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
2024 ADVANCED PLACEMENT SUMMER INSTITUTE
AP* SPANISH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
  
Day 1
 1. Welcome, Introductions                                                                                 
2. Review of Materials and Agenda                                                                        
3. Prueba: Información general sobre AP                                                
4. APSI Required Topics                                                                                        
5. What is AP? / Benefits of taking AP Spanish Language and Culture            
6. AP Language and ACTFL Proficiency Levels
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. Review of Reading Selections                                                                       
11. Teaching Strategies: Reading Comprehension                                             
12. Features of the CED Unit Guides                                                                   
13. 8 Skills Project for Thursday
14. Aligning Skills with Comprehension Questions Based on a Song                      
15. Writing Comprehension Questions (4) based on Authentic Texts  
                                     
HW: CED Walkthrough Video + Broadening Access to AP
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Day 2 
 1. Calentamiento: Encuentra las diferencias                                                         
2.  APSI Topics Review                                                                                          
3.  AP Access and Equity                                                                                        
4.  Integrating Culture into Instruction (via authentic texts, music, art, etc.)                                             
5.  2024Free Response section: E-mail Reply                                                                                           
     • format and challenges
     • scoring guidelines 
     • engagement in 2023 Exam
     • scoring student samples            
6. 2020 AP Practice Exam: Interpretive Mode: Listening                                                                   
     a.  Task Models
     b.   format and timing
7. Teaching Strategies: Listening Comprehension                                              
8. Free Response Section: FRQ 3: Simulated Conversation                                                                            
     a. format and challenges
     b. scoring guidelines review
     c. 2024 exam practice
     d. scoring student samples
9. Teaching Strategies: Conversation Starters                                                             
10. Using Unit Guides to Plan the Course                                                                   
11. Creating a Unit Plan                                                                                              
                         
                                           Tarea para Día 3:  El mejor noticiero
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Day 3 
 1. Calentamiento: Dilo en tu idioma:                                                                       
2. APSI Topics Review                                                                                            
3. Poll and Discussion: El mejor noticiero                                                                
4. 2024 Free Response: T2: El ensayo argumentativo                                           
      • palabras de transición
      • graphic organizers
     • engagement in essay writing: 2023 exam/sharing “posturas”
     • scoring guidelines and student samples
     • converting scores using 100% scale
5.  Instructional Strategies: Receptive Skills                                                           
6. 2024 Free Response section: T4: La comparación cultural                                 
     • format and challenges
     • engagement in 2023 AP Exam
     • scoring guidelines and student samples
7. Vertical Alignment with PPP’s / Connecting Instruction                                        
8. Presentational Communication Practice w/ Images                                                                                           
9. Unit Plan (redux) and sharing                                                                              
 
                                     Tarea para mañana: AP Skills Project
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Day 4       
 1. Calentamiento:  Mundos paralelos/ Mundos desiguales                                         
 2. APSI Topics Review
3.  AP Audit                                                                                                                  
4.  AP Sample Syllabus in AP Central                                                                         
5.  AP Classroom / AP Daily Videos / AP Classroom Scavenger Hunt                          
6.  2024 AP Statistics                                                                                             
7.  AP Instructional Report                                                                                     
8.  Cultural comparison w/ Authentic Text: Tapear en Granada
9.  Art as Stimulus for Interpretive and Presentational Communication  
10. Online Sites for Practicing Reading /Listening Comprehension
11. Tarea del Verano
12. Proyectos progresivos
13. Favorite Techology Tools
14. Sharing 8 Skills Projects
15. Despedida