Job Discussion Forums

[hochhasd]

I may have to teach a class on the subject and I would imagine it would be on American Culture.

[dean_a_jones]

The generic "survey" books, which are easiest to find here, are ok as references but often a bit outdated and cliched. They are also a bit dry and boring, but might work with the right group of students.

I teach a British history and culture course, and create the materials myself drawing from my own knowledge and supplemented from info and resources online, of which there is quite a lot of good stuff if you dig around. This works well as it gives you creative control, but it depends on the level of the students and how the classes will be structured. The course I teach is split into a large group topical lecture (say 40 students) followed by small group discussion seminars (around 10 students), which works really well. Happy to share ideas or discuss it in further detail, just send me a PM.

[hochhasd]

[spiral78]

This might be helpful:

http://www.executiveplanet.com/index.php?title=Main_Page

It's business-focused, but also looks at social customs to some degree. You could maybe have the students first read the China sections and comment on how accurate they think they are, then do a comparison with US or other info....that is, if their English is up to it, obviously! I've no idea what levels you are teaching; this works for intermediate up, in my experience.

[dean_a_jones]

Sorry, I didn't mean to give the impression little is out there. There is quite selection of resources actually, but it really depends on 1) what age/level students you are teaching 2) what they are hoping to gain from the course/why they need it 3) what their English level is 4) how much the course will be about everyday (business/study/travel/etc.) culture vs. more deep-rooted cultural knowledge.

There is something for all of those combinations, but not something that works for any and all situations. Assuming you are from the US, you are probably the best resource until you can fill in the details. If not, I would say that the more precise you can be about 1-4 listed above, the easier it will be to direct you to useful stuff.

[hochhasd]

[dean_a_jones]

Based on what you said, they will probably want the somewhat generic stuff--especially if they are mixed English/non-English majors. The simple rundown on things like holidays, food, sports, schooling, music, etiquette etc.

If you are taking the multicultural approach then it should be quite easy to introduce a kind of dual narrative, looking at majority and non-majority cultural traditions. You can then get the students to compare these to their own practices, which usually reinforces the activity and learning.

[Babala]

I found a book called "English the American Way". I can't remember the author but I bought it from taobao for about 170 RMB. It covered many different aspects of American culture and also came with a CD.

[hochhasd]

[it'snotmyfault]

I had to search three pages of threads to find one even remotely related to teaching.
And it has three different posters contributing to it. That really sums up ESL teaching in China
Find a thread about "what your hourly rate is" or "how to get a spider out of your bathroom" and it'll be five pages long. Filled with contributions from the usual suspects.

Anyone coming to China should really consider long and hard about their motivations and reasons for coming here. If you don't have a strategy or an exit plan (I do) then you just end up another lifer working in a mill like muffintop where....

Professional development will likely be a group of thirty something alcoholics discussing a new variation on a game involving chopsticks.

Soul destroying for anyone endowed with more than a handful of brain cells.

Mr Kalgukshi must be on his holidays