Spanish for Native Speakers III - AP
PHILOSOPHY
As teachers of the Spanish language, we are committed to helping students
communicate in Spanish with a high degree of proficiency while learning about the
cultures of Spanish-speaking people. In addition, we are committed to helping
students perform on the Advanced Placement Spanish Language Examination at a
level enabling them to earn credit and/or advanced placement from the college or
university of their choice. Additionally with our Spanish for Native Speakers classes
we seek to challenge and motivate our fluent Spanish speakers to continue developing
and improving their use of the Spanish language.
The Spanish for Native Speakers III Advanced Placement (AP) course is the
culmination of a program for fluent Spanish speakers that include level one and level
two. Our school is on four-by-four block schedule, and each of the Native Speakers
courses is a semester course. Spanish for Native Speakers III AP is only offered in the
spring semester. This course of studies provides native Spanish speaking students with
a solid academic foundation in the four language skills and enables them to use these
skills in real communication in a wide variety of situations. Development of these
closely interrelated skills incorporates grammar, vocabulary, and the cultures of
Spanish-speaking peoples, all integral parts of the communicative process.
GOALS
The primary goal of the Spanish for Native Speakers AP course is to enable
students to achieve, through meaningful content, their highest levels of language
proficiency and consequently, attain an acceptable score on the AP examination. Also,
the intensive nature of the course and its content require students to think at higher
cognitive levels; thinking critically, analyzing, comparing and contrasting, synthesizing
and then making thoughtful responses. In addition the course sets a foundation for
literary analysis in preparation for Spanish Literature Advanced Placement.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
In order to achieve the goals and objectives as stated, students participate in
intensive communicative activities which incorporate vocabulary building, grammatical
review and analysis, listening comprehension, oral expression, reading authentic texts,
refining composition writing, and studying the cultures of Hispanic peoples. A primary
textbook, supplementary texts, readers and activity books are used to provide a variety
of themes, materials and activities. Further details are described in the syllabus and
resource sections of this document.
Students receive course and exam descriptions, guidelines, rubrics, and other
information provided by the College Board and AP Central. Throughout the semester
students receive intensive practice in each of the components of the AP Spanish
Language Exam. These activities include listening comprehension, recording audio
files of students’ informal and formal speaking, reading authentic articles and
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literature, paragraph completion, informal writing and the formal composition.
In the weeks following the exam, students study Spanish and Latin American
theater.
PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES and STRATEGIES
Listening and Speaking
The student will:
o comprehend and produce formal and informal standard spoken Spanish in
authentic situations or when listening to authentic sources.
o communicate factual information, generalizations, concepts, ideas and feelings
with an accent, grammatical accuracy, robust vocabulary that is accurate
enough to be understood by educated Spanish speakers through out Spain and
Latin America.
o express personal opinions, including hypotheses and conjecture.
o demonstrate a good command of grammatical forms and syntactic patterns.
o narrate and describe present, past, and future events.
o practice the skills of circumlocution and circumnavigation when unable to recall
exact vocabulary.
Students are required to speak Spanish almost exclusively in the classroom. This is
part of the course description, and students understand this requirement before
enrolling in the class. They also earn participation grades based on the use of Spanish.
Using English is only permitted with teacher permission. This occurs rarely and is
usually to compare Spanish and English.
At the beginning of the course, students are introduced to the listening and informal
speaking components of the AP test and the College Board AP Central web site. We
discuss the information, rubrics and the resources found there.
Learning activities include paired and small group work. Informal registers include
personal communication, conversations, and addressing social situations. Formal
registers include discussions, debates and presentations,. Topics are drawn from
current events, social issues, cultural and historical information, radio and television
reports, programs, announcements, interviews, lectures on non-technical subjects and
specific interests of the students.
Listening resources include CD recordings and audio files, video clips, films, radio and
television programs. We use the audio magazine Puerta del Sol, a CD with authentic
audio selections from Spain. An accompanying resource manual provides speaking and
listening activities related to the audio material.
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Our native speakers of Spanish are members of our school’s and community’s large
Hispanic population. Students are encouraged to speak Spanish with Hispanic
students, staff and community members. One of the student assignments includes
establishing a set of questions and interviewing a native speaker from the community.
Beyond the listening comprehension and the ability to speak sustained standard
Spanish, students practice and discuss detecting emotional overtones and making
inferences in others’ messages.
Along with the units in the primary textbooks, we use two workbooks (2007 editions)
that are designed specifically for AP preparation. We begin by listening to the short
dialogues and narratives, and gradually move to the longer selections. Students listen
for general information and take notes. Listening is also part of the phone conversation
(informal speaking) practice activities.
Our digital language laboratory provides students many opportunities to listen to
authentic sources on the Internet. Frequently used sites include CNN en español and
the BBC site. Students listen and take notes for immediate or subsequent discussions
or speaking presentations. Yabla.com is another resource based on video clips of
authentic speech from around the Spanish speaking world. It includes highly
motivational material such as music videos. Each student receives a free account
which is paid for by the school division.
As students progress, we integrate listening with reading sources in preparation for the
formal speaking presentation. Students begin by taking notes from a listening source
and comparing and contrasting information from a reading source. Students must
support what they say by citing each source. The two AP preparation workbooks
provide activities comparable to the AP test. Students are required to record a scripted
phone conversation and a two-minute formal presentation once every two to three
weeks.
Reading
The student will:
o demonstrate comprehension of factual information in non-technical prose
o demonstrate comprehension of literary texts (novels, essays, poems, short stories,
theatrical scripts)
o separate main ideas from subordinate ones.
o distinguish between hypotheses, supported opinions and documented facts.
o draw inferences and make predictions.
o discriminate between different registers of language.
o recognize some stylistic differences and figurative devices (formal/informal,
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literary/colloquial, narrative/conversational)
o develop strategies for interpreting unfamiliar words, idioms, or structures by
using knowledge of root words, prefixes, suffixes, cognates, general vocabulary,
and grammatical structures.
o guess logically at new words by using contextual clues and prior knowledge.
o recognize cultural implications.
Reading materials are from authentic Spanish sources. These include literary prose,
poems, dramatic works and essays. The primary reading source is the Nuevas Vistas
textbook, which is a collection of literary selections from various Hispanic authors. (The
content is outlined in the syllabus section of this document.) The short story collection
of Album is used extensively. We also use other supplementary readers and articles
from Spanish newspapers and magazines. The internet allows us access to print
material from different Spanish speaking countries.
Writing
The student will:
o recognize a variety of modes/styles and purposes of expression: descriptive,
narrative, informative, and persuasive.
o use language appropriate to the purpose, the topic, and the intended audience.
o organize and develop ideas in a clear, logical manner.
o provide introductory remarks, transitions, and a conclusion in a composition.
o present and defend ideas and points of view.
o provide appropriate examples and draw conclusions.
o compare and contrast information from several sources.
o use a variety of grammatical structures and vocabulary.
o demonstrate control of noun, adjective, and verb patterns and structure.
o use of cohesive devices such as object pronouns, relative pronouns, conjunction
and deleting redundant words.
Journal writing is an important part of informal writing in that students not only
practice the skill but also become more confident in their abilities to write. Students
write in their “diarios” three or four times per week. Each entry requires students to
write at least 150 words in seven or eight minutes. Some topics are assigned after
reading an authentic article. Students must express their opinions and support their
arguments by citing information from the source. Students are encouraged to write
about their opinions and what interests them, in the hope that they will enjoy writing
instead of finding it tedious.
Writing tasks include expressing personal preferences, observations and opinions,
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taking notes and writing cohesive summaries and paraphrasing information.
Students write in the present, past, and future tenses. Students are expected to use
level appropriate vocabulary with some circumlocution when necessary.
Through out the semester students write autobiographical episodes that are later
combined into a final work of ten to twenty pages. All the stages of an extended
writing project are used: rough draft, second draft, revision, peer review, and final
draft. The final work is presented to the students’ parents.
Culture
Culture is an implicit part of almost every linguistic activity. By developing their
language competencies through situational activities and the use of authentic
materials, students are more able to experience Hispanic culture and appreciate a
variety of cultures. Comparisons and contrasts of the numerous cultures present in our
school and area provide a platform for discussion and analysis.
Because students in the Spanish for Native Speakers III AP course are almost entirely
latinos, the course seeks to foster pride and understanding in the Hispanic influence
and heritage of the United States.
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STRATEGIES
Many of these strategies have been described in the previous sections on learning
objectives. This list provides some additional activities and a more organized way to
view the possibilities.
1. Class conducted in Spanish
2. Audio files and CDs used in classroom instruction
3. Use of digital language lab for speaking and listening practice
4. Audio recordings of Spanish conversations, narratives and poems
5. Recordings of Spanish songs
6. Memorization and recitation of poems
7. Video segments and movies in Spanish
8. Interviews and conversations with native speakers
9. Dialogues, paired conversations
10. Question and answer activities (pairs, small groups)
11. Skits and role playing (pairs, small groups)
12. Discussions and debates (whole class, small group and pairs)
13. Informal and formal presentations (individuals, pairs)
14. Games conducted in Spanish
15. Use of media for cultural information and stimulating conversation
16. Dramatic readings
17. Description, story telling and interpretation based on picture sequences
18. Video recordings of student presentations
19. Audio recording of student responses:
o simulated telephone conversations
o formal speaking presentations (AP guidelines)
o paired conversations on a given topic
20. Reading and studying different literary genres; prose, poems, dramatic works
21. Readings from non-literary sources; newspaper and magazine articles,
advertisements and editorials
22. Pre-reading activities to facilitate comprehension
23. Demonstration of comprehension by summarizing, paraphrasing, outlining,
and/or predicting activities
24. Written reports (can be used for oral presentations and discussions)
25. Journal writing
26. Peer editing and correcting
27. Computer-assisted learning through software and websites
28. Practice by using previously released AP exams and activities
29. Testing practice using previous National Spanish Exams
30. Practice with files on AP Central and other web sites
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SYLLABUS
Nuevas Vista, Curso Avanzado Uno is the primary textbook. This textbook is
specifically written for Native Spanish Speakers who are preparing for the AP
Language exam. Each unit contains on two or three authentic literary readings on a
given theme. These readings are accompanied by information and activities that
facilitate reading comprehension and integrate language skills. These sections include:
o Cultura y lengua: the history, society and language of different Spanish
speaking countries (written text and a video segment)
o Panorama cultural: text and video segments of interviews with young people
from different countries
o Comunidad y oficio: text and video segments about what Spanish speakers can
do in our global society in the 21st century
o Vocabulario: lists of Spanish definitions and synonyms essential to readings
o Estrategias para leer: strategies for improving comprehension of unfamiliar text
o Gramática, comparación y contraste, ortografía: clarification and practice
activities designed to help students refine their knowledge and skills
o Prepara tu portfolio/Taller del escritor: a culminating activity in which students
demonstrate what they have learned by writing an informative article, a
fictional or autobiographical story
o A ver si puedo: a review of the fundamental points of the unit
o Elementos de literature: explanations and examples of different literary genres
(short stories, poems, plays, novels)
Within each unit, each literature selection includes information and activities that
facilitate comprehension. These include:
o Pre-reading activities offer strategies for associating the theme with personal
experiences, and for understanding unfamiliar text. Pre-reading also reviews
elements of literature when establishing the genre of the selection.
o A reader’s diary encourages students to use other strategies, including asking
questions, making predictions, and reflecting on the text meaning. Initially,
students keep a diary in which they jot down notes, observations and questions.
As they progress with their reading, they begin to do this mentally and writing
down observations is not necessary.
o Key vocabulary words with Spanish definitions and/or synonyms are noted at
the bottom of each page of the stories.
o A brief biography of the writer includes a synopsis of his or her life, literary
works and contributions. The literary selections are from various Hispanic
countries.
o After reading independently or in small groups, students discuss the story based
on comprehension activities that include discerning factual information and
expressing their first impressions, interpretations and personal connections.
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Unit I
Viva la juventud
“Mis primeros versos,” Rubén Darío
“Primero de Secundaria,” Gary Soto
“Un Cuentecillo Triste,” Gabriel García Márquez
Cultura y Lengua: Nicaragua
Gramática: Nouns, articles, adjectives- gender, number and agreement
Unit 2
Habla con los animales
“La Guerra de los Yacarés,” Horacio Quiroga
“de Platero y Yo (prosa poética),” Juan Ramón Jiménez
“de Me Llamo Rigoberta Menchú,” Rigoberta Menchú
Cultura y Lengua: Uruguay
Gramática: forms and uses of the present, preterite and imperfect tenses
Unit 3
Fábulas y leyendas
“Posada de las Tres Cuerdas,” Ana María Shua
“La Puerta del Infierno,” Antonio Landaura
“Gueso y Pellejo,” Ciro Alegría
Cultura y Lengua: Argentina
Gramática: forms and uses of the present subjunctive mood
Unit 4
Dentro del Corazón
“Mañana de Sol” (drama), Serafín y Joaquín Álvarez Quintero
“de Paula” (autobiografía). Isabel Allende
“de Versos Sencillos” (poema), José Martí
“Verde Luz” (poema), Antonio Cabán Vale
Cultura y Lenguaje: España
Gramática: imperfect subjunctive, conditional and future tenses
Unit 5
Caminos
“Hay un naranjo ahí” (poema), Alfonso Quijada Urías
“La Tortuga” (poema), Pablo Neruda
“El forastero gentil” (cuento), Sabine R. Ulibarrí
A leer por tu cuenta:
de “Coplas por la muerte de su padre” (poema), Jorge Manrique
de “Soledades y Campos de Castilla” (poemas), Antonio Machado
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Unit 5
Cultura y Lengua: Chile
(cont.)
Gramática: Sequence of verb tenses, indicative and subjunctive moods
Unit 6
Tierra, sol y mar
de “Valle del Fuego” (artículo), Alejandro Balaguer
de “Aydin” (novela), Jordi Sierra i Fabra
“Romance Sonámbulo” (poema), Federico García Lorca
Cultura y Lengua: Perú
Gramática: infinitivos, gerunds and prepositions
ASSESSMENT
o Daily class participation, including nearly exclusive use of Spanish
o Informal and ongoing assessment of each student’s contributions to class
activities (individually, pairs, small groups, whole class)
o Homework, written class work and preparation for class activities
o Recording audio files in language lab- graded initially for effort and
completeness (content, ease of communication, grammatical accuracy, level
appropriate vocabulary, and pronunciation/intonation)
o Recording responses to simulated phone conversations and formal speaking
presentations (evaluated according to the AP rubrics)
o Informal writing which includes journals and writing assignments related to
lesson content (evaluated on effort and use of level appropriate Spanish)
o Formal writing (authentic sources, integration of skills and higher levels of
thinking, evaluated according to the 2007 AP rubrics)
o Compositions (prompts from prior AP tests, topics of student interest)
o Quizzes on vocabulary and/or grammar topics in each unit
o Comprehensive unit tests which integrate content and all four language skills
o Research projects and presentations
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RESOURCES
Textbooks:
Nuevas Vistas, Curso Avanzado Uno (and ancillary materials), Austin, TX: Holt,
Rinehart and Winston, 2003.
Advanced Spanish AP Language Preparation Workbook (and audio CDs), New York:
Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2007.
Couch, James, et al. Una Vez Más, Edición Segunda, White Plains, NY: Longman
Publishing Group, 1993.
Diaz, José M., et al. AP Spanish: Preparing for the Language Examination. 3rd edition.
Boston, MS: Pearson/ Prentice Hall, 2007.
Kanter, Abby. Encuentros Maravillosos, Gramatica a través de la literatura. Glenview,
IL: Addison Wesley Longman, 1998.
Supplementary materials:
Barlow, Genevieve. Leyendas latinoamericanas. New York, NY: McGraw Hill Glencoe.
Hiller, Janet F., Spanish Four Years with AP Component, New York, NY: Amsco School
Publications, 2001.
Materiales and Da Que Hablar, Education Office, Embassy of Spain, Washington, DC.
National Spanish Examinations, American Association of Teachers of Spanish and
Portuguese
Puerta del Sol: The Spanish Language Audiomagazine, Nashville, TN: Champs-Elysées, Inc.
www.puerta-del-sol.com
Valette, Rebecca M. and Joy Renjilian-Burgy. Album: Cuentos del mundo hispánico.
Lexington, Massachusetts: D.C. Heath and Company.
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Web Sites:
BBC Mundo
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/spanish/news/
College Board AP Central for information and practice activities
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/teachers_corner/46361.html
CNN en espanol for current events and cultural links
http://www.cnn.com/espanol/
Harrisonburg High School library for links to newspapers around the world
http://www.harrisonburg.k12.va.us/hhslib/subjects/electronicnews.htm
Spain’s Ministery of Education for Materials, authentic sources and teaching materials
www.sgci.mec.es/usa/materiales
Spanish Grammar Exercises by Barbara Nelson (grammar through songs and poetry)
http://www.colby.edu/~bknelson/exercises/
Spanish.yabla On line Spanish Video Immersion
http://spanish.yabla.com/
Films and Video:
A Bronx tale (Spanish Audio), Home Box Office, Inc.
El abuelo, Miramax.
Golpes a la puerta, Fox Lorber.
La casa de Bernarda Alba, Paraíso Flims S.A.
La historia oficial, Fox Lorber.
La luz prodigiosa, Manga Films S.L.
Milagro en Roma, Televisión Española S.A.
Something the Lord Made (Spanish Audio), Home Box Office, Inc.