for intercultural training in the classroom-1

7/31/2019 for Intercultural Training in the Classroom-1

1/55

Designingmaterials and

activities forintercultural

training in the

classroomSimon Greenall


2/55


3/55

Teachers concerns

1 Its easy if you have a multi-cultural group.But what can we do in monocultural classeslike ours?

2 How can I teach socio-cultural awareness

at low levels?

3 Grammar, skills, pronunciation theres somuch else to teach. I just dont have enough

time to teach socio-cultural awareness.

4 What exactly does a socio-culturalsyllabus cover?


4/55

Teachers concerns

5 Much of the material is just anecdotal evidence.So what?

6 My students are never going to live or work in

the USA/Australia/the UK. Why bother?

7 Most socio-cultural awareness simply reinforcestereotypes.

8 Is it really my job as a language teacher to teach

cross-cultural awareness?


5/55

Why do intercultural training?

Integral part ofcommunicative

competence Essential learningobjective

Source ofmotivating material


6/55

Interculturaltraining general

issues

Integratingintercultural training

into a languagecourse design

Monocultural andmulticultural groups

Teaching at low levels The role of anecdotes

Teachers

responsibility Generalisation,

stereotyping andprejudice


7/55

Intercultural training

writing for textbooks (1)

Training

without a C1 Training

without a C2

Authorsviewpoint:

you we - they

Dealing withcultural taboos


8/55

Cultural taboosin textbooks

P

A

RS

N

IP

olitics

lcohol

eligionex

arcotics

-ismsork


9/55

Intercultural training

writing for textbooks (2)

Nationality v culture

Ethnicity v culture Individual v

collective

Macro v

microculture Generalisation v

stereotyping

Cultural relativism v

cultural absolutism Establishing a

syllabus


10/55

Socio-cultural competence

for English at Threshold level1 Universal

experiences

Threshold 1990,Council of Europe,JA van Ek and JLM Trim

1 Everyday life

2 Livingconditions

3 Interpersonalrelations

4 Major valuesand attitudes


11/55

Socio-cultural competence

for English at Threshold level2 Social

conventions

and rituals

Threshold 1990,Council of Europe,JA van Ek and JLM Trim

1 Non-linguistic

a) Body language

b) Visiting rituals

c) Eating and

drinking rituals

2 Linguistic


12/55

The reculturalisation ofEnglish

Periods of studying English: where the

USA/UK/Australia etc weretargetcultures

where the cultural originsof the language wereignored

where the link betweenlanguage and culture isrecognised and samplecultures are explored


13/55

So where do we start?

Whats your name?

How old are you?

What political party do you vote for?

How much do you earn?

How old isyou?

How much isyou earning?


14/55

Linguistic, non-linguistic andsocialconventions andrituals

Customs and

traditions Attitudes and

beliefs


15/55

1 Linguistic, non-linguistic andsocial conventions and rituals

Greetings

Reciprocalspeech

Silence

Smiling

Eye contact

Gestures

Appearance

Personal space


16/55

Non-linguisticconventions


17/55

Linguistic conventions: functions

Greetings and making introductions

Thanking

Apologising Complaining

Giving opinions

Making compliments

Expressing feelings

Expressing ability

Back channelling


18/55

2 Customs and traditions

Weddings

Tablemanners

Buying food

Giving giftsFestivals

Folk stories


19/55

Customs andtraditions

Talk about these questions. Youre invited to someones

home for dinner. What time

do you expect to be invited? What time do you arrive?

Do you take a gift? If so,what?

When do you expect to eat?

What do you say before youstart eating? In which handdo you hold your fork?

Do you compliment your

host? Can you smoke during the

meal?

How do you know when toleave?


20/55

3 Attitudes and beliefs

Superstitions

Face

Men andwomen

Ancestors

Networking

Time


21/55


22/55

Materials and activitytypes

Cultural selfawareness

Cognitive training C2 comparison

Experientialtraining

Critical incidents

Cultural resonance

L1 interference


23/55

Cultural self-awareness:

Missing you already!

What do you miss when youreaway from home?

What do you look forward to

when you return?


24/55


The crossword

The Sunday

papers.A nice cup of tea.

Baked beans/

sausages/MarmiteThe sense of

humour.

My cat.

The radio cricket

commentary.Manageably sized

insects

My own bathroom.My bed.


25/55


What do you miss when youre

away from home?

What do you look forward towhen you return?


26/55

2 How can I teach socio-

cultural awareness at lowlevels?


27/55

Desert Island words

Think of eight favourite

words to take to yourdesert island, and one

phrase or saying.


28/55

Desert Island words

1 family

2 Oxford3 book

4 television

5 mountain

6 Venice7 beer

8 another


29/55

Favourite sentence

Its out of thequestion!


30/55

Desert Island words

Think of eight favourite

words to take to yourdesert island, and one

phrase or saying.


31/55

C2 comparison: town twinning

Read the passage and decide which town inBritain it describes.

In Shakespeares day this was a market townsurrounded by forests. In the nineteenth century itbecame one of the great industrial cities, at theheart of an extensive system of canals andwaterway. It now has an excellent art gallery, a well-respected university, a theatre and one of the

countrys leading orchestras. With a population ofover a million, dozens of industries are situatedhere, including the motor industry, plastics andchemicals.

Now decide which town in your country you


32/55

Cultural self awareness: macroand microcultureHere is a list of furniture and features of ahouse. Which ones do you expect to see ina typical home in your country?

balcony , garden , bath, stairs shower,separate bathroom and toilet, dining room,

living room, large kitchen

Find out which items you're likely to use todescribe an English home.


33/55

Cultural icons

Look at some coins or bank notes fromyour country. Who or what is shown onthem? What values do they represent?

What product, manufactured in your

country, is famous in other countries?Describe its features.

Decide what kind of person is likely to buyit, or would like to buy it.

Design a postage stamp which showspeople, places, objects or symbols whichrepresent the spirit and values of yourhome town or country.


34/55

Experiential training

Student A

Keep smiling and touching Student B, and sitclose. Try to keep the conversation going. Ask

lots of questions and repeat each answer in adifferent way to make sure you have understood.

Student B

Answer Student As questions, but only give theessential information. Dont look at Student A.You dont like people touching you, but youre toopolite to say anything.


35/55

Critical incidents: face

I invited a friend to a dinner party at my

apartment last Thursday. She replied,

Yes, Id love to come, but it might bedifficult. I didnt hear from her so I

expected her to come. But she didnt.

Why didnt she call me and let meknow?


36/55

Critical incidents

I was visiting German for the first time

and I received an invitation to visit my

most important customer in her house. Itook her a bunch of twelve red roses andher husband a bottle of wine. When I

gave her the flowers, she just lookedembarrassed.


37/55

A British colleague invited me to join hisfriends after work. We went to a pub

where he bought me a drink and hesuggested a meal in a restaurant. At theend of the meal, I was surprised to seeeveryone take out their wallets to pay the

bill. My friend expected me to pay as well,but I feel it was mean of him not to pay forme, as he invited me.


38/55

Cultural resonance

What ideas do you associate with thesecolours?

green white yellow blue red

What are the qualities of these animals?

sheep goat donkey dog frog

What words do you associate with these ideas?

home book beach New Year school English

C lt l


39/55

Cultural resonance

What do these numbers, objects and

symbols mean to you?

Numbers: 3 4 7 8 9 13

Flowers: carnations chrysanthemums

Gifts: clock

penknife

handkerchiefTools: scissors

red ink


40/55

L1 Interference

Today is 26 January. Someone says Its 26January, isnt it? What do you say?

A No, it is. B Yes, it isnt. C Yes, it is. D No, it

isnt. Someone says, My mother sends you her best

wishes. What do you say?A Send them back B Send her mine.

You say to someone The traffic was reallyawful. The person replies Really?What do you reply?A Yes, really. B Yes, it was. C No, really!


41/55

L1 Interference

You go with a friend to a nice restaurant. Yourfriend says, this is a nice restaurant, isnt it?

What do you say?A Yes, it is. B Of course it is. C No, it is.

Someone says Do call by if ever youre in theneighbourhood.What do you say?

A Yes, I will. B No, I wont. C How about next

Wednesday?


42/55

Materials and activitytypes

Cultural self awareness

Cognitive training

C2 comparison

Experiential training

Critical incidents

Cultural resonance

L1 interference


43/55

Types of culture

Surface cultureand deepculture

Microcultureandmacroculture

Target cultureand sampleculture


44/55

Cultural resonance:surface and deep culture

Surface culture:

weather forecast


45/55

Cultural resonance:deep culture

Dogger, Rockall, Malin, Irish Sea:Green, swift upsurges, North Atlantic flux

Conjured by that strong, gale-warningvoice,

Collapse into a sibilant penumbra

It was marvellous

And actual, I said out loud, A haven,

The word deepening, clearing, like the skyElsewhere on Minches, Cromarty, The

Faroes.Seamus Heaney Glanmore Sonnets


46/55

Cultural self awareness:macro and microculture

Say which of thesefood items people inyour country usuallybuy each week.

rice oranges potatoesfish sausage beer water

flour noodles eggs teacoffee oil butter yoghurtshrimp bread sugarcheese

Which items do you (oryour family) usually,sometimes or neverbuy each week?


47/55

Teachers concerns

1 Its easy if you have a multi-cultural group.

But what can we do in monocultural classeslike ours?

2 How can I teach socio-cultural awareness

at low levels?3 Grammar, skills, pronunciation theres somuch else to teach. I just dont have enough

time to teach socio-cultural awareness.4 What exactly does a socio-culturalsyllabus cover?


48/55

Teachers concerns

5 Much of the material is just anecdotal evidence.

So what?

6 My students are never going to live or work in

the USA/Australia/the UK. Why bother?

7 Most socio-cultural awareness simply reinforcestereotypes.

8 Is it really my job as a language teacher to teach

cross-cultural awareness?

F l l b l h k


49/55

From cultural bump to culture shockPerpetrator Recipient

Recognition of difference in behaviourMild interest

Amusement

SurpriseCulture shock

Recognition/ignorance Perception ofof offence of offence

Communication breakdown

Confusion Incomprehension

Embarrassment Irritation

Shame/anger Anger


50/55

Six conclusions

1The key to anawareness of othercultures is anawareness of your own.

2 Intercultural trainingcan be integrated with

the grammatical,functional syllabusesand skills syllabuses.

Si l i


51/55

Six conclusions

3 Intercultural training is not

an option. Its absence cancompromise effectivecommunication.

4 Cross cultural awarenessdoes not imply assimilationor mimicry but the

understanding andappreciation of differentvalues.

Si l i


52/55

Six conclusions

5 We cannot give our

learners specificinformation about everyculture, but we can makethem aware of the

possibility of differences.

6 Effective communication =

Linguistic competence andintercultural competence


53/55

Designing materials and activities forintercultural training in the classroom

Intercultural trainingin the classroom

should lead to theenjoyment ofrecognising similaritiesbetween cultures, and

to the celebration ofdifference.


54/55

Designing materials and activities forintercultural training in the classroom

Strangers areonly friendsyou haventmade yet.

Irish saying


55/55

[email protected]

for intercultural training in the classroom-1

Documents