Copy of Culture
ICELT level
Description
Materials
Main Aims
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To raise the trainees awareness about the importance of teaching the cultural items of English language.
Subsidiary Aims
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To expose the trainees to some differences between the British and American English that they should be aware of when they teach.
Procedure (75 minutes)
On the board display # Heaven is where the police are ……………… the cooks are ………………… the mechanics are …………… the lovers are ……………… and it is all organized by ……………… # Hell is where the police are ……………… the cooks are ………………… the mechanics are …………… the lovers are ……………… and it is all organized by ……………… Trs complete in their own words – compare ideas Discuss implications of culture/stereotyping, etc. in teaching Need to consider T’s culture & Ss’ culture
# Put trainees in four groups of three. # Give a set of cards to the groups to match & categorize # Write words on w/b – try to categorize (UK & US). Do you know these places/people/events? Do they have any significance to you?
Trs in groups work through list of words & phrases displayed on the board. They all have cultural connotations. What do the words & phrases mean? What problems might Ss have with them? What do Ss need to know?
Look at situations. What would you say in each case? How easy it for a T to know these/deal with them? For some cultures, e.g. there are fixed phrases or expressions to be used in each situation. Ss want direct translations or equivalents – but not always possible or appropriate. Sometimes we don’t say anything specific – “Get well soon” for example is more often written than spoken. Do you agree that language is culturally bound? – Trs discuss in groups w/c FB
Look at materials from two different course books. (Jamie Oliver from Pre-intermediate face2face about ) What did the course book writers assume when they included them? Should they have? What can Ts do to help when faced with published materials that seem so culturally specific? In groups come up with ideas for teaching to guide the Ss Cross over & present ideas – discuss with w/c
Trainees read elevator etiquette which are displayed on the board. Discuss answers according to the customs of their culture. Read rules for elevator etiquette in the US – are they the same? Implications for the classroom – e.g. rules of proxemics – how close can you stand? - monitoring, etc.
Paralinguistics – body language Look at the photo on the board of different gestures – Trs discuss what they mean. Compare with another culture answers – anything surprising.