Job Discussion Forums

[roadwalker]

This is in response to a thread I helped to hijack, regarding an ft's difficulties with management and her responses. There was some criticism regarding her teaching ideas or methods for secondary school students preparing to study abroad. The criticisms were twofold: 1) the projects she named were too artsy-craftsy; and 2) involved non-mainstream cultures too much. (It was about American -USA, presumably- culture and she included references to pinatas, hula dancing, and Christmas card making.)

I have no apparent artistic talent and I teach at a university level. However, if I had any capabilities in that area, I might use arts and crafts to give a more tactile approach to learning, make it fun for students and try to give them something memorable, as opposed to memorizable, about the culture. Especially if I was teaching at a secondary or primary school, but even at a university I could see it being useful. As I said, however, I have no such talent. Neither can I play guitar and/or sing. I teach to my strengths and I would hope others teach to theirs.

As to the non-mainstream culture, as an American, I can't see why a hula dance is not American culture. Nor can I see why a pinata isn't part of the culture. Not everyone dances the hula nor busts pinatas regularly, but both are well-known and both can be fun, especially for the young. People all over the world already know NBA, Hollywood, Lady Gaga and other heavily exported cultural genres, it would be nice to see some of the other traditions. And Christmas cards represent the culture of a large majority of Americans, including Christians and these days, non-Christians. I'm not for exporting Christianity as I'm not religious, but I can't see ignoring religion in a country such as the US.

What methods and what subjects do you think are appropriate for teaching foreign culture in China? For primary? Secondary? University?

[leandrachair]

University teacher and you don't understand that "American Culture" is an amalgamation of all world cultures! It's the simple and answers your questions.

[dean_a_jones]

We teach 'History and Culture of..." to all of our students. They are going abroad to Ireland, the UK, the USA, New Zealand, Australia and they take this class in the last semester before they depart (these are university students). It is once a week for 10 weeks and they get the H&C of the country they are going to (obviously).

In terms of methodology, the course is meant to mimic western style courses so they get a 50 minute lecture as a big group (30-45 depending on the class) and are then split into smaller seminar groups (10-15) for a 50 minute discussion of the topic. The idea is to teach them some useful information regarding going abroad, sometimes focused on general information about where they are going, often with a focus on that element of culture and its relation young people/university students, then looking at it from the perspective of an interenational student.

In terms of course content, it covers:

General intro to western/country specfic history and culture; why study history and culture; what is culture
Family
Food and drink
Public and personal health
Class and race
Origins and immigration
Holidays and festivals
Work
Education
Belief

They are marked by completing two short essays on a subject of their choice (from the list) and a final exam covering lecture content.

The whole point of this course is to get them prepared for life abroad. So as well as looking at the general topics we try to focus on things that will be useful to them, such as dining habits and customs, university lifestyles, drugs and drinking, sexual health, race relations, gender roles, how to get a part-time job, how university courses and content will be different from in China, how to deal with stress and culture shock etc.

The students like the small seminars the most, and enjoy discussing things that they can see will be useful or are a bit controversial or surprising to them. Much like academic study skills (another class they get from us) I think a lot of this will be useful in hindsight, when they arrive and can then see why this stuff was taught to them in the first place.

Obviously a course like this is suitable for higher level students who are going abroad to complete their study. I imagine others will have ideas that work well for younger students who might be staying here.

[7969]

I teach a writing class at a university and during the last several weeks of the second term we ditch the writing textbook and discuss cultural aspects of Canada. The lessons cover the following: education system, literature, transportation, recreation, French language, and Christmas (with a showing of How the Grinch Stole Christmas - this one is actually done just before Christmas). I also add a lesson on culture shock as some of the students will either end up abroad or be dealing with foreigners depending on the job they get after graduation. I have a multi-media room for my classes so adding photos, short videos, maps, diagrams etc is very easy and helps explain the various topics better. I also have a variety of magazines and books from Canada on topics like gardening, tourism, national parks, and general aspects of life in Canada that I loan out to the classes. These lessons are usually well-received by the students and I enjoy doing them too.

I've been asked on a few occasions why I bother doing these lessons. Even though this is a writing class once the students write the TEM4 they're tired of studying and tired of writing. Plus most of the writing topics have been exhausted by mid-April. Second, the students have a class called "Cultures of English Speaking Countries" but the textbook devotes all of 17 pages to Canada and is out of date, and they have this class with a Chinese teacher, who may or may not have real life experience in an English speaking environment. Plus that teacher focuses only on the US and UK.

[Lobster]

[teachingld2004]

I have just finished teaching in Korea, and will take my first job in China in September. I would assume that teaching foreign culture in China is the same. (more or less).
One good piece of advice,is to teach what you know. First I explain that in America there is so much blended culture, that there is in a sense no culture. I tell them that from the east coast to the west coast people are not the same. But I tell them about what to generally expect, and tell them what is not "allowed". For example, spitting on the street. Cutting lines. How we do not have saunas and we do not shower with our friends. (really).
I tell them the teacher is not always right. I tell them that we can voice our own opinion, and not go along with the crowd. I tell them not to be so trusting. It all depends on their ages. Some times I tell them to gt a western name, because I can not even prnounce some of theirs, and an amel ikee a name like "Yong-bum", they certaily will be made fun of.
I am an artist, and I use art. I love to sing (not very well, but I love it) so I teach with sone. (someties). I bring take out menus with me and that alone is enough for an entire lesson. I teach about food. Please do not drink out of my cup or put your fork into my plate. I can make this letter a lot longer, but you all know what I am saying. Teach what you know. Compare cultures. You will not run out of things to teach.

[teachingld2004]

oops, sorry. I hit "send" before I corrected my typing.