Course details
The AP Spanish Language and Culture course is comparable to a high intermediate or advanced low level college or university Spanish language course. Emphasizing the use of Spanish for active communication in real life tasks, it focuses on developing your abilities in the three modes of communication (Interpretive, Interpersonal, and Presentational) and strengthening your cultural competencies through theme-based instruction based on a variety of authentic resources, such as: newspapers, magazines, podcasts, blogs, advertisements, television programs, films, music, video clips, and literature, Grammar and vocabulary are developed through contextualized study.
The course objectives are to help you:
About the exam:
The exam is approximately 3 hours long and includes both a 95 minute multiple-choice section and an 85 minute free-response section. The multiple-choice section accounts for 50% your exam grade, and the free-response section for the other 50%
Section I: Multiple Choice
Part A: Interpretive Communication: Print Texts — 30 questions; ~40 minutes
Total scores on the multiple-choice section are based on the number of questions answered correctly. Points are not deducted for incorrect answers and no points are awarded for unanswered questions.
Section II: Free Response — 4 Tasks; ~85 minutes
Interpersonal Writing: Email Reply
You read an email and write a reply in which you must respond to questions and provide requested information. You have 15 minutes to read the email and respond to it. This task is worth 12.5% of the final exam grade.
Presentational Writing: Persuasive Essay
You are given an essay prompt and three authentic sources (an article, a chart, graph, or table, and an audio source) which represent different points of view about the topic of the prompt. You then prepare and write a persuasive essay in which you state your point of view and integrate information from the three sources to support your perspective. You have approximately 55 minutes to interpret the sources and write your essay. You have access to the print sources and your notes from the audio source while you write your essay. This task is worth 12.5% of the final exam grade.
Interpersonal Speaking: Conversation
You are given an outline of a conversation. You then engage in the conversation by responding to five prompts. You have 20 seconds for each response. This task is worth 12.5% of the final exam grade.
Presentational Speaking: Cultural Comparison
You are given one prompt about a cultural topic. You prepare and then present an oral presentation in which you compare and contrast perspectives or attitudes about this cultural topic in your own community with those in a Spanish-speaking community with which you are familiar. You have 4 minutes to read the prompt and prepare your answer, and 2 minutes to present and record your presentation. This task is worth 12.5% of the final exam grade.
The course objectives are to help you:
- understand Spanish spoken by native speakers at a natural pace, with a variety of regional pronunciations;
- develop the ability to interpret audio, audio-visual and written authentic sources in Spanish without dependence on a dictionary;
- engage in active two way conversations in Spanish using appropriate register and communication strategies;
- present your opinions and view points, develop arguments and express yourself by describing, narrating, and inquiring in Spanish, both orally and in writing, with reasonable fluency, using different strategies for different audiences and communicative contexts;
- understand the significance of an array of cultural products, practices and perspectives from around the Spanish- speaking world and make comparisons of them to those in your own community
About the exam:
The exam is approximately 3 hours long and includes both a 95 minute multiple-choice section and an 85 minute free-response section. The multiple-choice section accounts for 50% your exam grade, and the free-response section for the other 50%
Section I: Multiple Choice
Part A: Interpretive Communication: Print Texts — 30 questions; ~40 minutes
- This section consists of a variety of authentic print materials (e.g., journalistic and literary texts, announcements, advertisements, letters, charts, maps, and tables). You will respond to questions about these authentic materials that ask for main ideas and supporting details, questions about the meaning of vocabulary words in context, as well as questions that ask you about the author’s point of view or the target audience.
- This section consists of a variety of authentic audio materials, including interviews, podcasts, public service announcements, conversations, and brief presentations. This section is divided into two subsections. The first subsection includes audio texts that are paired with print materials; the second consists solely of audio texts. You will have time to read a preview of each selection and skim the questions before listening to the audio. All audio texts will be played twice.
Total scores on the multiple-choice section are based on the number of questions answered correctly. Points are not deducted for incorrect answers and no points are awarded for unanswered questions.
Section II: Free Response — 4 Tasks; ~85 minutes
Interpersonal Writing: Email Reply
You read an email and write a reply in which you must respond to questions and provide requested information. You have 15 minutes to read the email and respond to it. This task is worth 12.5% of the final exam grade.
Presentational Writing: Persuasive Essay
You are given an essay prompt and three authentic sources (an article, a chart, graph, or table, and an audio source) which represent different points of view about the topic of the prompt. You then prepare and write a persuasive essay in which you state your point of view and integrate information from the three sources to support your perspective. You have approximately 55 minutes to interpret the sources and write your essay. You have access to the print sources and your notes from the audio source while you write your essay. This task is worth 12.5% of the final exam grade.
Interpersonal Speaking: Conversation
You are given an outline of a conversation. You then engage in the conversation by responding to five prompts. You have 20 seconds for each response. This task is worth 12.5% of the final exam grade.
Presentational Speaking: Cultural Comparison
You are given one prompt about a cultural topic. You prepare and then present an oral presentation in which you compare and contrast perspectives or attitudes about this cultural topic in your own community with those in a Spanish-speaking community with which you are familiar. You have 4 minutes to read the prompt and prepare your answer, and 2 minutes to present and record your presentation. This task is worth 12.5% of the final exam grade.