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AP Spanish Language Course Perspective
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by Cathy Soud
The Bolles School
Jacksonville, Florida
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| | In recent years, I find myself spending less and less time explaining why it is important for today's high school students to study another world language. Advances in technology and the globalization of our economy have brought once far away countries and unfamiliar peoples and cultures to our front doors. Via the internet, they are all a click away. No longer is it simply "interesting" to acquaint ourselves with other languages and cultures—it has become a necessity for students who want to expand their horizons beyond the confines of their hometown.
In response to these changes, the AP Spanish Language is designed to give an opportunity for students to be able to interact with Spanish-speaking cultures so that they can confidently function in Spanish in a variety of settings. In the AP Spanish Language course, students learn how to participate in conversations and present formal oral presentations, write in both interpersonal and presentational settings, and correctly interpret main ideas in real- life audio sources, such as radio programs. They also become better readers by learning to negotiate meaning in authentic print sources. Through all these activities, the successful AP teacher simulates the type of experiences encountered when trying to practice a second language in the target culture. On any given day, one might have a routine conversation, pick up a newspaper and read a story, listen to the radio or watch a TV program. It also might be necessary to write a quick note to a friend or colleague. In a classroom setting, a student might be called upon to write a formal essay or make an oral presentation. The emphasis is on equipping the students with skills and tools which enable them to perform meaningful language functions. They develop significant cultural awareness and insights into appropriate communication. The course is a long way away from the old days of verb charts and memorizing endless lists of vocabulary!
The AP Spanish Language Course not only reflects the latest in language pedagogy but it also prepares students to use the language in either a college language course or in the target culture. The course is skill-based and there is no required text or laundry list of grammar topics to be covered. While many teachers would agree on the grammatical structures and vocabulary helpful to effective communication at certain levels and reaching proficiency goals, there are many ways to achieve success in the course. Many effective AP teachers organize the course by thematic units in which students practice a variety of tasks and skills. These can be activities such as conversations, debates, skits, or more traditional essays or oral presentations. Experienced AP teachers such as myself have found that over the years we have had to fine-tune some of our favorite activities and materials, but effective language pedagogy and an exciting classroom atmosphere will always require active participation by the student.
The use of authentic materials whenever possible adds a cultural dimension to any topic. One of my favorite units in the AP class is a study of the gitanos in Spain and their history, complete with newspaper articles, a short story by Ana María Matute Los alambradores, and a public service TV ad campaign from Spain about prejudice. In this one unit, for example, students can read newspaper accounts and interviews, watch the TV ads and visit the website of the anti-prejudice campaign and discuss the Matute story. Not only are these activities stimulating for the students, but they keep the teacher interested, too!
The AP Spanish Language Course is rigorous, but never boring! Throughout the year, the students not only become prepared for the AP Spanish Language Exam, but they also have gained confidence in their ability to tackle interesting subjects and hold their own in interactions with native speakers. The gradual improvement over the course of an academic year is impressive. Not as good as a trip abroad, but terrific nonetheless!
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