Introduction

This comprehensive AP® Spanish Language and Culture review will help guide test-takers through one of the AP® Spanish themes of the CollegeBoard’s Spanish Language & Culture curriculum – in particular, about the theme of Families and Communities. Specifically, it will discuss why the CollegeBoard uses themes for their AP® Spanish Language and Culture course; what the theme of Families and Communities actually entails, in addition to providing specific context examples of how this theme may be applied in a class or study session.

We will also review some overarching, essential questions regarding Families and Communities to assist you in your understanding of the topic, and offer brief examples on how to answer them. Finally, this guide will deliver information on where you can find practice texts, audios, videos and other study tools related to Families and Communities, as well as review top 10 Spanish vocabulary words linked to Families and Communities and how to use them in a sentence.

Why does the CollegeBoard use Themes for the AP® Spanish Language and Culture Course?

The AP® Spanish Language and Culture course is organized around six AP® Spanish themes: Global Challenges, Science and Technology, Contemporary Life, Personal and Public Identities, Families and Communities, and Beauty and Aesthetics. These themes were chosen because of their historical and contemporary importance in Spanish-speaking communities across the globe. Used to create thought-provoking contexts for students to explore Spanish language and culture in their lives, these themes may be incorporated into short lessons plans lasting only a few hours, or longer units spanning days, weeks, or months.

You should be able to implement knowledge of these themes into written and oral interpersonal and presentational communication forms by the time you’ve completed the AP® course and are ready to take the AP® Spanish Language and Culture exam.

What does the Theme of Families and Communities Entail?

The AP® Spanish Language and Culture theme of Family and Communities may incorporate lessons on – customs and values; education communities; family structure; global citizenship; human geography; and social networking. Teachers and students may implement class discussions and projects that focus on the changing family structure in Central America due to immigration; Latina parenting groups in Los Angeles’ education communities; preserving family ties while immigrating abroad through the use of the internet. You may be asked to research and generate diaspora maps based on Latino immigration in city life over a set period of time.

What are Families and Communities Overarching, Essential Questions?

AP® Spanish students may be able to use the following essential questions, through a variety of activities and assessments, to prompt their interests and knowledge level. Realistic scenarios that challenge them with a variety of problem-solving tasks may embolden them to investigate and express different perspectives on current world issues, while making comparisons between different subject matter and the diverse realities of the Spanish speaking world. You may use essential questions to understand content and viewpoints across subject areas while working with content from the language, literature, and cultures of various Spanish-speaking communities.

Essential questions on the theme of Families and Communities may include:

• What constitutes a family in different societies?
• How do individuals contribute to the well-being of communities?
• How do the roles that families and communities assume differ in societies around the world?

Example Answers to 2-3 Overarching, Essential Questions

Below are examples of how students may answer the essential questions they’ll encounter in their AP® Spanish Language and Culture course.

What constitutes a family in different societies?

The latter half of the twentieth century has changed how societies throughout the world constitute “family”. The institution has been transformed not only on an internal level, but externally, how that impacts the world as well.

Since World War II, Western families, for example, have undergone striking changes. Prior to the war, and the industrial revolution, family households were traditionally made up of family and extended family. With the industrial revolution, more immediate families moved off of farms and into small spaces available in cities, so they could be closer to the factories, transportation, and daily necessities. Because of this, those who resided in cities tended to have smaller families than those from the countryside on account of space and resources. The availability of resources in urban areas may have also resulted in deeper ties of friendship outside of the immediate household.

Many societies throughout the world today consider two adults, bound together in law by marriage, and their offspring, the model family. This construct has been the norm in Western cultures since the mid-nineteenth century, though differences have emerged and are forever evolving. Compared to decades past, family today is more fluid in terms of various members’ relationship to partners, children, and the legal system than in the past.

In light of this, many believe that non-Western families remain more family centric, and the household unit continues to be a stronghold of support for its members. Couples, for example, may need family approvals before marriage or having children. Arranged marriages are still practiced in some societies.

As these examples suggest, it is increasingly difficult to define family as they shift and shape with the times into new forms and associations. It’s promising to note that in many societies, laws have acknowledged alternative definitions of the nuclear family, granting many men and women the chance to build lives together in new, more egalitarian ways.

How do the roles that families and communities assume differ in societies around the world?

It is said that in Latino culture, the family takes priority over the wants of the individual. Because of this, there are obvious variances when it comes to family relationships with Anglos and Latinos. The latter are very close with their kin and hold their elders in high esteem. They may consider non-relatives as part of the family unit—for example aunts, uncles, and cousins may not be blood related by either of parent, but are instead family friends of parents that go back years together.

Family units, especially outside of big cities, tend to be larger in Latino cultures than in Anglo cultures. Traditional gender roles and extensive family involvement from external members, particularly grandparents, are part of children’s normal upbringing. Parents are treated with respect, and many young people feel pulled between their own desires and those of the family’s. This may be different in Anglo cultures where, when a teenager turns 18 and is officially classified as an adult by the state, they are often left to make their own decisions as a student or a worker away from home.

Caregiving within the family and extended family unit may also be different in Latino and Anglo communities. In addition to the pricy costs of assisted living, many Latinos consider it disrespectful to put their elderly parents in a nursing home. Instead, they move them in with their own families or hire a live-in caregiver. In Anglo families, wider availability and options make assisted living facilities an option for those who can afford the cost of 24 hour support.

In either case, the role that family plays in Anglo and Latino communities is dependent on cultural, social, and economic factors. One way is not better than the other, only different.

Where can You Find Practice Texts, Audios and Videos Related to Families and Communities?

In this section, you’ll find a few suggestions on AP® Spanish Language and Culture practice texts, audios, and videos that will bring you specific content knowledge related to the AP® Spanish theme of Families and Communities.

For a General Overview of AP® Spanish Language and Culture Themes.

First, for general overviews of all six themes, a great place to begin would be the AP® Spanish Language and Culture homepage. Here AP® students and test takers can access the official CollegeBoard’s published information on the course. They can also find sample syllabi, course milestones and objectives, and other useful material to assist both teachers and learners. Textbooks are also available to help students strengthen their skills. For a book focused particularly on the six themes, get your hands on: Temas: AP® Spanish Language and Culture.

Granted by Instituto Cervantes and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport of Spain, DELE (Diploma de Espanol como Lengua Extranjera) is comparable to the AP® Spanish Language and Culture exam in that it confirms test takers capability and mastery of Spanish. Their website offers practice exams based on oral and written expression and interaction.

Quizlet is a fun online tool to create “index cards” with key terms and definitions relative to any of the six AP® Spanish themes. These can then be turned into review items in the form of games or practice tests. Click here for flashcards on Families and Communities.

Another entertaining online tool for AP® students and teachers to draw ideas from is Audiria. This site offers entertaining podcasts and videos in Spanish that are centered on various cultural and thematic issues.

For More Intensive Practice with the Theme of Families and Communities.

Ok, so perhaps this doesn’t fall into any text, audio, or video category—but visiting a tapas restaurant in your local community or nearby city may help you further develop your cultural knowledge regarding family and community life in Spain and parts of Latin America. Tapas are typically served in Spanish bars or cafes, and consist of a variety of small plated appetizers or snacks. They may be cold (like olives, nuts, cheeses, and breads) or hot (fried baby squid, omelets, potatoes, or paella). Check out the BBC web page for some classic tapas recipes.

Body gestures have diverse implications according to the country in which they are performed and conveyed.

Born in southern Chile in 1904, Pablo Neruda led a life charged with poetic and diplomatic activity, becoming one of the country’s most renowned literary figures. Poema 20, which mourns the loss of a romantic partner (of which he was known to have many), gives his uniquely passionate take on unrequited love. The following page will let you read the Spanish and English translation side by side.

Top 10 Spanish Vocabulary Words for Families and Communities

Here is a list of frequently used AP® Spanish vocabulary words related to the theme of Families and Communities.

Ancestors: Antepasados

Día de los Muertos es una tradición unida a nuestros antepasados indígenas.

Baby: Bebé

El bebé necesita un pañuelo limpio.

Wife: Esposa

Martin compró una bufanda a su esposa.

Husband: Esposo

La machilla de mi esposo fue robado en Italia.

Single: Soltero

Sigues soltero o finalmente te casaste con tu novia?

To support: Apoyar

Ella va a apoyar al partido político menos corrupto.

To grow up: Crecer

Este villa ha crecido mucho desde el año pasado.

To get together: Reunir

Nos reunimos toda la familia en Nochebuena.

Well-mannered: Educado

El niño ha sido considerado, educado, y riguroso.

Social Network: La red social

La mayoría de estudiantes crean su propia red social afuera sus clases.

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