The
AP Spanish Language Exam is given in May.
It
is a 3-4 hour exam testing a student’s ability in listening, speaking, reading
and writing in Spanish.
This
is an option that an interested student in Spanish
5 or 6 may elect to take at Grafton.
The
AP Spanish Exam is not a requirement for Spanish 5 or 6. Spanish 5/6 is NOT an AP SPANISH class. This
is an honors prep course. Students in
all other AP classes are required to take the AP exam.
Interested SENIORS in Spanish 5 or 6
will need to take the exam their SENIOR year.
Interested JUNIORS in Spanish 5 may
take it either in their junior year, or wait until their senior
year when they are in Spanish 6 to take the exam. This option allows interested or curious
juniors to have 1or 2 years to prepare for the AP
Spanish Exam. The AP Spanish Exam is
revised every year; therefore, a junior could take the exam twice, if so
inclined.
At
this point in time, Mr. Oliver recommends that any student interested in taking
the AP Spanish Exam should maintain a 94+/A average in
his or her current Spanish 5 or 6 class. [Questions?
You may reach me at boliver@ycsd.york.va.us or call the school
at 898-0530.]
Spanish
5/6 – AP Prep. continues emphasis on the four skill
areas of Listening, Speaking,
Ready to step up to the challenge? J
If
you are interested in taking the AP Spanish Exam next May, these are my recommendations
for the summer and during the school year for preparation.
1. Everyday, pick up a Spanish
publication and read some of it. I
suggest People Magazine en Español, Reader’s Digest en Español or
other such publications. You may buy
these at Barnes and Noble or at other book/magazine shops. Car magazines, fashion magazines, etc. are
all fine. Just do some reading and come
in contact with Spanish publications.
ALSO, purchase a Spanish/English dictionary to help you.
2. You can also go on the
internet and read articles in Spanish such as on-line newspapers, magazines,
web sites. Yahoo is also in
Spanish. [If you are a member of a
religious community, you might seek out publications and sacred texts in
Spanish to study and compare with those you have in English.]
3. Have some daily or every
other daily contact with Univisión on the cable network. I suggest watching news programs such as
“Primer Impacto,” or “Noticiero.” You
will see and hear speakers from all of the Spanish-speaking countries. “Tu Desayuno Alegre,” is a morning talk show
with music videos. Also, there are soap
operas, “Telenovelas,” if that interests you, plus there are some game shows,
too.
4. Videos and DVDs are
excellent resources, too, for listening to Spanish. While watching your
favorite DVD this summer, select to hear or watch your DVD in the Spanish
language
5. Either just watch the program and jot down some words or things you
don’t understand or want to learn and let the rest flow over you….. or…..
6. Tape a show, then pick a 3-5
minute segment and keep rewinding it, working with it until you get most of
what is going on. You might like working
with music videos or commercials when you do this at first. Try to enjoy this, or work with a partner.
7. The speakers on Univisión
talk 10 times faster than the speakers on the AP Spanish Exam. Don’t become discouraged. Remember:
The AP Spanish Exam is an option.
The most important thing is maintaining your motivation and maintaining
your 94+ average next year en Español.
J ¡Buena Suerte! J