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Department of World Languages and Cultures

Advanced Placement (AP) Summer Institutes 2013

Spanish and French Language

Winthrop University, with funding from the South Carolina Department of Education, is pleased to offer summer institutes for new and/or experienced AP Spanish Language and AP French Language teachers.  The institutes will allow teachers to explore in more depth the AP Spanish or French course, engage in specialized study for one of these courses, and earn 3 graduate Spanish or French education credits.

Registration priority will be given to teachers from South Carolina public high schools.  Teachers in regional private schools or North Carolina public high schools may be able to participate if space is available.  All interested teachers should complete the interest form linked below.  However, as of Friday, April 26th, our institute is full!  Those filling out an interest form will be placed on a wait list and notified in the next few weeks if a spot becomes available.

Course Details

Meeting Schedule

All courses will be held on Winthrop's campus from June 21st-June 28th.  Friday, June 21st, sessions will start late in the afternoon to allow for those traveling to Rock Hill from afar.  There will be sessions all day on Saturday the 22nd, but none on Sunday.  On Friday the 28th, sessions will wrap up after lunch to allow for participants to travel back home.  Housing and food for the week will be available at an extra cost.  Participants may choose to stay in a single room in Phelps Residence Hall on campus at a rate of $18 per night.  Those staying in the residence hall should bring extra-long twin sheets, pillows, and towels, and will be required to purchase a Café Cash meal plan for $65.  Café Cash can be used for all meals at multiple locations around campus, and participants may add money to their accounts at any time.  Those not staying on campus may purchase their meals and snacks on campus using cash or a credit card. 

Course Fees

Course fees are $150 and include:
  • 3 graduate credits in Spanish or French education coursework.
  • AP teacher resources including practice test questions and guides for the classroom.

Note:  An additional fee of $50 will be charged to out-of-state teachers to cover materials funded by our grant for SC teachers only.

Course Structure

The purpose of the course is to strengthen teachers' knowledge of topics and themes on the AP Spanish and French exams and to provide guidance on creating or modifying a course that promotes student success.  Participants will explore the new structure and content of the exam (the French exam was recently changed, and the Spanish exam will be new in 2014), will use the target language with the other participants and the instructors, will explore links between AP course expectations and the ACTFL standards, and will be introduced to additional tools and strategies to help their students succeed on the AP French or Spanish exam.  The institute faculty will consist of current and former AP Spanish and French high school teachers, Winthrop professors from the Department of World Languages and Cultures, and current AP readers (graders) who are up on the latest changes to the exam. Participants will investigate advanced language teaching strategies, resources in and out of the classroom, test preparation strategies, syllabus development, and the ability to reflect on experiences with other AP teachers. 

Registration Information

  • Participants should notify course instructors of interest by completing an interest form.
  • Once organizers know of interest and if there is still space available, a Special Course Registration Form will be sent by e-mail and should be returned as soon as possible for priority registration.  This form and its required attachments will facilitate official enrollment in the graduate course and will begin the process of billing procedures from the University.
  • Participants will be billed by the University and registered directly into the course.  After the registration process begins, $50 of the course fee will be kept to cover associated costs.  Once the course begins, no portion of the course fee will be returned.
  • Participants must complete an immunization form (pdf-461.76 KB).

Contact Dr. Elizabeth J. Evans in the Department of World Languages and Cultures at Winthrop University with any questions you might have about the Institute.

Gracias and Merci, and we hope to see you this summer at Winthrop!