems and profiles
Journal entries
Listening
Practice with rapidly-spoken Spanish
Music: "Olvídate y pega la vuelta," "Carta de amor," "El día que me quieras"
Listening to television/radio/internet audio/video programming
Speaking
Karaoke-style singing of popular love songs in Spanish
Practice with voice-recording equipment using AP® exam format: question/answer exercises, interpersonal and presentational spoken presentation with written prompts, repairing mistakes
Culture/History
Stereotypes of Spanish and Latin American passion
Gypsies and Flamenco
Various Latin dances: Tango, Merengue, Salsa
Unit Exam
Multiple-choice, speaking, listening comprehension, reading and writing
Unit 6 - La inmigración y el exilio
Grammar
Adverbs
Comparatives, superlatives and relative pronouns
Expressions that indicate obligation
Prepositions, those with a or de followed by an infinitive
Uses of por vs para
Uses of pero vs sino
Expressions with the verb hacer
Spelling particulars: r, rr, cognates with slight differences (ph vs f, ch vs qu etc.)
Reading
"Cajas de carton" in Album
"España: Nueva ola de inmigrantes" in Imagina
"¡Al partir!" in Sendas literarias 1
Selected newspaper and/or magazine articles, in print and/or online
Writing
Writing in response to written prompts
Constructing multi-paragraph essays
Writing from a variety of sources (extrapolating meaning, tone, theme)
Comparing countries that experience influx of immigration and/or exile
Journal entries
Listening
Television and/or internet and/or radio audio/video programming
More strategies for garnering meaning from rapidly spoken Spanish
Music: "Mojado," "Papeles mojados," "Mi Buenos Aires Querido," "Clandestino," and/or "En mi Viejo San Juan"
Speaking
Debates on researched issues of immigration and exile
Practice with voice-recording equipment using AP® exam format
Culture/History
Immigration and exile as recurring issues in Spain and Latin America, Spanish-speaking communities and culture in the USA
Unit Exam
Multiple-choice, speaking, listening comprehension, reading and writing
FORMAL AP EXAM (May 8, 2012)
Post-AP Exam/Final Project
After completion of the AP® Spanish Language exam, students will have the opportunity to further examine cultural and historical topics, literary genres, and writers discussed previously throughout the year. With the teacher's guidance, they will complete a research project, using Spanish sources, which will include a written component and a formal presentation comprised of a presentation of the material researched followed by a question- and-answer/discussion session with the teacher and classmates. This final project will take the place of a final exam.