SPANISH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

George Watson-Lopez
geowatlop@aol.com
George Watson-López taught Spanish at Walpole High School for over 35 years before retiring from public education in 2011. The son of Costa Rican immigrants, he majored in Spanish at Boston University and attained his Master’s degree from Middlebury College. George chaired the Foreign Language Dept. from 1980-2011 where he oversaw five language programs, coordinated an exchange program with Palmares, Costa Rica, and instituted a Global Studies Certification program. In 2009 he was named Massachusetts Teacher of the Year by The Council of Chief State School Officers and was honored at The White House in President Obama’s first Rose Garden reception. Currently, George is Visiting Instructor of Hispanic Studies at Wheaton College in Massachusetts. Besides AP* Spanish Language and Culture, George has given Pre-AP* workshops in Strategies for Vertical Teaming, Interpretive and Interpersonal Communication. He has also given numerous workshops in MA on the use of Latin music in the Spanish classroom, a topic he weaves into all his workshops and institutes. For the past 15 years George has been a Table Leader at the AP Reading where he has led his table in the grading of the speaking portion of the AP* Spanish Language and Culture exam. His publications include: EntreCulturas I, a textbook program for teaching Spanish language and Hispanic culture to Novice level learners, and “Dream, Vincent, Dream” in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Teacher Tales.

George lives in Mansfield, MA. He enjoys spending time with his sons, Marcus and Michael, his daughters-in-law, Shannon and Jesse, and his granddaughters Sidney and Brynn. He also enjoys traveling to his vacation home in Tambor, Costa Rica.
AP SEMINARS – SILICON VALLEY
2023 ADVANCED PLACEMENT SUMMER INSTITUTE
AP* SPANISH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
  
Day 1 8:00 – 3:00
1. Welcome, Introductions                                                                                  
2. Review of Materials and Agenda
3. Encuesta: Información general sobre AP
4. APSI Required Topics 
5. What is AP? / Benefits of taking AP Spanish Language and Culture?
6. ACTFL Proficiency Levels + Can-Do Statements
7. The 2020 CED: Course and Exam Description 
• Overarching Premise
• Themes and Recommended Contexts
• Skills and Learning Objectives              
• Modes of Communication
• Four FRQ Task Models
8. Overview of AP* Spanish Language and Culture Exam: Modes, MCQ’s, and FRQ’s
9. AP Exam Practice (CED): Task Model: Article + Chart                                                                                       
10. Categorizing Comprehension Questions Based on Music Lyrics
11. Features of the CED Unit Guides
12. Pre-Reading/Reading/Post-Reading Strategies
13. Online Sites for Practicing Reading Comprehension:
14. Writing Comprehension Questions (Textos auténticos)  
  
                                Tarea (hora del almuerzo): Lecturas: AP Practice Exam
                                Tarea: CED Walkthrough Video
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Day 2 8:00 – 3:00
1. Calentamiento: Encuentra las diferencias
2. APSI Topics Review
3. Tarea para viernes (8 Skills assignment)  
4. AP Access, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
5. Integrating Culture/Teaching for Interculturality
6. Música para enseñar valores culturales: Residente  
7. 2020 AP Practice Exam: Interpretive Mode: Listening
 
Task Models
• format and timing
• Selecciones 2+5
 
8. Interpreting Charts/Graphs/Infographs
9. Listening Strategies: pre-listening/listening/extension activities
10. Online resources for practicing listening comprehension                               
11. 2023 Free Response Section: Simulated Conversation                 
          a. format and challenges
          b. scoring guidelines review
          c. 2023 exam practice
          d. scoring student samples
12. Teaching Strategies and Practice: Conversation Starters
13. Day/Week/Unit Plan development

                          Tarea (hora del almuerzo): Elige el mejor noticiero en línea.
                          Tarea para viernes: AP Skills Project
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Day 3   8:00 – 3:00
1. Calentamiento: Dilo en tu idioma                                                       
2. APSI Topics Review
3. Using Music to Practice Interpretive Communication
4.  Instructional Strategies: Receptive Skills
5. 2023 Free Response: El ensayo argumentativo 
• graphic organizers
• palabras de transición
• engagement in essay writing: 2021 exam/sharing “posturas”
• scoring guidelines and student samples
• converting scores using 100% scale
6.  Instructional Strategies: Productive Skills                                          
7. 2023 Free Response section: La comparación cultural
• format and challenges
• engagement in 2021 AP* Exam
• scoring guidelines and student samples
8. Presentational Communication Practice with Images
9. Day/Week/Unit Plan (redux)  

                                  Tarea para viernes: AP Skills Project
                                  Tarea para mañana: AP Syllabus Review
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Day 4  8:00 – 3:00        
1.     Calentamiento:  Diálogos circulares                                                    
2.     APSI Topics Review
3.     AP Audit
4.     AP Syllabus Discussion
5.     AP Classroom / AP Daily Videos / AP Classroom Treasure Hunt
6.     2023 Free Response section: E-mail Reply
a. format and challenges
b. scoring guidelines 
c. engagement in 2023 Exam
d. scoring student samples
7. Art as Stimulus for Interpretive and Presentational Communication
8. AP Instructional Report
9. Cultural comparison w/ authentic texts: Tapear en Granada
10. Review of AP Themes: Landfill Harmonic
 
                                        Tarea para mañana: AP Skills Project
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DAY 5   8:00 – 12:00
1. Calentamiento:  Mundos desiguales
2. APSI Topics Review
3. Cortometraje for Quick-Write
4. 2023 AP Statistics
5. Sharing Favorite Technology Tools.
6. Las charlas diarias
7. Role of Grammar: Online Sites + Visual Spanish Grammar
8. AP Summer Assignment for Students
9. Presentation of AP Skills Projetcs
10. Despedida