Project Proficiency For All Levels: It’s Not Just AP

Are you wondering how to prepare students for the project component in the revised AP World Language and Culture exams? Or maybe you don’t teach AP but understand the importance of backward design. Meaningful, proficiency-driven projects are not just for AP—they can support authentic communication and proficiency growth at every level.

In this interactive two-hour virtual workshop, participants will explore how proficiency-based projects can be integrated into world language classrooms from novice to advanced levels. Through examples, collaboration, and practical strategies, attendees will discover ways to support interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational communication while increasing student engagement and real-world language use.

Participants will gain insight into the new AP project component and leave with adaptable project ideas, planning tools, and assessment strategies that can be implemented immediately in their own classrooms.

Ximena Quesada is a Spanish language educator and educational leader with more than 25 years of experience at New Brunswick High School in New Jersey, where she has taught Spanish across multiple levels, including AP Spanish Language and Culture, Spanish for Heritage Speakers, Spanish Literature, and novice and intermediate courses. Her work centers on creating culturally responsive, inclusive, and meaningful language-learning experiences that connect students with the world beyond the classroom.

Throughout her career, Ximena has contributed to curriculum development, assessment design, teacher preparation, and professional development. Her instructional practice is grounded in ACTFL standards and the New Jersey Student Learning Standards for World Languages, with an emphasis on authentic resources, differentiated instruction, performance-based assessment, and global awareness. She has supported and mentored aspiring educators through teacher preparation programs at Rutgers University and Kean University, including New Jersey’s Alternative Route Program. She currently serves as a FLENJ Mentor, continuing her commitment to supporting educators and strengthening the world language teaching profession.

Her professional contributions have been recognized throughout her career, beginning with the Knights of Columbus Teacher of the Year Award (2012), followed by the Xperitas / AATSPNJ Teacher Award (2025). In 2026, she was selected as a participant in the White House History Teacher Institute and honored as the FLENJ Teacher of the Year. She was also selected for the 2026–2027 Student Literacy Leaders Teacher Mentor Cohort through The Leaders Readers Network, reflecting her continued commitment to literacy, mentorship, and educational leadership.

Ximena continues to contribute to the world language education community through professional learning, mentoring, and presentations. Her work reflects a belief that language education extends beyond communication: it provides students with opportunities to understand different perspectives, make connections across cultures, and engage thoughtfully with the world around them.