AP Spanish Language and Culture – Maite Lamberri

This session: AP Spanish Language & Culture – with Maite Lamberri is offered IN-PERSON during Week 2: June 22-25, 2026 at Walton High School in Marietta, Georgia.

Meet your APSI Consultant for AP Spanish Language and Culture

Maite Lamberri is a native of Spain with extensive experience teaching ESL and Spanish. She holds a Bachelor Degree in English and Spanish Philology, and a Masters in Translation and Interpretation by the University of Valladolid in Spain and the University of Ottawa in Canada. She is a National Board Certified Teacher who has taught different levels of Spanish, Spanish for Native Speakers, IB Spanish and AP Spanish Language in North Carolina since 2001. She has worked at the high school, Community College, and University level throughout her career. Maite is currently teaching Spanish 4, AP Spanish Language and Culture at Chapel Hill High School. She has been part of the AP Reading Group for many years acting as an AP Reader, Table Leader and now as a Question Leader. 

Maite is an active member of FLANC, and has given several presentations sharing her love for teaching and learning with colleagues. She completed her AIG licensure through a program partnering the Elon University School of Education and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. Maite is currently part of the Culturally Responsive Teaching & Learning Cohort (CRTL Cohort) to continue her passion, learning. 

In addition to her vast experience, Maite works as a freelance translator. Her most recent project has been translating for the Department of Public Instruction in NC a series of resources ready to use for teachers in English and Spanish.

APSI Course Description

This AP Summer Institute will focus on AP® Spanish Language and Culture Course and Exam CHANGES, the NEW 2026 AP Spanish Language and Culture Course and Exam Description (CED), and strategies and best practices for teaching the course:

This APSI is intended for both new and experienced teachers of AP® Spanish Language and Culture, as well as for teachers in levels prior to AP, working on vertical alignment and seeking to support students’ preparation for the AP year. Using the NEW, Revised AP® Spanish Course and Exam Description as a guide, we will work together to examine and reflect on core elements of the AP® Spanish Language and Culture course and exam, with special focus on the NEW Course Project and related two NEW speaking tasks, putting it all into practice throughout the week. 

Key Focus Topics and APSI Learning Outcomes: (Essential questions for teacher reflection accompany each topic.)

The NEW 2026 Course and Exam Description (CED) and Course Planning: ¿Por qué es importante y cómo nos apoya en llevar a los estudiantes a mejorar sus destrezas y prepararse bien para el examen de AP en mayo?

• AP Course Introduction and Instructional Design: 

NEW and REVISED Thematic Units and Recommended Instructional Contexts, along with the continued importance of Culture, Authentic Resources, Modes of Communication, Scaffolding: ¿Cómo enseñamos el curso y qué herramientas nos apoyan en nuestras prácticas como docentes?

• NEW, condensed to 3 AP Skill Categories, Skills, and Learning Objectives: ¿Cómo se reflejan en la comunicación y las tareas del examen? ¿Qué queremos que los estudiantes puedan hacer y comunicar?

• Strategies for Instructional Planning: ¿Cómo enseñamos el curso para desarrollar las habilidades lingüísticas y experiencias culturales de los estudiantes?

• NEW AP Exam Structure with Revised and New Task Models, and Requirements: ¿Qué tienen que hacer los estudiantes y cómo para llegar al éxito en el examen de AP Spanish Language and Culture?

• The NEW Course Project and Two NEW Exam Speaking Tasks Based on the Project: ¿Cómo podemos preparar a los estudiantes para este proyecto desde el principio del año, estableciendo rutinas, andamiajes y estrategias que apoyen el proceso?

• The Role of Culture: ¿Cómo interpretamos y enseñamos los productos, las prácticas y las perspectivas? ¿Cómo guiamos a los estudiantes a entender la perspectiva de una comunidad? ¿Cómo integramos la cultura por todo el curso, todos los días?

• Strategies and Pedagogical Tools ~ Deep Dive Throughout the Week: Para cada tarea del examen, ¿Qué herramientas, sitios de red, actividades, aplicaciones y más nos apoyan en esta aventura de enseñar el curso de AP?

• Expanding AP Opportunities: ¿Cuál es la importancia para cada estudiante? ¿Cuál es la importancia para todo el programa de AP? ¿Cómo podemos honrar la diversidad presente en el salón de clase e involucrar a todos?

• Assess and Reflect: An in-depth look at each exam task and how to prepare for Section I, with changes in order, number, and type of interpretive MCQ task types; and Section II, with revised format FRQs, NEW speaking tasks, and NEW dimensional Scoring Guidelines, with helpful decision rules and scoring notes): ¿Cómo debemos preparar a los estudiantes para las tareas del examen de AP en mayo, fortaleciendo sus habilidades y aumentando su confianza?

• Providing Meaningful Feedback: ¿Cuál es el valor de la retroalimentación? ¿Cómo podemos comentar para guiar al estudiante a reflexionar y establecer metas para mejorar su comunicación, tanto en el contenido de las tareas como en la calidad del lenguaje? 

• Vertical Alignment: ¿Por qué es importante integrar los elementos del curso de AP desde el primer nivel de español? ¿Cómo beneficia a los estudiantes?

• AP Classroom: ¿Cómo lo navegamos y qué herramientas nos ofrece? ¿Cómo podemos utilizar estos recursos para avanzar el aprendizaje y la preparación de cada estudiante?

• AP Classroom – Navigation and Organization

• AP Classroom – AP Question Bank, Progress Checks, and other tools

• AP Classroom – Features of Performance Dashboard

• AP Daily: ¿Cómo accedemos a y usamos estos videos para enfocarnos más en las tareas del examen?

• New Course Audit Requirements – NEW required Audit with a NEW syllabus, addressing the nine Curricular Requirements: ¿Cómo demostramos que enseñamos el curso según las expectativas del College Board, integrando los elementos clave del CED?

Teachers will be provided with a template and will have time to work on their course syllabus. The syllabus will align to the NEW 2026 CED (key topics above) and will require teachers to show evidence meeting the nine Syllabus Curricular Requirements (short, abbreviated listing here):

• Communicate in Spanish exclusively and encouraging the same among students

• Develop skills by providing opportunities for students to engage in the study of interdisciplinary course content of the six revised thematic units

• Base the course on authentic instructional materials of all kinds (audio, visual, audiovisual (and from all over the Spanish-speaking world)

• Provide opportunities for students to engage in and build skills and objectives included in Skill Category 1 (Interpretive Mode)

• Provide opportunities for students to engage in and build skills and objectives included in Skill Category 2 (Interpersonal and Presentational Modes)

• Provide opportunities for students to engage in and build skills and objectives included in Skill Category 3 (Demonstrate Cultural Understanding; shown through Interpersonal and Presentational Modes)

• Prepare students for using Spanish in real-life situations

• Provide opportunities for students to develop keyboarding skills, typing in Spanish

• Dedicate instructional time and materials to guide students through the research project, including focus on the course skills.

Throughout our four days together, teachers are encouraged to share examples of their best instructional practices for building and strengthening Interpretive, Interpersonal, and Presentational linguistic skills, as well as strategies for developing cultural understanding and skills.

2026 WaltonAPSI / AP Spanish Language and Culture – Session 2 / Maite Lamberri