The first week of an AP Spanish class is crucial for setting the tone, establishing expectations, and laying the groundwork for the rest of the course. AP Spanish can be pretty intimidating for students that have never taken an AP course or that have never taken an advanced Spanish class. It is important to make students feel like they can handle the course and that there will be support provided.
- Course Overview: This is where you present what the course is about and what the themes are for example: “La belleza y la estética,” “La Dualidad de Ser,” or “La vida contemporánea.”
2. Give an overview of the literary works, cultural texts, and media that will be studied in each unit. Do not overdo this portion because it can seem like a lot for students. Do discuss some of the lengthy readings and what they can expect the course to look be like. Discuss the six theme titles without going into too much detail.
3. Give a pre-assessment for AP Spanish Language and Culture in order for students to measure growth. Here a link to a bundle that has a pre-assessment/assessment and a quiz on the courses’ overview (to be given at the end of the first week or start of second week).
This is a good time to discuss grading policies, including how assignments, tests, and participation will be assessed. Questions students usually have are: Will there be homework? Will there be a lot of testing? Will I have to read at home? Will we complete reading in class?
Review of Key Skills:
Review essential language skills such as reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Here is a graphic you can use. Need more click here
• Provide a brief review of important grammatical concepts, focusing on those most relevant to the AP course. Use this graphic to help you have a grasp on students writing abilities. Have students briefly share out what they wrote for one of the portions in order to note their speaking skills.
• Practice close reading techniques (with a familiar text) emphasizing how to analyze literary texts effectively (use metaphors, personifications and easy to catch symbolism or figuras retoricas). For this portion I like to start off with a children’s story students are familiar with. I like to use Cinderella or a popular story. Relating to students’ previous knowledge is super important. This will help students realize they have been exposed to many literacy concepts and stories throughout their lives.
4. Setting Language Expectations:
• Establish a language-rich environment in the classroom by encouraging students to use Spanish as much as possible. Let students know that Spanish will be spoken as much as possible.
• Emphasize the importance of active participation in discussions, activities, and assignments conducted in Spanish. If their grade will be determine on participation make sure they know how this will be assessed.
5. Cultural Introduction:
• Introduce students to the cultural aspects of the Spanish-speaking world that will be explored throughout the course. Why is this important? Many of the OBRAS will take place in other countries and laying the foundation for this is important.
• Discuss the importance of understanding cultural context when analyzing literary works and media. (Many of the OBRAS will have historical importance, social and economical).
6. Technology and Resources:
• Familiarize students with any technology tools or online resources that will be used throughout the course. If you have them use any online resource for practicing, games or turning in assignments make sure they understand how to manage these programs. Provide guidance on how to access and navigate these resources effectively. Ex: Schoology, Socrative, Clever, Temas Website, Google Classroom Etc. You do not want to waste precious class time dealing with Technology questions, addressing these as a class will save you so much time and many headaches! The only downside to this will be if students are still shifting in and out of courses (I will talk more about this on the Second week post).
7. Icebreakers and Community Building:
• Incorporate icebreaker activities to help students get to know each other and feel comfortable in the classroom. Download the free icebreak on this site or on my TPT store.
• Foster a sense of community by encouraging collaboration and teamwork from the beginning (quien tiene game is perfect for this; download for free under freebies).
• I suggest you use a game for this portion. This way students learn that some of the material will be reviewed in a fun and less intimidating way!
Lastly, introduce students to the AP Exam Format. This should be done towards the end of the first week or two. (Don’t overwhelm them with this do a very subtle and brief explanation and revisit this in the near future).
8. Familiarize students with the format of the AP Spanish exam.
• Provide an overview of each section of the exam (multiple choice, persuasive essay, presentational speaking).
By covering these topics during the first week, you can ensure that students have a solid foundation and are well-prepared for the challenges and expectations of the AP Spanish course.
Make sure you let your students know that there will be many opportunities to practice, and help will be provided for their AP Course voyage.
Want to use another story to practice? Download the Pre-Assessment Questionnaire.
