AP Spanish Language

AP Spanish Language Open House

Welcome! 👋 This guide will provide you an overview of the best textbooks and prep books for the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam so that you can choose how best to study whether you are self-studying or just looking for some extra help before the AP exam.

As with all of the other AP language courses, there is a bit of a problem if you are looking for a one-stop AP approved textbook. As described on the 

, the College Board does not offer a list of textbooks approved for the Spanish Language exam because they want the exam to focus on building your language proficiency.

If this worries you, there is an alternative solution. On that same course audit page, there is an 

 for the course that is designed to help new teachers learn how to teach the course. Still, it could prove to be a valuable resource for self-studying, as it provides a framework and sample activities for you to do, as well as links to helpful resources. Obviously, since it is designed for teachers, it won't be 100% useful, but it could provide a useful framework that textbooks typically provide.

Also, in general, if you are in a class, you shouldn't need to get another textbook, and prep books are probably better for your needs, so definitely keep reading to get our advice on those. If you are self-studying, a textbook probably wouldn't be the best choice either, as those frequently only work well with a supplemental teacher.

Unlike textbooks, there are some fantastic prep books that align with the AP exam curriculum, each with its own pros and cons, so decide which one is the best for you!

At only $9.69 new, this book is quite a bargain, especially as it includes two practice tests, with actual audio material. However, students sometimes find Barron's books a little wordy, so take that into account. However, this book contains comprehensive explanations of all of the different types of questions.

In addition to helpful explanations for sample problems and exams, there is also a section containing a brief introduction to all of the cultural information that you will need to know to succeed on the exam. If only two practice tests aren't enough for you, consider the 

, which includes three extra online practice exams for less than $2.00 more, which is quite a good deal.

These are somewhat pricey, at over $17.00 new, but if you are the kind of person who likes physical flashcards, these are definitely the ones for you. However, free quizlet sets can achieve the same purpose (check out our Best Quizlets guide for more on that), so only purchase these if you see significant value-added with them.

Princeton Review AP Spanish Language & Culture:

Princeton Review's book is nearly double the price of the Barron's book, at $20.49, but it still includes the same number of practice tests as the Barron's. So, what makes it more expensive? For starters, it is more comprehensive and includes a grammar review that you might find helpful. It also includes access to some of Princeton Review's online materials if you believe that that sort of thing might be of use to you.

However, some consider the Princeton Review to be overpriced and also a bit wordy, so it is something to think out when considering this option. Don't let it discourage you — some have found it to be a very valuable resource.

5 Steps to a 5: AP Spanish Language and Culture:

Many consider the 5 Steps to a 5 to be the most helpful and concise prep book for AP exams, but this book, at $26.00, is the most expensive of any of the prep books mentioned. It includes the same number of practice exams as all of the prior options, so this may not be the best option for you. However, it contains supplemental audio material on a CD that is more than just simple exam questions: there are exercises designed to improve understanding audio sources, as well as practice your speaking, two of the more challenging portions of the AP Spanish Language exam to master.

We hope this guide has provided you with some information to help you make the right choice about which book will be best for you. Don't worry, though, you really can't go wrong! By studying hard and using resources, you're bound to get a 5!

Best AP Spanish Language Textbooks and Prep Books

¡Hola! 👋 If you are wondering how to get a 5 in AP Spanish Language, then you've come to the right place! This article will outline five 5️⃣ tips and tricks that will get you well on your way to earning that 5 in AP Spanish Language and Culture.

Be Prepared for All Parts of The Exam 🗣️

The AP Spanish exam tests you on all four main components of communication in a language: speaking, listening, reading, and writing, so, in order to do your best on the AP Spanish language exam, you should be proficient in all of these areas. The exam specifically includes:

So, given how each skill is worth about a quarter of the overall exam score, proficiency in each skill is the best strategy for success. Next, we'll give the one key tip that you can use to be successful in each of the different components of the exam.

If you've studied for and taken the reading section of a standardized test such as the SAT or ACT, you actually might be pretty well prepared for the reading section of the AP Spanish Exam. Common types of questions asked in this section are reading comprehension, author's purpose, the meaning of a phrase in context, interpreting graphics, and making larger conclusions and connections. 

These are common question types on achievement tests, and the purpose of the multiple-choice is to gauge your proficiency within the Spanish language. However, the questions will be comparatively simpler than the equivalent English reading question, as understanding the question itself is a big component of this portion. Make sure you are familiar with common words used in the question stems, such as 

Familiarize yourself with common strategies for multiple-choice reading strategies, such as skimming questions before reading the stimulus, looking at headings, answering questions in the best order, or not selecting an answer just because you read it in the passage.

For many, the listening portions are the most daunting part of the exam: there is no material to refer back to once the track is played, you have to listen to actual sources, and things can get jumbled around in your brain. Here are a few tips to feel much more comfortable on the listening sections:

Take notes when you listen. Scribble down key words and phrases — having a list of things to look at can help jog your memory.

For the MCQ listening, pre-read the questions. It also helps to know what you are listening for, because it will be much easier to pick out words and phrases in the dialogue. In addition, know which questions you actually have to listen for, and which you can infer from the source information or, if it is a comparison of print and audio, from the other source.

Read the source for the audio before you start. Know if it's an interview, a documentary, or something else, as well as the names of the voices so that you can target your listening appropriately.

Don't get freaked out by different accents! These audio selections feature a variety of accents, so practice by listening to a bunch of different Spanish accents. That way, you will be comfortable with multiple varieties and paces of Spanish, so you aren't thrown off by people from Spain pronouncing 

 or Argentinians and Chileans pronouncing 

. Reading the questions can help with this, so you can match words to what you hear if the speaker has a strange accent or is speaking more quickly than you are used to hearing.

Use Your English Writing Skills In Spanish 📝

are frequently tricky because they will likely be your first exposure to timed, academic writing in Spanish. However, especially in the case of the email, if you follow some key pointers, you will likely quickly master the format.

Here are what you need to include to get a top score on the email response (adapted from the College Board's scoring guidelines in the CED):

responds to all questions asked with elaboration, and asks a further question (don't forget about this part)

varied vocabulary and idioms (⚠️ don't just use 

accurate and varied grammar (can you throw a little subjunctive in there?)

formal greetings and conclusion (memorize one of each!) and appropriate formal address (i.e. ensure you're using 

Here are what you need to include to get a top score on the essay (adapted from the College Board's scoring guidelines):

The speaking portion can be very scary, especially if you aren't a native or immersed speaker, but the most important thing to do is relax, and don't get out of sorts if one of your responses doesn't go to plan. On the conversation, if you stumble over your words, correct it, and then carry on. Make sure to follow the directions and answer the questions, and speak confidently, but not too quickly or slowly. On the cultural comparison, utilize the planning time to its fullest, and make a quick outline with all of the points you want to discuss, as well as any vocab you want to make sure you remember when you start talking.

Hopefully, this guide has proved helpful, and you will be able to study well and knock that exam out of the park!

How to Get a 5 in AP Spanish Language

You're probably having doubts about self-studying the AP Spanish Language course because you don't know how difficult it is and if it's even worth taking. Hopefully, this guide will provide you with all of the information necessary to make your decision.

If you are looking for more information about the exam, the 

 is a great place to start. It contains an overview of the course, including the themes and skills you should know to meet all of the requirements for a good score on the exam.

Here is a brief overview of the sections of the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam:

As you can see, some parts, such as the speaking portions, are worth more on the exam, so you might want to pay extra special attention to those.

However, even though the multiple-choice is worth half of your exam score, you can master this section by following a few tips—check out our AP Spanish Multiple Choice guide for more info on that <<TK>>.

One of the best ways to stay on track while self-studying an AP course is to create a schedule. In terms of Spanish, the best way to create a schedule is to split your course material into chunks, then divide the time you have until you would like to be ready for the exam by the number of chunks you have.

 Traditional learning doesn't really work for you? Don't worry — you can learn AP Spanish in many different ways! 

Because you are self-studying, you get the advantage of learning however you want. Here are some possible ways that you could self-study Spanish:

 Don't be afraid to try a bunch of these out, especially if they are free, to see what works best for you. Because you don't have to worry about grades or your GPA, do what truly makes you learn best!

One of our new initiatives here at Fiveable for the 2020-2021 school year is Fiveable Courses!  You can sign up for the AP Spanish Language Fiveable course to get access to a bunch of assistance throughout either the fall or spring semester.  This can be super helpful — whether you are self-studying or looking for extra support to supplement your in-class work.

It's only $55, and it'll definitely be worth it in the long run! 🙂 Sign up for Fiveable's

Broadly speaking, taking the test will fall into one of two categories: either your school offers the exam or it doesn't. If your school offers the exam, speak with your counselor, and see how you can register for the exam without being in the class.

If you cannot take the AP Spanish exam at your school, contact nearby schools and contact them to see if you can the exam there.

Don't worry if it seems overwhelming at first! Just take the class one step at a time, and you will soon be on a road to success! You got this 🎉

AP Spanish Language Self-Study and Homeschool

 about taking AP Spanish Language? This guide will help you decide if it is right for you! 

You're probably thinking about taking AP Spanish Language and Culture, but have some reservations because you're not sure about what exactly it will entail. Don't worry! This guide will hopefully help provide you with some of the information that will help you decide whether AP Spanish Language and Culture is the right fit for you!

AP Spanish Language and Culture focuses primarily on developing your ability to communicate with others in Spanish, meaning that grammar is less of a focus.

Generally, AP Spanish is the fourth or fifth level of Spanish at a high school, which means you will have covered most grammatical elements. Most of the language learning will also focus on communication—developing writing and rhetorical skills, advanced sentence structure, and increased reading and speaking ability.

If you are a native or immersion speaker, you will have a head start with the language, but you might still have to learn a considerable amount about the exam components. If you are a native speaker who has experience with a particular culture, then you are set for cultural comparisons and other similar tasks.

 Don't worry if you're not a native speaker or don't consider yourself fluent! The AP Spanish Language exam is designed to be conquerable by anyone who has a command of the language, regardless of background

Data Courtesy of College Board Website and @AP_Trevor on Twitter

As you can see from the score chart, over 90% of students who take this exam pass, and over a quarter achieve a 5. This is definitely a doable exam, even if an exam in a second language seems daunting.

In general, AP Spanish Language courses have two components to classwork: developing exam skills and learning about the culture. This is probably similar, to some extent, to what you may have experienced in previous Spanish language courses, with grammar and culture components. However, the grammar work may now be more focused, as mentioned earlier, on developing skills useful for the various written and spoken portions of the exam.

In addition to developing rhetorical skills, learning about various cultural themes is critical to the course; the College Board outlines six units about the context of Spanish-speaking cultures, as those will be the focuses of the exam questions and prompts.

This translates, generally, to a hefty amount of in classwork. With all AP courses and especially language courses, the work largely depends on the teacher and school, so be sure to ask around to see what the workload is like!

Similar AP Courses/Helpful Knowledge 💬

Other courses that work well with AP Spanish Language are its companion course, AP Spanish Literature, which is much more advanced.

Other than that, no other AP courses synergize particularly well with AP Spanish Language. However, if you are at all familiar with any other so-called Romance languages, such as French, Portuguese, Italian, or even Latin, you will likely have some of the foundations necessary to do well in this course.

Is AP Spanish Language Worth It? 👩‍⚖️

In short, there are a few reasons why this course could be worth it for you:

We hope this guide has helped answer your question, and that you can make the best decision for you about whether to take AP Spanish Language. You got this 🎉

Is AP Spanish Language Hard? Is AP Spanish Language Worth Taking?

This unit guide will explore how beauty and art🎨 influences quality of life and values in Spanish-speaking communities.

Long before the internet, before computers🖥️, before the printing press📰, before written language, there has been art🎨. The mediums may change, but the core concept remains. Art records history, life, and love of the time in which it was created.

One of the earliest sets of prehistoric art recovered in recent history was the cave paintings found in the Altamira cave system in northern España🇪🇸. The paintings depict daily life and what was valued to the people of the time. There are very clear bison and other large animals hunted by prehistoric humans and handprints. The artist used minute detail, realistic colors, and took advantage of the natural rock formations to add to the dimensionality of the subjects.

Aztec art stretches from large stone statues to small pieces of pottery. They utilized items in their surroundings like feathers, precious gemstones 💎, and metals such as silver and gold. The largest source of inspiration for Aztec art seems to come from its complex polytheistic religious system. We now know many of the stone statues were used in religious rituals because of the remnants of blood and precious gemstones💎. 

The stone statues carved by Aztec artisans were huge and strong enough to endure time better than the pottery, featherwork, and intricate metalwork. Pottery cracked and crumbled, feathers flew away or rotted, and metalwork was either traded or melted to become coins💰. Some smaller artistic items discovered or preserved from the Aztec Empire show inspiration from nature and geometric shapes.

Why are paintings 🖼️ of war scenes important in the preservation of history? Well, consider this: how else would we remember what happened? Remember, before the internet 🖥️, before photography 📸, before the printing press 📰, there was paint 🎨. Paintings transcend language and can communicate more information in an instant than what can be written or spoken. As societies grow and move and struggle, art is there to help survivors or future generations understand what happened during the struggle. 

For example, the image below is of the painting "3 de mayo, 1808" by Francisco Goya. It was painted to commemorate a specific military encounter on that date between the French 🇫🇷 and Spanish 🇪🇸. It depicts French soldiers (on the right), under the control of Napoleon Bonaparte, rounding up and executing Spaniards (on the left) in the predawn darkness because the Spanish had committed an uprising the day before.

Paintings of rulers were normal in the time period before photography 📸. The purpose behind painting the royal families over and over was twofold. First, each portrait would show the members of the family at varying ages and stages of life. Second, each portrait was expensive, so owning and displaying an extensive list of portraits was a status symbol to show other royals the level of wealth and power of the family in case of current or future marriage negotiations. The unfortunate side of royal portraiture was the uncertainty of realistic representation. 

Some families committed inter-family marriage and therefore inbreeding occurred. This inbreeding caused some royals, like Carlos II "

", to have physical deformities, but the family commissioned portraits that made his jaw look less deformed than it actually was. A few notable painters gained fame by starting as a royal court painter such as Diego Velázquez and Francisco de Goya. Below is "La familia de Carlos IV"  by Francisco de Goya. 

The invention of photography📸 transformed visual communication and the ability to record historical events accurately. Upon its invention and development, societies no longer had to wait days or weeks for an image to be completed. There was no longer subjectivity from the perspective 👓 of the artist. Photographs capture monumental moments in an instant. Early on in its history, photography was used to document historical events and serve the needs of the media 📰. Photography has been used as evidence of both the victories and the atrocities of war.

AP Spanish Lang Exam Prep 2020-21

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Unit 1: Families in Different Societies

Unit 2: The Influence of Language and Culture on Identity

Unit 3: Influences of Beauty and Art

Unit 4: How Science and Technology Affect Our Lives

Unit 5: Factors That Impact the Quality of Life

Unit 6: Environmental, Political, and Societal Challenges

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AP Spanish Lang Exam Prep 2020-21

browse by unit

Free Reviews﻿

Unit 1: Families in Different Societies﻿

Unit 2: The Influence of Language and Culture on Identity﻿

Unit 3: Influences of Beauty and Art﻿

Unit 4: How Science and Technology Affect Our Lives﻿

Unit 5: Factors That Impact the Quality of Life﻿

Unit 6: Environmental, Political, and Societal Challenges﻿

Blogs﻿