Activities
for Teaching American Culture
in EFL
or ESL Classes
Activity
#1 - Gender Roles
THE CLASS
A multicultural ESL class in the United
States.
AIM
To become more aware of family gender roles
in one’s homeland while comparing them to family gender roles in the target
culture.
MATERIALS
A discussion question sheet for
each student and at least one member of the target culture.
LEVEL
Lower-intermediate and above
TIME
20 minutes or more of student-student
small group discussion and 30 minutes or more allotted for out-of-class
interview/discussion with a member of the target culture as homework. Finally,
the project should be wrapped up with another in class discussion of about
fifteen minutes. 65 minutes total.
PREPARATION
Photocopy the discussion question sheets
for each student.
IN CLASS
Notice that the activity assumes that the students have one-on-one access to a native speaker and are members of a multi-cultural class. This is a feature that we at ELI are fortunate to have. This is not to say that the activity couldn’t be done in a mono-cultural EFL class in their homeland. They might still have access to at least one cooperative native speaker and cultural informant.
TEACHER’S REMARKS
STUDENT DISCUSSION QUESTION SHEET
In your country,
If there is a divorce, who gets the children?
If the woman is working outside the house, who does the household chores?
When a couple is having a baby, which would they prefer, a boy or a girl?
Which would make the family more upset, if their daughter were unmarried or if their son were unmarried?
If a family has both a son and a daughter, which one would they spend the most money on?
If a family has a daughter, do they worry more about her education or
her marriage?
In your family,
Which parent takes care of the grandparents when they are sick?
When the family goes out, which parent does the driving?
If the parents disagree about something, which one usually gets his/her way?
Who does the cooking?
Who does the cleaning?
When something is broken, who fixes it?
Whose permission is it more important to get?
Who buys and sells big items for the family like the house, the land or the car?
Who makes decisions when to buy big things?
Who is responsible for the family accounting (i.e. managing savings accounts, investing, doing the taxes or checking the books on the family business)?
Which parent do you love the most?
Which parent do you miss the most now that you are away?
Activity
#2 - American Professor's Expectations
THE CLASS
The class is a class of high-intermediate to advanced level students in some academic skills course designed at helping them to prepare for entrance into an American university.
AIM
To familiarize the students with the behavior expected of them as college students in an American university as well as the type of class participation common in such classes.
MATERIALS
Video of lively classroom interaction during a discussion in a small seminar class at an American university. More footage of an interview with a college professor talking about what he likes in students and what makes him upset.
TIME
Ten minutes of video footage showing a lively discussion in a seminar class is followed by about twenty minutes of footage of an American college professor being interviewed. Then, twenty minutes is given for a student-student small group discussion and ten more for a full class wrap up. Students may also be assigned writing homework based on their findings.
PREPARATION
Acquire and set up a VCR and TV for showing the videos.
IN CLASS
The first part of the video shows student teacher interaction typical of a seminar class at an American university. Students might notice some difference in the types of questions asked by the teacher and the way that he responds to their utterances but most noticeable will be the amount and nature of the students in class talking. All the students will be actively involved in the class, which is small enough to make this possible. The teacher quietly checks attendance at the beginning while he makes friendly, humorous and personal conversation with some of the students. The camera zooms in to show that there are no absences and the class begins with all the students present and none coming in late. At times the audacity of students interaction with the teacher might seem disrespectful (for students from more authoritarian cultures) and even off topic, perhaps even just an opinion or an interjection.
The second part of the video shows an American
college professor talking and answering questions about his expectations
of students. When asked what bad student behaviors bother him the most,
him he might answer with some comment about lateness, absenteeism, being
ungrateful for their opportunity to learn, close-mindedness or even taking
the easy way out. When asked how he grades his students he might comment
that class participation is a major part of the grade but that students
are also expected to write papers and take essay tests in class. When asked
what sort of behavior he likes the most he might comment that he wants
to feel that students are genuinely interested in the subject and don’t
shirk the opportunity to learn more about it. He may also make some comments
about critical thinking and personal insight.
Activity #3 - Back to School
AIM
To help the students to better understand the experience of high school in America
MATERIALS
One cooperative and willing American high school to allow ESL students to come in and go through the day with a high school student as their escort
LEVEL
Intermediate level or higher
TIME
One full day of school in America and then some class time for discussion
PREPARATION
Briefing the high school students who will be the escorts and getting permission from the high school’s administration and teachers in advance
OUT OF CLASS
Intensive English Language program ESL students studying in America are paired up with American high school students to be their escorts for a day. The escorts must of course be trained and prepared for this and the teachers at the school may also want to prepare some activities for accommodating their guests. The ESL student and the escort meet in the morning before school and eat breakfast together. During this time they can get comfortable with one another and establish some rapport and communication. Next the ESL student will follow the high school student through the entire school day and thus get a feeling of what high school is like in the United States.
IN CLASS
Activity #4 - Regionalism in the United States
AIM
To understand some of the attitudes from people in one region of the United States towards people from other regions in the United States
MATERIALS
Cooperative Americans typical of different regions of the United States (i.e., a person from traditional Southern culture, a person from New York, a person from San Francisco, a Midwestern farmer, and a Texan) and willing to participate in an email discussion and cultural exchange
LEVEL
High-intermediate to advanced
TIME
Some time must be spent establishing good communication with the cultural informants before the questions can be posed, but the time for sending the questions and receiving the answers may be short. This may be done out of class.
Later, the students may spend a great deal of time alone or with the teacher in or out of class trying to understand the answers. They may study it like a dialogue and could even communicate with the informant further to seek clarification.
Twenty minutes on a small group discussion to formulate some answers to the questions on the task sheet.
Ten minutes for a full class wrap up discussion.
PREPARATION
The teacher or even the students must find
cooperative informants representing different regions of the United States
and then the teacher must give the students a photocopy of the assignment’s
tasks.
IN CLASS
COMMENTS
Students need to constantly be reminded that what they are learning are not the actually characteristics of people from those regions but actually just the beliefs of one region about the people in other regions. These beliefs may be stereotypes or gross generalizations and may be offensive to some of the people who they are about. Each region has its own unique culture and with it come ethnocentric views about their relationship to the other regions.
TEACHER’S NOTES
Student Worksheet for Activity #4 - Regionalism in the United States
Activity
#5 - Cultural Misunderstandings: What Might Have Happened?
THE CLASS
A medium sized class (24 students) of high-intermediate level college students at a Korean university. The goal of the class is to study both American English and American culture.
AIM
To become more aware of the possible causes of cultural misunderstandings and friction between Americans and Koreans
MATERIALS
One discussion sheet and one explanation sheet for each student
One American instructor to help explain the answers
LEVEL
High-Intermediate speaking and reading.
TIME
Seven minutes or more for each question: 35 to 50 all total for the small group discussions
Up to five minutes to wrap up each question as a full class and either confirm or correct their assumptions and beliefs: 15 to 25 minutes for the wrap up
50 minutes minimum to 75 maximum total class time needed.
The instructor may choose to break up the activity and do the questions one at a time, perhaps even presenting one a day.
PREPARATION
Plan out the time needed for the activity and decide whether it will be done all at once or split up some.
Photocopy the discussion questions and explanations
IN CLASS
Student Question Sheet - Cultural Misunderstandings
What might have happened? What is
she/he thinking?
How might you explain this sudden
violent behavior from the American?
Why has your friend done such a strange
and offensive thing to your little sister?
What happened? Why is she upset?
Possible Explanations:
What might have happened? What is she/he thinking?
It could be possible that she thinks
you and your friend are homosexuals. In America, same sex friends don’t
sleep with each other. In fact, sleeping with another person generally
implies a sexual relationship. This implication is so strong that the expression
"Sue is sleeping with Jane" implies that they are lovers and having sex.
Generally, many American men, wouldn’t be comfortable sharing a bed with
another man, even if he were his own brother.
How might you explain this sudden violent behavior from the American?
In American culture, having someone
push you in the chest hard, let alone yelling at you or spitting, signals
the beginning of a fight. The American thought the fight had already begun
before he swung. The only other choice for him would be to walk away or
even run away, but for some men, this would be cowardice. Of course, in
America, many men are willing to loose a little face in order to avoid
fights (some men even think it is barbaric to fight at all), but in such
a case, the fight had already begun. The American believes he has been
attacked and must defend himself. Many of the ways that Korean men express
themselves may seem threatening to some American men. Just yelling can
seem very serious to some.
Why has your friend done such a strange and offensive thing to your little sister?
This is a normal game that Americans
like to play with cute children. In America, that gesture has no meaning
at all. Americans grab children, pinch their noses, and try to convince
them that we have stolen them. The thumb sticking out between the fingers
is supposed to look like the child’s nose. You should probably tell the
American what that gesture means in Korea.
What happened? Why is he/she upset?
If he were a man and you were a woman,
it might imply that you are interested in him in more ways than just friendship.
In America we really only hold hands with lovers. It is not acceptable
for most people to hold hands with friends. If you were a man and she were
a woman, she might have considered it a rather forward and presumptuous
move on her. She might be trying to keep your friendship "just friends"
and stop it from becoming something more intimate. Even worse than that,
you might have offended he sense of independence and self-sufficiency.
By grabbing her hand, you suggested that she couldn’t take care of herself.
Finally, one more reason is that she might be sick and tired of having
to run every time she crosses the street. Many Americans believe in "pedestrian
rights": they believe that people are more important than cars and that
the cars should politely wait. She might be angry because everyone is rushing
her. Americans visiting Seoul often get angry about the way their Korean
hosts will rush them around.
First of all, many Americans can use
chopsticks quite well. It’s no big deal to use chopsticks well. Even more
so if he has been living in Korea for a while. If so, then this is a silly
compliment that he hears much to often and is probably tired of. To make
matters worse you are repeating the compliment many times. This is even
more irritating. In American culture, it makes people uncomfortable to
receive too many compliments. We generally make a lot of compliments to
others but we only make the same one once. To repeat the same compliments
might seem obsequious.
A medium sized class (24 students) of high-intermediate level college students at a Korean university. The goal of the class is to study both American English and American culture.
AIM
To become more aware of the possible causes of cultural misunderstandings and friction between Americans and Koreans, especially regarding eating situations
MATERIALS
One discussion sheet and one explanation sheet for each student
One American instructor to help explain the answers
LEVEL
High-Intermediate speaking and reading.
TIME
Seven minutes or more for each question: 28 to 40 all total for the small group discussions
Up to five minutes to wrap up each question as a full class and either confirm or correct their assumptions and beliefs: 12 to 20 minutes for the wrap up
40 minutes minimum to 60 maximum total class time needed.
The instructor may choose to break up the activity and do the questions one at a time, perhaps even presenting one a day.
PREPARATION
Plan out the time needed for the activity and decide whether it will be done all at once or split up some.
Photocopy the discussion questions and explanations
IN CLASS
TEACHER’S COMMENTS
Student
Question Sheet for Activity #6
Why might this be? What might have happened?
Why might the American have refused to let the waitress cut his noodles?
Why might someone who is usually so open minded about food refuse to eat Sun Dae?
Possible Explanations:
Why might this be? What might have happened?
There are many things that can go wrong
when Koreans eat out with Americans. The first one may have been your treatment
of the waitress. Americans are generally "polite" to waitresses, even if
they are young and we are old. They often talk to them with polite phrases
and grammar such as "I would like…", "Could you please…" and even "Excuse
me." They feel that it is only "civilized" to treat these people with "respect"
and to not do so would make them look "low class", "poorly bred" or "Ill
mannered". Your friend might have been embarrassed by the way you treated
the waitress. She/He may now have a lower opinion of you. Another possibility
may have been that you ordered the food for him/her without even asking
what she wanted. That was an insult to his/her sense of autonomy. It suggests
that he/she was not capable of doing it herself. Yet another problem could
have come from your typical Korean table manners of eating your food quickly
or loudly. Americans often have very strict ideas about "the proper way"
to eat in a formal setting. Making a lot of noise and eating quickly could
remind them of an animal. Generally, Americans eat much slower than Koreans,
it doesn’t mean that they are not enjoying their food. At restaurants,
they like to eat slowly and enjoy the atmosphere. Don’t assume that there
is a problem just because your guest eats slowly.
Why might the American have refused to let the waitress cut his noodles?
This might be very simple to explain. The waitresses in Korea use scissors to cut food at tables, especially noodles. Admittedly, they work very well for this but some Americans cannot accept the idea of scissors being used for food. In America scissors are used for cutting inedible things only. Some clever people might use them in their kitchen but never for guests at the table.
Why might someone who is usually so open-minded about food refuse to eat Sun Dae?
This is because Sun Dae is one of the
most repulsive looking foods to the eyes of an American. It is very strange
for Americans to see a black sausage full of some strange stuff that looks
like worms. To make matters worse, they are made from natural casing that
looks like what it is. To an American it looks like black guts full of
worms and smells bad too. Finally to top it off, there is usually a large
whole liver on the side. Some Americans might not like the sight of so
much guts when they are eating. Overall its nothing you won’t find in a
hot dog, but yet somehow it’s different. Another possible reason to consider
is that this food was served on the street. Your friend might be happy
to try many different foods in restaurants but may associate food served
on the street with a lack of sanitation. Some of the guide books tourists
read before coming to Korea still warn them about diseases like hepatitis
being spread by street food.
This could be another case of a foreigner
who is tired of being asked the same question by Koreans over and over.
If he lives in Korea, this probably happens to him every day. Americans
find it strange the way that many Koreans think that only Koreans could
enjoy Korean food. On a world scale, Korean food is not actually that spicy.
Americans who travel a lot often take pride in how open-minded they are
about trying new food and they don’t want to be protected like this.
Activity #7 - Traditional American Foods: A Potluck
THE CLASS
A small class of Korean college students studying American culture
AIM
To become more familiar with the traditionally typical foods of the United States as opposed to the stereotypes of pizza, fried chicken and hamburgers
To be able to follow a recipe in English with all of the vocabulary and phrases involving cooking
This activity of eating together may also build class rapport for Koreans
MATERIALS
A kitchen from the home economics department and a wide assortment of ingredients necessary for making American food (most Korean universities with female students have a large home economics department)
An assortment of typical American cookbooks such as the Betty Crocker cookbook
LEVEL
Intermediate level or higher – high enough to be able to follow a recipe
TIME
Forty minutes for pre-activity in-class preparation
Preparation time and discussion time – students may do preparation time before class time, like a potluck
PREPARATION
It may be beneficial to provide some visual aids for the explanation of cooking terminology but especially the potluck.
Photocopy the pages the students have selected.
Some western ingredients might need to be provided by the teacher.
IN CLASS
This activity might fit well into a unit about food and cooking.
American
Heroes: A Quiz on American Nationalist Schema
THE CLASS
A class of most any size who would like to study English through the content of American history
AIM
To assess the background knowledge of the learners before they begin the English through American history class
MATERIALS
Photocopies of the quiz
One instructor who is willing and able to explain the questions aftrewards
LEVEL
Advanced level English students
TIME
20 minutes or less
PREPARATION
Photocopying the quiz
COMMENTS
The instructor needs to keep in mind that history isn’t all about studying the names and achievements of great men and that much of this is a sort of mythology.
Because it is a mythology for American culture, it is a prerequisite to understanding much of what they see in the American media.
IN CLASS
Distribute the quiz and give 20 minutes for the students to finish.
Wrap up the quiz with a discussion / lecture that tries to give a brief overview of the material while bringing in students’ knowledge.
TEACHER’S REMARKS
Test Sheet for American Heroes - How much do you know about America?
The American National Anthem, The
Star Spangled Banner, was written by a man in which situation?
What is the underground railroad?a. A man living alone in the woodsb. An immigrant who had just arrived
c. A prisoner of war
d. A newly elected president
b. A famous rock and roll band at Woodstock
c. A slang term for the New York City subway
d. A train tunnel built under the Rocky Mountains
b. John F. Kennedy
c. Franklin Delanor Roosevelt
d. George Washington
b. John F. Kennedy
c. Franklin Delanor Roosevelt
d. George Washington
b. New York City
c. Boston
d. Miami
b. General Lee
c. General Washington
d. General Bell