ellingboe 3 interactiveactivitieshandout

1

Brenda J. Ellingboe [email protected] MELEd Conference Nov. 2015

Three Interactive Activities that Focus on

Intercultural Awareness

Brenda J. Ellingboe, Ph.D. , Instructional Specialist

ELS Language Center, St. Paul, Minnesota

[email protected]

MELEd Conference, Bloomington, Minnesota

November 6-7, 2015

Session Abstract

There are many ways to energize a classroom and become more interculturally

competent. First, “Who are you culturally?” is a reflective, cultural self-

awareness conversation. Second, staying in description is an eye-opening group

activity. The debriefing includes theory and practical application. Third, peace-

making is the focus of a class PowerPoint slide show speaking assignment.

mailto:[email protected]


2


Who are you culturally? (The Human Being Introduction)

Pair up with one other person sitting next to you. Do not write anything; just have a

conversation. One person will be the interviewer: Please listen actively and ask all 13

questions. The other person will be the interviewee. Please answer whatever questions you

feel comfortable sharing. You choose what to reveal and how much depth to go into.

YOUR NAME: A key part of your cultural identity

1) What is your full name that you were given at birth?

2) What is the meaning of your first, middle, or family name? What is the ethnic origin of your

name?

3) How is your family name spelled? Has the spelling changed over the years?

4) Has the pronunciation of your family name changed over the years? If so, how?

5) Were you named after anyone? If so, who were you named after?

6) Do you have a different name now? If so, what is it? Do you know the meaning of your name?

What is the ethnic origin of your name?

7) Do you like your name?

8) Do you have a nickname? Did you have any nicknames when you were a child?

YOUR BIRTHPLACE and OTHER PLACES YOU’VE LIVED: Key parts of your cultural identity

9) Where were you born?

10) Did you live in other places during your formative years (birth to age 21)?

If so, please name all the places you lived during your formative years.

11) Think about your birthplace and all the places you lived during your formative years. What

languages did you hear spoken or sung in your home? Your grandparents’ home? In a friend’s

home? On the playground? In school?

12) Were there any significant vacation places during your formative years that contributed to your

worldview? If so, please name them.

13) Think about the places you lived in and the people you lived with during your formative years.

What are some of the core values that you gained while living there that are part of who you are

today? Please list three.

Now, stop and switch roles.


3


Debriefing of the Human Being Introduction

1) What are your reactions to the Human Being introduction? (elicit at least 6 responses

from the audience)

2) How do you usually introduce yourself?

3) What is that type of introduction called? (If no one guesses it, tell them it is the human

doing introduction based on the fact that in US American culture, we focus so much on

doing, not being).

4) During the Human Being introduction, did you go in-depth quickly?

5) Did you notice that the two of you had some similarities?

6) Did you also notice significant differences? (Acknowledge that intercultural competence

values both recognizing similarities and differences).

7) Did you know that you were unpeeling layers of your cultural identity? (This activity is

also known as “Who are you culturally?”).

8) Why did we do the Human Being introduction? (ask for responses)

9) It focuses on CSA: Cultural Self-Awareness. According to Dr. Milton Bennett, from his

Better Together Than Apart video lecture from the Intercultural Communication

Institute, getting to know yourself first is the recommended sequence for beginning an

intercultural competence curriculum. The second part would be learning a framework

or theoretical model, and the third part would be the application of the framework or

model to a specific culture or form of diversity. CSA is the best “treatment” for people

who tend to minimize differences and maximize similarities .


4


D-I-C-E:

D – DESCRIBE

I – INTERPRET

C – CULTURAL CONTEXT

E – EVALUATE


5


Background Information: What is DICE?

What is Rolling the DICE?

This is a useful intercultural framework for looking at photos, movie clips, or objects from

different cultures because it values describing new things fairly objectively. It is an adaptation

from the DIE activity first introduced at the Intercultural Communication Institute.

What is the goal of Rolling the DICE?

The goal is to stay in “DESCRIPTION” a long time and not jump to conclusions or make unfair

value judgments based on one photo, movie clip, or object that someone has brought into the

classroom.

How does Rolling the DICE work?

Give each small group (2-3 people) a short explanation (see “Rolling the DICE: A Few Details”) of

what it means to stay in description. Do the “Description or Interpretation Quiz”orally (also

attached). Then, model it with a photo, and stay in description while talking about it for one

minute. Now, students are ready to try it on their own. Project a photo on the screen in your

computer classroom, or give each small group a photo in your non-computerized classroom.

Ask them to stay in description while talking about the photo for one minute. Walk around and

listen.

After the minute ends, then what?

Bring the class together, and ask a volunteer to give you a sentence staying in description.

Listen carefully, and give feedback. Let people know that it is normal to want to rush to

interpretation; however, this activity focuses on staying in description. Try it again with

another photo. If students are interpreting, guessing, judging, or making conclusions, ask them

to try it again. Project the “Rolling the DICE: A Few Details” again, emphasizing the staying in

description part and the questions that are asked.

What is the purpose of the C step?

Encourage people to come up with questions for a cultural informant about the photo/movie

clip/object. If you (the facilitator) are the cultural informant, then you may answer those

questions concerning where it came from, what its significance is, or what event was taking

place in the photo. Knowing about the cultural context might take some research and study to

thoroughly understand the cultural background.


6


What is the purpose of the E step?

It means evaluating an object based on its significance to the original cultural group, not your

own cultural lens. One way to find out how important it might be is to ask cultural informants

directly to find out more about this tradition, custom, or artifact. It goes along with the “C” step

-- finding a cultural informant to talk about the cultural context.

In addition to pictures, what else could be used to practice staying in Description?

Artifacts, cultural objects, movie clips, video clips of a dance or ceremony, musical instruments,

artwork, and handmade folk objects may be used to practice staying in Description.

Why might this be a helpful skill set to practice?

It helps people see how quickly we make judgments about other people. It may be helpful as a

cultural awareness exercise concerning being aware of stereotypes.


7


ROLLING THE DICE: A Few Details

Stay in DESCRIPTION

Describe people and objects as objectively as possible

What do you know for sure without guessing or assuming anything?

What do others in your small group agree on as factual data?

For example: 1) How many people are there in the picture?

2) Are they adults or children?

3) Are they sitting, standing, or doing something else?

4) Does it take place indoors or outdoors?

5) Are there any words or signs or symbols?

6) Are there any objects that are easily recognizable?

Don’t rush to INTERPRETATION

Interpretation may be assuming, guessing, and connecting bits of information

together without solid proof. If you are guessing, you are interpreting.

Stay away from this “WHY” stage until you know more information.

Find the CULTURAL CONTEXT

Use the CULTURAL INFORMANTS in your group for their CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE.

You may think of questions to ask a cultural informant.

Don’t rush to EVALUATION

Evaluation focuses on learning about the cultural significance of the object or photo

based on that culture’s lens, not your own cultural lens or evaluative framework.

See things the way another culture sees them.

Learn why this ceremony or artifact or event is relevant in their culture.

Don’t judge something as good/bad, weird, evil, or strange.


8


A Short Quiz: Is it Description or Interpretation?

Which one is DESCRIPTION: a or b?

1a) She got angry.

1b) Her voice got louder, and she started to pound her fists on the table.

2a) He called me six times but did not leave a message.

2b) He is afraid to leave me a voicemail.

3a) He is trying to sell us something.

3b) He entered the conference room, introduced himself, and shook hands with each of

us.

4a) Two adult men and one adult woman are standing on a log that is floating on a body

of water, and the woman is carrying a child.

4b) A kidnapping is taking place.

5a) The policeman is holding a petition with signatures on it.

5b) A man dressed in a light gray suit and matching hat is holding a piece of paper with

handwriting on it.


9


Doing the Activity:

Try Rolling the DICE with a photo or object or movie clip:

Rolling the DICE: Staying in Description

1) Look at a photo, cultural object/artifact/artwork, or movie clip.

2) Talk with your small group for one minute, and try to stay in description.

Describe people as objectively as possible.

Describe any relevant objects.

Decide what you know for sure without guessing or assuming.

3) Example questions to answer:

a) How many people are there in the picture?

b) Are they adults or children?

c) Are they sitting, standing, or doing something else?

d) Does it take place indoors or outdoors?

e) Are there any recognizable words, signs, or symbols?

f) Are there any objects that are easily recognizable?


10


Debriefing Rolling the DICE

Project this:

Describe Practicing this skill will make you culturally competent.

Interpret Try not to rush to this step first.

Cultural Context Think of questions for your cultural informant.

Evaluate Evaluate the photo/movie clip/object based on its relevance

to that culture, not your own culture.

Instructions for the Facilitator during the debriefing:

1. Ask a volunteer to say one sentence staying in description.

2. Listen carefully, and check if there are any words that could be interpreted differently in

that sentence.

3. Ask another volunteer to do the same. Repeat this a few times to give people a chance

to practice the skill of staying in description.

4. Then, ask what questions they have for a cultural informant. This person (or research

source like a website, book, or article) could give students answers to these questions.

If you brought the photo, cultural artifact, or object and know the history of it, you could

reveal that at this time. Research the answers to their questions if necessary.

5. Evaluate it based on how relevant it is for that culture’s traditions, not one’s own

culture or point of view.

6. Ask people in small groups to discuss why it is important to stay in description.

7. During a large group debriefing, get each small group to summarize their answers.

8. Practice the skill of “staying in description” again with another photo, movie clip, or

cultural artifact/object.


11


The Peacemaking Assignment

Getting started:

• This is a team-presentation and a team-created PowerPoint slide show. It

counts as a speaking evaluation.

• Choose 1 or 2 partners. You are now a team.

• Work together and exchange e-mail addresses. Find a time to work

together outside of class to prepare, write your ideas, type your slides, and

rehearse your slide show.

• As a team, think of 6 things to promote peace, and put one idea per slide

with a picture or visual image of it. These items could be at any of these

levels:

- Intrapersonal (within yourself)

- Interpersonal (with 1-2-3 others such as a small group)

- Organizational: Classroom, School, College Club or Organization,

College/University Campus, Community Organization

- Larger Society: City, Country, World

Each slide show must include at least:

• 6 ideas to promote peace

• 1 song that you as a team agree on as your PowerPoint theme song;

projecting lyrics is suggested if you want the class to sing along

• 5 photos or symbols that represent peace to you

• 1 peacemaker (person’s name, 5 facts, photo of him/her) with sources cited

• 3 quotations about peace from peacemakers or others writing or singing

about peace, with sources cited


12


This is a speaking evaluation, so keep these tips in mind:

• All team members need to introduce themselves during the introduction,

have equal speaking parts in the presentation body, and speak during the

conclusion

• Each person needs the same number of slides or lines, so divide up the

speaking parts equally.

• Your team should speak for 15 minutes total (including playing the song)

• Email your instructor a copy of your PowerPoint after your presentation.

• You will get an individual speaking grade and a team PowerPoint slide show

grade (based on the content and written accuracy of the slides).

• You should be able to answer questions during a Q&A session immediately

after your slide show.

• You will get feedback from your classmates orally during the Q&A and in

writing on notecards.

• You will get feedback from your instructor on a speaking evaluation form

(one for each team member) and a team grade on your PowerPoint

(including its content and presentation accuracy in citing sources, grammar,

spelling, word choice, etc.). (See the attached grading grids for both).

If you take something from a source, please cite it:

• Family name, First initial. (Year) Title of Article. Retrieved Month Day Year

from Source Website.

• King, M. L. (1968). I have a dream speech. Retrieved July 5, 2015 from

http://www.thekingcenter.org/


http://www.thekingcenter.org/

13


Some Peacemaking Ideas

Intrapersonal level peace-making idea: I will find a song

that is peaceful and learn the words to it and sing along

to the melody.

Intrapersonal level peace-making idea: I will observe my

own breathing and practice deep breathing to relax and

clear my mind.

Interpersonal level peacemaking idea: I will ask four

classmates to teach me the word for “peace” in their

own first languages.

Interpersonal level peacemaking idea: I will ask two of

my classmates from different cultures to tell me the

names of peacemakers from their own cultures.


14


Interpersonal level peace-making idea: I will ask one of

my classmates to help me create a website that focuses

on quotes, songs, photos, and poems about peace.

School-wide (organizational level peacemaking idea):

I will help to organize a potluck lunch at the end of the

session. We will have it outside in a park if the weather

is nice or inside the student union. Everyone will be

invited to bring a food item from their own culture along

with a card indicating the name of the food and its

ingredients. Everyone will be invited to taste each

person’s dish.

School-wide (organizational level peacemaking idea):

At graduation, selected students will close the ceremony

by teaching the audience the word for “peace” in their

first languages and closing with a peacemaker’s quote in

English.


15


Five Things I Can Do to Promote Peace


16


S P E A K I N G E V A L U A T I O N

Name_______________________ Level______ Date_______________ Presentation Title____________________________________________

Your Time Speaking________(not including the Q&A session) 4: Excellent; 3: Above Average; 2: Average; 1: Below Average; 0: missing

PRESENTATION ELEMENTS

1) Do you have a clear introduction with at least 2 elements? 4 3 2 1 0 2) Do you have a well-organized body with content of at least____ minutes? 4 3 2 1 0 3) Do you have a good conclusion? 4 3 2 1 0 4) Do you have a complete PowerPoint slide show? 4 3 2 1 0

ACCURACY

You demonstrate adequate control of the grammar and functions of the ELS levels coming before this one, and you attempt to use grammar and functions appropriate to the current level.

4 3 2 1 0 Comments

FLUENCY

You do not hesitate much before and during speaking, and you speak easily without reading from presentation notes.

4 3 2 1 0 Comments

COMMUNICATION

You communicate ideas clearly. I can understand what you are trying to say. Your sentences are clear, and you communicate quite well. It is a presentation, not a reading.

4 3 2 1 0 Comments

LISTENING

During the question and answer session, you understood students’ questions, my questions, and you were able to respond well to them.

4 3 2 1 0 Comments

PRONUNCIATION

You reproduce English sounds accurately. Your pronunciation does not interfere with your ability to communicate. I am able to understand you.

4 3 2 1 0 Comments

VOCABULARY

You use vocabulary appropriate to the topic and your level. You are not obviously translating.

4 3 2 1 0 Comments

GIVING CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE

You had facts, ideas, and interesting parts to your presentation that made it a good quality talk rich in content. You had a good introduction, a factual body, and a clear conclusion. You used some audio or visual aides to help the audience members understand your topic. If you took information from a website, book, article, or video, you cited it on your slides and mentioned the source name and year in your presentation.

4 3 2 1 0 Comments

AVERAGE SCORE: _______out of 44 points or __________. YOUR GRADE:_______


17


PowerPoint Slide Show Grading: This is a team grade based only on the PPT show.

Team Members’ Names:______________________________________________________

Title of your show:_______________________________Date received PPT:___________

CONTENT GRADE: Do you have all the required elements of a slide show?

Check list: Place a check mark if present:

Title slide with your team members’ names and date of your show

6 peace-making ideas

1 song 5 photos or symbols representing peace

1 peacemaker (name, 5 facts, photo) with sources cited

3 quotations about peace with sources cited ACCURACY: Give it a grade from 4 to 0:

Grammar

Word choice/vocabulary usage Spelling

Overall PowerPoint Slide Show Grade:

4 3 2 1 0

4: Excellent

3: Above Average

2: Average/Good Job

1: Below Average

0: Missing

Instructor’s Comments about the PowerPoint Slide Show Content/Accuracy:


ellingboe 3 interactiveactivitieshandout

Documents