AP Spanish Language and Culture – Jorge España

This session: AP Spanish Language & Culture with Jorge España is offered ONLINE during Week 2: June 22-25, 2026.

Meet your APSI Consultant for AP Spanish Language & Culture

Jorge España has been a teacher in the West Aurora School District since 1997. He started his career in the district as a Bilingual teacher at Jefferson Middle School. In 2004, he began teaching AP Spanish Language and Culture and AP Spanish Literature and Culture at West Aurora High School. Jorge led the implementation of the AP Spanish Language and Culture and AP Spanish Literature and Culture curriculum at his current school.

Jorge has also served as a Reader and Table Leader at the AP Spanish Language and Culture reading in Cincinnati since 2008. He is co-chair of the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam Development Committee. Jorge is a College Board Consultant for AP Spanish Language and Culture, AP Spanish Literature and Culture and Equity and Access. He has served as the Lead Consultant for AP Spanish Literature and Culture since 2020.

Jorge earned his Bachelor’s Degree in History from Aurora University and his Master’s Degree in Spanish from Roosevelt University.

APSI Session Description: 

This workshop is designed to assist Spanish teachers in developing a course for AP® Spanish Language and Culture and its Exam. The course guides teachers through the course learning objectives, curriculum framework, and AP exam. The session will also elaborate on resources to use when teaching the course and new resources that have been made available by the College Board. Lastly, participants in the session will develop lessons/units that will be shared electronically. 

Learning Outcomes:

● Review the Course Exam and Description

● Assess the Equity and Access statement

● Examine the course’s Learning Objectives and Achievement Level Descriptors

● Synthesize the course units, themes, organizing concepts, and essential questions

● Differentiate between cultural products, practices, and perspectives

● Select and evaluate supplemental resources

● Discuss how AP Classroom can be utilized to reinforce topic and skill connections

● Preview and evaluate the practice exam

● Define summative and formative assessments

● Participate in a prepared unit of instruction to model formative and summative assessments

● Prepare formative and summative assessments that can be implemented immediately

● Practice interpreting data within the Instructional Planning Report

● Create a thematic unit/lesson and shared electronically

● Evaluate supplementary resources

● Reflect upon a unit of instruction

● Take the sections of the practice exam and evaluate the experience

● Select elements of the course that could be integrated into Pre-AP courses

● Share strategies for incorporating language and culture into the Pre-AP courses

● Review the syllabus development and preparation requirements

Session materials:

Each session will require a different section of the CED binder sent digitally to participants by The College Board.

Additional Material:

A new idea or activity used last year in their course.

Teaching Method:

Methods that will be used include but are not limited to: lecture via Zoom, interactive discussions in Zoom and Google Docs, project presentations, and self-study. There will be supplemental homework questions and problems that will be assigned.

Evaluation:

Participants should expect to be engaged in synchronous and asynchronous instruction throughout the week. Synchronous instruction will occur for several hours during the day. Participants will be expected to attend all synchronous sessions as assigned by the instructor and complete all asynchronous assignments. If possible, finding a dedicated space for these synchronous sessions that is free of distractions from family, friends, and pets will ensure that all participants receive quality, uninterrupted instruction.

Day 1

Topics (To be adjusted as necessary)

• Arrival, Welcome, and Distribution of Materials

• Announcements, Introductions and Ice Breaker Activities

• Strategies and Pedagogical Tools

• • • First Day of School and Themes

      • La estructura de la familia

      • Las redes sociales

      • Activity: Introducing a Theme

• 5 Key Takeaways and Activity

  • • • Understanding the Course

      • Planning the Course

      • Teaching the Course

      • Assessing Student Progress and Understanding

      • Becoming a Member of the AP Community

• The Course and Exam Description and Course Planning

• Fall Registration

• Expanding AP Opportunities

• Lesson

  • • La educación y las carreras profesionales

    • La alegoría de la caverna

    • Activity: Use of Fiction in AP Language

• Reflection, Questions, Feedback

Day 2

Topics (To be adjusted as necessary)

• Review of Day 1 and Questions

• Achievement Level Descriptions and Course Skills

• Scavenger Hunt Activity

• Lesson:

  • •  Los efectos de la tecnología

• Sharing Activity: How to Introduce Technology

• Reviewing the Exam: Multiple Choice (Interpretive Reading)

• Reviewing the Exam: Multiple Choice (Interpretive Listening)

• Assessment Deep Dive

  • • Assess and Reflect: Formative vs Summative Assessments

    • Create and Share a Formative Assessment

    • Resources

    • AP Classroom and AP Daily

    • Data Presentation and Instructional Planning and Data Presentation

• What is Culture?

• Plan a Unit/Lesson of Instruction

• El entretenimiento y la diversión

  • • Activity: La música en la clase

• Reflection, Questions, Feedback

Day 3

Topics (To be adjusted as necessary)

Review of Day 2 and Questions

• Lesson

  • • La temas económicos

    • Activity: How to Introduce the Theme of Immigration

• Reviewing the Exam: Evaluating Student Samples and Applying the Rubrics

  • • Essay

• Reviewing the Exam: Evaluating Student Samples and Applying the Rubrics

  • • Email

• The Course Framework and Skills

• Plan a Unit/Lesson of Instruction

• Reflection, Questions, Feedback

Day 4

Topics (To be adjusted as necessary)

• Review of Day 3 and Questions

• Lesson:

  • • La conciencia social

    • Activity: Political Compass Test

• Reviewing the Exam: Evaluating Student Samples and Applying the Rubric

  • • Cultural Comparison

• Reviewing the Exam: Evaluating Student Samples and Applying the Rubric

  • • Conversation

• Preparing a Syllabus for the Course Audit

• Preparing Students Through the Vertical Team

• Share a Unit of Instruction

• Reflection, Questions, Feedback and Closing