Discussions of the episodes and related cultural readings serve to build fluency and enrich vocabulary. The course continues the Destinos program and includes new grammatical topics such as the conditional and subjunctive moods as well as compound tenses of the indicative. Listening and speaking are still stressed, but emphasis is also placed on students written expression. Further cultural readings, in conjunction with Destinos, serve to familiarize students with diverse Hispanic cultures. This course reviews and builds upon all of the structures of Spanish grammar introduced in previous levels.
Vocabulary expansion continues apace, with emphasis on idiomatic expressions.
Oral facility is enhanced through frequent situational dialogues and student-led discussions of current events and readings. Written expression is honed through pieces of increasing length and sophistication and an emphasis on rewriting. In addition to the activities undertaken in regular Spanish IV, students in this section receive more rigorous preparation in anticipation of an AP course the following year. They are introduced to the skills of literary analysis, and a premium is placed on precision in spoken and written expression. At the end of the year, the students and teacher will decide upon the desired AP specialization.