The AP® Spanish Language and Culture course is an advanced language course in which students are directly prepared for the AP® Spanish Language and Culture test. It uses as its foundation the three modes of communication: interpersonal, interpretive and presentational. The course is conducted almost exclusively in Spanish. The course is based on the six themes required by the College Board: (1) global challenges, (2) science and technology, (3) contemporary life, (4) personal and public identities, (5) families and communities, and (6) beauty and aesthetics. The course teaches language structures in context and focuses on the development of fluency to convey meaning. Students explore culture in both contemporary and historical contexts to develop an awareness and appreciation of cultural products, practices, and perspectives. Students should expect to listen to, read, and understand a wide-variety of authentic Spanish-language materials and sources, demonstrate proficiency in interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational communication using Spanish, gain knowledge and understanding of the cultures of Spanish speaking areas of the world, use Spanish to connect with other disciplines and expand knowledge in a wide-variety of contexts, develop insight into the nature of the Spanish language and its culture, and use Spanish to participate in communities at home and around the world. The AP® Spanish Language and Culture course is a college level course. The intensity, quality, and amount of course material can be compared to that of a third-year college course.