The language barrier may keep senior Mabely Moreano from taking Advanced Placement classes such as biology and psychology, but she can use her native language to earn AP credit in Spanish.

Study sessions for English as a Second Language students who registered to take the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam in May as an independent study gives them the opportunity to come together after school every Thursday to prepare for the exam.

Soraya Bilbao, ESL teacher, wanted to give ESL students who speak little to no English and who expressed an interested in going to college the opportunity to use their native language to earn possible college credits. She said ESL classes are 90 minutes, which might also limit the number of ESL students who are able to register for an AP Spanish class.

Similar to their AP Spanish counterparts, ESL students must prepare for the exam. “The AP Spanish exam is a college-level exam,” she said, “and ESL students must study for it even though it is based on their native language.”

Students enrolled in the sessions spoke with enthusiasm about the experience.

“I hope to learn to write more professionally, write correctly, to read a little bit more and to understand the readings faster,” Moreano said of the study sessions. “I am doing really good. I am understanding a lot, she is a great professor and I have a lot of patience for it.”

Junior Kymberly Rodas added, “The [study sessions] and exam are pretty easy. I like [the study sessions] because I am able to understand more about my language.”

Freshman Erick Tamay said he signed up for the study sessions to immerse himself in the new culture. “I want to understand more about the United States and about universities,” he said. “It’ll help me better  prepare for the future.”

Senior Joselin Guaman said she’s eager to learn.

“I think I’m doing good,” Guaman said, “because when I took the [practice] test I understood it very well. I want to learn more about grammar, though, and write more professionally.”

These after-school study sessions also benefit native English-speakers who take AP Spanish. Spanish teacher Lucia Pugliese teamed up with Bilbao to have her students meet with the ESL students and engage in conversations in Spanish to prepare for the dialogue portion of the exam.

“It’s important to immerse yourself in the language,” junior Julia Hyatt said. “It’s great practice for the exam.”

Kelly Dolan, a senior, said she and her classmates hear Pugliese speak Spanish, which is great, but to have the chance to converse with native speakers enhances the experience.

Plus, the experience brings together students who might not otherwise have the opportunity to meet. During the scheduled conversations, the students talk about everything from music and food to school and social media.

Principal Dan Donovan said he’s impressed with the students’ desire to learn and grow.

“AP classes are a good indicator of how students will do in college,” Donovan said. “The students are showing the effort and persistence to not only get into college, but to succeed. They are working independently to prepare for an AP in which most students spend an entire year, every day, preparing for.”

Now in its second year, the ESL AP Spanish study sessions offer ESL students additional resources to prepare for the exam, such as a Naviance test prep link through which students can practice reading and hearing audio text and answering questions, and Audacity, a computer program that students will use to record and save oral responses during the exam.

Interest among ESL students in taking the AP Spanish exam has grown. Last year, 20 ESL students took the AP Spanish exam and participated in the after-school study sessions. This year, that number is up to 30.

Donovan noted the growth as well, commending Bilbao along with the students. “She spends a tremendous amount of time preparing the students not only for the AP test, but life lessons.”

Bilbao notes that back in their home countries, many ESL students did well at school and took honor classes.

“Even though they are learning English, they still want to do well academically and many want to go to college,” she said. “Preparing them to take the AP Spanish exam helps them achieve this.”