Job Discussion Forums

lou_la · Joined: 04 Oct 2005 Posts: 140 Location: Bristol

I have to teach an American Culture Class for two hours every week, to three Chinese teenage boys who are moving to north america next year.

The problem is, I'm British, I have no idea of how to go about this! Can any Americans/Canadians (one of them is going to canada) point out some important areas you think I should focus on? Basically, I just want them to have an idea of what they're going to be faced with at university next year - needless to say, it's going to be pretty different to what they're used to!

Thanks in advance!

johnslat · Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 4:09 am Post subject:

Dear lou_la

I don't know if this will help, but it can't hurt, and it may give you some ideas.

AMERICAN CULTURE

Course Syllabus

Course Prefix and Number

GEN 1041

Course Title
American Culture for International Students

Course Description

This mandatory course is designed for a newcomer to United States who has to deal not only with becoming a successful student at HSU, but is exposed to foreign culture, customs, laws, conceptions, and misconceptions. The course is not intended to replace Henderson Seminar; nor is it intended to teach international students to imitate Americans. It is designed to develop a deeper understanding of the country where international students will spend the next several years; and help them to cope with cultural differences. To understand America and Americans means in this case to have a reasonably accurate set of ideas on basis of which to interpret the circumstances and behavior they see.

Textbook: Gary Althen: American Ways (A Guide for Foreigners in the United States) Intercultural Press, Inc.

Course objectives:

I.
General Ideas about American Culture

1. General overview of the course � role/position/obligations of international students

Difference in educational systems

2. Understanding Americans

a) How Americans see themselves

b) How Americans see foreigners

c) Generalization � how much is acceptable?

3. General Ideas about American Culture

a) American Values and Assumptions

b) Individualism and privacy

c) Equality

d) Informality

e) Time

f) Achievement, Action, Materialism, Directness, Assertiveness

4. The Communicative Style of Americans

a) Preferred discussion topics, Favorite forms of interaction, Depth

of Involvement Sought, Channels Preferred, Level of Meaning

Emphasized

b) Ways of Reasoning

5. Differences in Customs

II.
Specific Aspect of American Life

1. Family Life

a) Parents, Children, Elders

b) Family Responsibilities

2) Social Relations

a) Male/ Female Relations

Friendship/ Commitment

b) Communication � Verbal/Nonverbal

c) Sports

d) Behavior in Public Places

e) Religion/Church

3) Business

a) Shopping

b) Banking � Credit, Credit Cards, Loans, Checks - Responsibility

c) Driving

4) Health

a) Personal Hygiene

b) Health care system in America

c) Medical Insurance

III.
Coping with cultural differences

1) Activities/Exercises

IV.
Assignments and Evaluation

Students are required to read the American Ways and participate in classroom discussions.

Research project: Each student, in consultation with instructor, will research and write a short paper about cultural pattern in U.S.,
which is different in his native country. Compare and contrast American cultural behavior.

Testing: Midterm and Final Test � multiple choice, short answers. Quizzes through the length of course."

http://www.hsu.edu/content.aspx?id=1061

Regards,
John

ntropy · Joined: 11 Oct 2003 Posts: 671 Location: ghurba

American and Canadian culture are substantially different. Sure, they both speak English, but there they have different forms of government, different histories, different attitudes towards immigration, different religous makeups, foods, sports, literature, differing regional frictions and so on and so on.

You would be doing a disservice to tell them they'll be entering "one" culture. They are no more similar than China would be to Japan.

ntropy · Joined: 11 Oct 2003 Posts: 671 Location: ghurba

American and Canadian culture are substantially different. Sure, they both speak English, but there they have different forms of government, different histories, different attitudes towards immigration, different religous makeups, foods, sports, literature, differing regional frictions and so on and so on.

You would be doing a disservice to tell them they'll be entering "one" culture. They are no more similar than China would be to Japan.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

While it's aimed at businesspeople, www.executiveplanet.com offers a useful comparison of 'acceptable public behavior' and other useful info about both countries.

It could be interesting to start by printing out their info on China (it's in English, obviously) to see whether your students think it's accurate. Then you can compare it to US and Canadian info.

GambateBingBangBOOM · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 2021 Location: Japan

jpvanderwerf2001 · Joined: 02 Oct 2003 Posts: 1117 Location: New York

Do you have a US Embassy or Consulate around you? They usually have a wealth of cultural information that's free to take. There's usually a cultural specialist (for lack of appropriate term) whose job it is to spread the good word about the USA. Contact this person if possible.

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

You might try downloading the college handbook from where they will be studying next year. It is a little try but it will give you and them some ideas about their university and you can teach them some of the important words they will need to know.

If they don't have a school yet then you can just download a handbook from some famous school or where they have already applied.