Job Discussion Forums

[Atlas]

Some of my students are asking me for information about the real life in America and the West. Does anyone have suggestions about websites that can introduced them to culture as it really happens? Not the mediated stuff, or the bland textbook stuff, but a real exposure to who we are why we live the way we live....

Being in China gives me direct experience to ask, "What is that? Why is that person doing that?" My students have little chance to go abroad, but they want to know. When I stopped to consider the answer, it seemed like an important question indeed!

Maybe culture blogs?

[Just a guy]

You could start with telling them about how it was when you went to school;

Hours,
boarding school or go home each day,
what grades the school had & what they called them; Kindergarden - 5 year olds, Elementry / Primary, Jr. High, High...
Class sizes
the teachers,
did students stay in one classroom or did each teacher / subject have their own class that the students go to.
sports & who your school teams played,
Wood shop,
Metal shop,
Swimming pool,
drive yourself to school, with friend, parents or take a yellow bus, long bus or short?

the list can go on & on, depending on where your from,
I have made whole periods out of the differences between schools in the U.S. & the school I am teaching in & the kids were very interested.

[Louis]

www.drivenbyboredom.com/bling.htm

[NumberOneSon]

If you run out of ideas, you might want to look at some of the
Day In The Life photobooks, like A Day In The Life of America
or America 24/7:

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3729734/

The above link has slide shows of some photos of people
doing various things like working and playing to a background
of music by folks like Ray Charles, Bruce Hornsby, and
Merle Haggard, among others.

[Roger]

I don't think telling them is a very good way as they listen passively, not understanding the gist of it, or very little, and will no doubt forget most of it.
What does not square with what they have learnt from Chinese teachers will be ignored.

The use of VCD's would be more convincing.

I had a very good time using FAMILY ALBUM USA in English-only. I know some folks do not view this series the same way I do, suffice it to say it puts many negative stereotypes about Americans upside down.
Book and VCD are available from XINHUA or Foreign Language Bookstores.

[Atlas]

All good info I will be sharing with my students--thanks!

Bling Bling Louis! Weez da real gangstaz beeyatch! It's nice to see cultural appreciation thriving among our young!

[Ruth]

If they have access to the internet, hooking your class up with a class in the US as email pen pals would allow them to practice their English and learn about culture from kids their own age. The American kids would likewise be having a cultural experience.