AP Spanish Language and Culture

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About the Course

Develop your Spanish language skills and learn about the cultures in Spanish-speaking parts of the world. You’ll practice communicating in Spanish and study real-life materials such as newspaper articles, films, music, and books.

Skills You'll Learn

  • Understanding Spanish when you hear it and read it

  • Holding conversations in real-life situations

  • Writing stories, letters, emails, essays, and other texts

Equivalency and Prerequisites

College Course Equivalent

An intermediate level (typically third- or fourth-semester) college course in Spanish language

Recommended Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites, but students are typically in their fourth year of high-school-level study. In the case of native or heritage speakers, there may be a different pathway of study leading to this course.

Exam Date

Thu, May 16, 2024

8 AM Local

AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam

This is the regularly scheduled date for the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam.

About the Units

The course content outlined below is organized into commonly taught units of study that provide one possible sequence for the course. Your teacher may choose to organize the course content differently based on local priorities and preferences.

Course Content

Unit 1: Families in Different Societies

You’ll learn Spanish language skills in the context of studying family life and values in Spanish-speaking communities and explore contemporary beliefs and challenges that families face.

Skills you will practice may include:

  • Interpreting promotional materials
  • Understanding the elements of a formal letter
  • Describing data from a table, chart, graph, map, or infographic
  • Conducting an interview
  • Crafting an email reply
  • Participating in an informal conversation
  • Giving a presentation related to family and society

Unit 2: The Influence of Language and Culture on Identity

You'll build your vocabulary and learn about how language and culture shape and reflect evolving ideas about identity in Spanish-speaking societies.

Skills you will practice may include:

  • Identifying the main idea and summarizing short stories
  • Comprehending articles and infographics
  • Interpreting audio and video reports
  • Drawing connections between texts and their larger cultural context
  • Justifying ideas and opinions in writing
  • Giving a presentation comparing Spanish cultural concepts to familiar ones

Unit 3: Influences of Beauty and Art

You'll explore how ideas of beauty and art influence and reflect culture in Spanish-speaking communities.

Skills you will practice may include:

  • Analyzing articles, advertisements, and promotional materials about art
  • Interpreting literary texts
  • Understanding what is included in the format of typical letters and interpreting their meaning
  • Interpreting data represented in charts
  • Crafting an email
  • Practicing conversational skills through class discussion
  • Giving a presentation comparing art across cultures

Unit 4: How Science and Technology Affect Our Lives

You'll examine how developments in science and technology affect daily life in Spanish-speaking communities and use your growing language skills to help you interpret unfamiliar words and engage in more complicated texts.

Skills you will practice may include:

  • Interpreting charts, tables, infographics, and maps in context
  • Understanding and responding to interviews
  • Comprehending verbal instructions
  • Interpreting a range of sources and perspectives around a topic
  • Writing essays and citing sources
  • Giving a presentation on the impacts of scientific and technological developments

Unit 5: Factors That Impact the Quality of Life

You'll learn more about contemporary life in Spanish-speaking communities and how social status, cultural perspectives, and access to jobs and resources can make an impact on the quality of life.

Skills you will practice may include:

  • Connecting literary texts to larger cultural topics
  • Interacting with online tools
  • Interviewing community members
  • Understanding video interviews
  • Interpreting instructions
  • Crafting an email reply using idioms and expressions
  • Participating in conversations and debates
  • Giving a presentation comparing cultures and quality of life

Unit 6: Environmental, Political, and Societal Challenges

You'll explore how complex global issues affect people's lives in Spanish-speaking communities and engage in deeper discussions to suggest possible solutions.

Skills you will practice may include:

  • Analyzing articles and charts on environmental issues
  • Listening for connections and meaning in video reports
  • Making cultural connections among video presentations
  • Writing essays to address global issues and suggest solutions
  • Giving a presentation comparing reactions to global challenges across cultures

Credit and Placement

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Course Resources

See Where AP Can Take You

AP Spanish Language and Culture can lead to a wide range of careers and college majors

Career Areas 49
Majors 12