AP Spanish Language Syllabus COURSE OVERVIEW The AP Spanish Language course is conducted in Spanish. The students are encouraged to communicate and practice in the target language with their teacher and peers. The students should be able to: -understand conversations, lectures, oral presentations, songs, short stories, newspapers, magazines, Internet articles and other authentic materials. -express themselves orally by persuading, convincing, inquiring and describing in authentic situations -express themselves in a variety of styles, formal and informal, dependent on the type of project and audience. We encourage the development of a well-rounded student by emphasizing the development of all language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. COURSE OUTLINE Continuemos and Aventuras Literarias are the primary texts used to teach AP. The two components provide the students with a wealth of resources, text, workbook, CD, video, and online resources which are incorporated to improve and complete the student s communication skills. Continuemos provides a very thorough review and practice of grammar. The text provides thematic vocabulary and scenarios through which to practice the target structures. The use of all of the ancillaries assures the integration of listening, speaking, reading and writing activities in each chapter. The wealth of sources is based on realistic situations and authentic reading materials. Choice of material is made by a thematic correlation of the texts. Una Vez Mas is used to expand student practice of grammar structures. The activities are done at home; however, any questions or challenges are addressed in class. The text materials are always supported by teacher made activities and the use of online sources, CDs, DVDs and other available sources. Triangulo has been used as a supplementary text. Aventuras Literarias is a literary component to enhance the program. The literary selections are consistent with the Continuemos themes and allow the students to expand their vocabulary, their knowledge of authors and literary genre in these selections. Concurrently with each Continuemos chapter, the students read at least one selection and discuss the literary aspects. They write exploratory and critical essays in continued development of their writing skills. There are other literary topics, short stories, mystery novels, novel adaptations and authentic literary excerpts that are incorporated from a multitude of additional sources.
TEACHING STRATEGIES Listening Skills The communication in the classroom is always in Spanish. The students listen to lectures, language and grammar presentations in the target language. All of the ancillaries provided by the basic texts are used on a regular/daily basis. The students listen to the dialogues, take notes and check their comprehension through true/false statements, questions and answers and fill-in activities. Students are asked to listen for pronunciation and dialects as well so that they become familiar with regional differences. The students also listen to the narratives and dialogues (AP preparation materials) so that they practice making inferences, predictions and interpretations. Students are provided opportunities to listen to music lyrics, television programs and literary selections. The goal is always to listen for information, take notes and check for understanding and synthesize the points presented. Speaking Skills All formal and informal class communication takes place in Spanish to build listening and speaking skills. The students participate daily in class discussions in the target language to foster interpersonal communication. Through a variety of techniques: surveys, interviews, question and answer prompts, informal topic suggestions,(from student and teacher), teacher directed thematic questions and picture prompts. Students are often put into groups of four or five to create role-play situations or construct thematic scenarios. Working together and discussing an article, a reading or problem-solving activities works well to support the interpersonal communication in the target language. Outside the classroom, the students work together to create video presentations such as a cooking show, commercials, news reports, fashion shows or other skits. Throughout the year, students are also required to select topics; (important people, current events, authors, painters, country, food, historical character and contemporary influential Hispanics) research the topic, and write a paper citing their sources. Then, the student will create a visual, prepare an oral presentation and present to the class. Depending on the assigned topic, follow-up activities are conducted to include all in a discussion or debate. Students regularly give reports on current events or topics of their interest called a Charla (Talk). Through presentations, the presentational speech is practiced, as well the listening/synthesizing skills of those in the audience.
Reading Skills Students read the dialogues and materials in the text on a daily basis. Because they are thematic in nature, the students are able to see vocabulary and grammar in a context and the reading is used to check comprehension and also as a springboard for listening and speaking activities. Weekly reading also includes current or thematic topics from newspaper and magazine articles or online sources. Using the literary selections, the students develop additional vocabulary and are able to learn vocabulary and linguistic features through reading. Writing essays or interpretations of the literary excerpt develops their insight into literature and culture and enables the students to compare and contrast cultures and literary selections. Graphic organizers and other organizational tools are used to help students read, write and discuss in the target language. Students have many opportunities to read current magazines (Hola, People en español, El Sol) and other sources, such as news items from www.abc.es or www.cnn.es. The information is used for the students to practice reading, writing and speaking in the target language. Through the afore mentioned projects (writing) students learn to use all types of print materials to ultimately create and deliver their presentation (synthesis of information). Writing Skills Students write very often in an informal fashion. They are asked to write postcards, emails, notes, letters or journal entries. The topics assigned will reflect themes of the current vocabulary or concerns and interests of the students. Other assigned writings include a response to a picture prompt, a series of questions or a problem proposed in the text. To address formal writing, about every three weeks, the students write a one to two page essay. The writing assignment often follows a selected reading (a magazine article or a piece of literature). The students may be asked to write a persuasive essay on a controversial topic or may be asked to write a critical analysis of a literary work. They are required to cite examples from the readings to support their view. When writing the shorter compositions, the students have the opportunity to exchange their work with a classmate for purpose of peer-editing. I will incorporate a few examples and practices of the new exam format, listen, read, write and cite some part of the audio and reading as evidence. Every effort is made to integrate all of the language learning skills, culture and perspectives of the Spanish speaking world in each and every facet of the language learning program and design of activities and assignments.
STUDENT ASSESSMENT Student mastery of the course is determined by the completion of required homework assignments, evaluation on the basis of compositions, quizzes, tests, cooperative learning activities, optimum class participation, midterm and final exams. Grading emphasis will also encompass oral production activities such as presentations, debates and interviews as assigned in support of curricular objectives. TEXTS Jarvis, Ana.!Continuemos! 7 th e. Boston:Houghton Mifflin. 2003 Student CD,Teacher CD, Video, online sites, workbook and all other ancillaries. Jarvis, Ana Aventuras Literarias Boston:Houghton Mifflin.2003 Student/teacher CD. Couch,James H., McCann,Rebecca Una Vez Mas 1993, Longman Publishing Group, N.Y. SUPPLEMENTAL TEXTS Diaz, Jose M. Gilda Nissenberg. AP Spanish: A guide for the Language Course. 1989 Longman. Diaz, Jose M. Gilda Nissenberg. AP Spanish Preparing for the Language Examination 3 rd ed. White Plains, NY Prentice Hall, 2006. Gatski, Barbara and John McMullan. Triangulo, 4 th ed. Sandwich, Massachusetts, Wayside Publishing 2006 and CDs. Hierling, Birgit En el Mundo Hispano, EMC Paradigm, 2001. Kupeferschmid, Gene S. Y tu, que dices?, 3 rd ed. Lexington,Mass 1992 (a resource). Rejnjilian-Burgy, Rebecca Valette Album 3 rd.ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2005. Stewart, Ken, AP Spanish Language UNC/Duke a resource of vocabulary, practice tests, suggested activities. Valette, Rebecca, Spanish for Mastery DC Heath 1986. Zayas-Bazan,Eduardo. Conexiones Comunicación y cultura. Needham Massachusetts: Pearson/Prentice Hall 2005.
MAGAZINES Hola (Families of International Level) and www.hola.com People en espanol El Sol- Mary Glasgow/ Scholastic Publishing WEBSITES 1. www.actfl.org www.flenj.org- 2. www.globalteachinglearning.com 3. www.state.nj.us/njded/worldlanguages.com 4. www.spanishabout.com 5. www.studyspanish.com 6. www.eleaston.com/language.html 7. www.espanole.org 8. www.pasoapaso.com- site that supplements our text 9. www.unc.edu/~mcgreg/ 10. www.uni.edu/becker/spanish.html- 11. www.rae.es/ Spanish Royal Academy of Language 12. www. Hola.com 13. www.cnn.com/es 14. www.elmundo.es 15. www.abc.es 16. www.rtve.es/ree/ Database at Manchester High School Media Center has additional links.
COURSE PLANNER September- Overview of exam format.samples provided for the student to become familiar with the various types of tasks. Structure: Review of Present Tense/Estar + gerund(seguir,ir, with gerund) Direct/Indirect Object Pronouns and other basic structures Continuemos- Chapter 1 Una vez mas- Primera,quinta/sexta lecciones Vocabulary: Relaciones humanas-family and friends- relationships Continuemos- Chapter 1 Triangulo Chapter IX supplementary vocabulary and activities Readings: Journalistic reading- provided by text/integrated in chapter Un papa de medio tiempo? Aventuras literarias: Fables Haz de leña- Esopo Cuento del loro y de la mujer picara Génesis/Apocalipsis-Marco Denevi Culture: España (text Lessons are always supplemented and integrated with related thematic authentic readings taken from the websites of the Spanish-speaking world. Activities: students are always actively engaged in the learning process Oral: Speaking task prompt cards, pair activities, interviews, role-play, simulated conversations, surveys, student opinion presentations. Rubrics are used to evaluate the student. Lab: Weekly trips to the writing lab are incorporated to use online text sites, grammar practice sites, newspapers/magazines and other authentic sources. Student text CDs Writing: Students have thematic essay: I admire student selects family member/describes and assesses why the person is admired. Informal: weekly journal October Structure: Review of Ser/Estar + other uses/ Adjectives, placement and Shortened forms(meanings) possessives. The past tenses- forms and uses of Preterit and Imperfect Continuemos- Chapter 2 Una vez mas- Segunda/septima/once lecciones Vocabulary: Sistema educativo- educational system. Choice of classes, grades Career options Continuemos- Chapter 2 Triangulo- Chapter VII Education- supplementary Readings: Journalistic reading- provided by text/integrated in chapter La red en la educacion En el mundo hispánico- What is Spanish? Where spoken,dialects Importance of teaching/learning. Culture: Mexico(text) Activities Oral: Speaking task prompt cards, pair activities, Interviews, role-play, simulated conversations, surveys, student opinion presentations. Lab: incorporate online text ancillaries and web sites, grammar practice sites,authentic sources. Student text CDs Writing: Students have a formal writing essay: Lo que quiero estudiar y ser en el futuro con sus preparativos. Informal writing: student completes a weekly journal entry.
November Structure: Continue and complete the review/practice of Preterit and Imperfect Review of the future and the conditional tenses. Continuemos- Chapter 3 Una vez mastercera/novena lecciones Vocabulary: Los deportes y actividades al aire libre; student pastimes and Leisure time activities Continuemos- Chapter 3 Triangulo- Chapter VI Los deportes- supplementary Readings: Journalistic reading- provided by text/integrated in chapter Caminando hasta el fin del mundo-trekking Integration of authentic articles taken from the Spanish newspaper and magazine sites (www.terra.com/www.abc.com Etc.) Culture: Vivan Chile, Peru y Ecuador(text) En el mundo hispánico Historia- collection of brief history readings. Activities Oral: Debate The importance and role of sport in the high school pair activities, interviews, role-play, simulated conversations, and question/answer practice. Lab: writing lab -incorporate online text sites, grammar practice sites, available authentic sources. Student text CDs Writing: Students have a formal thematic writing essay. Los beneficios de praticar deportes y hacer ejercicio. Formal project; Research in library. Write paper and cite sources. Compliment with visual and oral presentation.(rubric grade) A Famous Hispanic Historical Person Informal writing: weekly journal entry. December Structure: Usos de Por/para/ Subjunctive Mode: forms + uses of Present and Present Perfect of the subjunctive Continuemos- Chapter 4 and other selected activities Una vez mas- Cuarta leccion(seccion I + II) Vocabulary: Costumbres y Tradiciones- relating cultural and personal Celebrations student beliefs and superstitions like horoscope Continuemos- Chapter 4 Readings: Journalistic reading- text/ El Corpus de Cuzco Integration of authentic articles newspaper and magazine sites (www.terra.com/www.abc.com Etc.) Culture: Paraguay y Bolivia(text) Activities: Oral: pair activities, interviews, role-play, simulated conversations, surveys, picture prompts Lab: incorporate online text sites, grammar practice sites, newspapers/magazines and authentic sources. Student text CD. Writing: formal writing essay: Como se celebra.en Los Estados Unidos Students write composition then create an oral with visual to explain to a Spanishspeaking audience how a given holiday is celebrated in the US. Informal writing: weekly journal entry.
January Structure: Review the Imperfect(Past) subjunctive: form and use /Sequence of Tenses/ If Clauses/como si and other uses of form- Conjunctions-all and sequence of tenses- Continuemos- Chapter 8 Una vez mas- cuarta leccion(seccion II =IV) doce leccion (seccion II) Vocabulary: Nuestras grandes ciudades: problemas y situaciones Continuemos- Chapter 8 Triangulo- Chapter X section on technology- supplementary Readings: Journalistic reading- text/integrated in chapter En el supermercado- productos verdes Integration of authentic articles from the Spanish sites (www.terra.com/www.abc.com Etc.) Activities: Oral: Persuasion speech: Student develops an invention to help improve a situation/circumstance. Must speak to market and convince el Corte Ingles (Spain) to select his/her product. Pair activities, interviews, role-play, simulated conversations. Lab: incorporate online text sites, grammar practice sites, newspapers/magazines and authentic sources. Student text CDs Writing: Students have a formal writing essay Create invention Informal writing: weekly journal entry. February Structure: An overlap from January, continue conjunctions and sequence of tenses with subjunctive and If clauses. Imperatives: Let s, tu and vosotros. Present and Pluperfect Tenses. Continuemos- Chapter 6 Una vez mas- Segunda leccion/section I and IV. Vocabulary: Un estudiante americano en Costa Rica-exchange programs and vocabulary relevant to car and car travel. Continuemos- Chapter 6 Triangulo- Chapter IV supplemental selections/travel Readings: Journalistic reading- provided by text/integrated in chapter Costa Rica, la Suiza de America Integration of authentic articles taken from the Spanish newspaper and magazine sites (www.terra.com/www.abc.com etc.) Student will use book and internet sources to investigate key Spanish and Spanish- American authors, read and interpret a selection and create an oral presentation. AP Sample Readings from various sources. Culture: Costa Rica (text) Oral: pair activities, interviews, role-play, simulated conversations, and question/answer practice. Present Author project. Lab: writing lab -incorporate online text sites, grammar practice sites, available authentic sources. Student text CDs AP Listening Samples- various CDs Writing: Si pudiera ser estudiante de intercambio considerations of an exchange student. Formal project; Research in library. Write paper and cite sources. Compliment with visual and oral presentation.(rubric grade) A Spanish/Spanish American Author Informal writing: weekly journal entry.
March Structure: Future and Conditional Perfect Tenses, Changes in meaning of nouns(masculine/feminine), Continued inclusion of subjunctive. Continuemos- Chapter 7 Una vez mas- Tercera lección/section II and IV. Teacher made materials. Sample AP released exams/selecting with root words,without root words and tenses. Vocabulary: Buen Provecho- Foods,diet,food prep and Mente sana en cuerpo sano. getting and staying in shape. Continuemos- Chapter 7 and 5 Readings: Journalistic reading- provided by text/integrated in chapter La cocina guatemalteca and Táctica y estrategias de la perdida del peso. Integration of authentic articles taken from the Spanish newspaper and magazine sites (www.terra.com/www.abc.com etc.) Student will use teacher made unit to study the biography and works of Poets : Jose Marti, Antonio Machado, Federico Garcia-Lorca, Pablo Neruda and Gabriela Mistral. Read and interpret a selection. Aventuras Literarias: El adversario Olga Ramires de Arellano AP Sample Readings from various sources. Culture: Países de Centroamérica y Venezuela y Colombia (text) En el mundo hispánico- Hoy en dia selection of readings family life,role of men,women,children,food and drink, past-time activities, holidays, sports Oral: pair activities, interviews, role-play, simulated conversations, and question/answer practice. Create and present a public awareness message about good health practices/going to gym. Present Author project. Lab: writing lab -incorporate online text sites, grammar practice sites, available authentic sources. Student text CDs AP Listening Samples- various CDs Writing: Mis platos favoritos discuss favorite foods. Consejo a un amigo que quiere perder peso y ponerse en forma write a letter of advice to a friend whose goal is to lose weight and get in shape. Informal writing: weekly journal entry. April-May Structure: Passive Voice (ser +past participle/se + ) Special uses of se / Idiomatic Expressions Continuemos- Chapter 10 Teacher made exercises. Sample AP released exams/selecting with root words,without root words and tenses. Vocabulary: El trabajo y la technologia-technology and the World of work. Continuemos- Chapter 10 Triangulo- Chapter VIII supplemental selections/el comericio Readings: Journalistic reading- provided by text/integrated in chapter El acceso al Internet Integration of authentic articles taken from the Spanish newspaper and magazine sites (www.terra.com/www.abc.com etc.) -Aventuras Literarias- El arrepentido- Ana Maria Matute -AP Sample Readings from various sources. Culture: Las Antillas hispanicas (text) En el mundo hispánico Cultura-readings of various monuments,architecture, painters,musicians, theatre and movies
Oral: pair activities,interviews, role-play, simulated conversations, and question/answer practice. Oral presentation- painter/ analyze painting Lab: writing lab -incorporate online text sites, grammar practice sites, available authentic sources.- Student text CDs -AP Listening Samples- various CDs Writing: Como los cambios tecnológicos han afectado y afectaran mi vida considerations of how technology has changed and will impact future. Formal project; Research in library. Write paper and cite sources. Compliment with visual and oral presentation.(rubric grade) A Spanish/Spanish American Painter Informal writing: weekly journal entry. May-June Structure: After the test, the students continue to work on mastery of all structure points through speaking, reading and writing. The students continue to prepare for placement tests and continued language study in college. Vocabulary: La prensa- vocabulary dealing with journalism and television Readings: Integration of authentic articles taken from the Spanish newspaper and magazine sites (www.terra.com/www.abc.com etc.) Use Hola and People en español and Selecciones for articles and short stories. Culture: En el mundo hispánico Economía y sociedad- Medios de comunicación. Oral: pair activities, interviews, role-play, simulated conversations, and question/answer practice. Video presentation: Un programa de television. Students will work in groups to create a video presentation after designing and writing a script for program. Writing: Television script Informal writing: weekly journal entry.