Korean Job Discussion Forums

[YTMND]

I am looking for some ideas/examples for teaching the differences between England and US culture (NOT British English vs. American English).


Right now, I am collecting pictures and will later organize them into categories. So far I have 6 categories with about 2 pictures each for conversation and a game I am putting together (foods, health care system, sports, transportation, people/government)

Feel free to add any suggestions. I will send a private message to anyone that suggests a pertinent idea and give more detail as to what I am doing in case they want to use it too in their classes.

Also, I know I am simplifying it by saying England instead of UK. I don't want to get into Scotland, Ireland, Wales, etc... talk yet. That will be later. So, for now, it's just good old London and Washington DC.

[Julius]

American sports are virtually unknown in the UK and vice-versa. Americans like Baseball, basketball and american football. The UK is all about cricket, soccer and rugby.

Americans often talk loudly. Like foghorns. Poms are generally much quieter and more discrete.

Americans are fairly straightforward. Which I like. English people are often duplicitous however and love stabbing eachother in the back.

English folks like to "take the pi**". Basically wind eachother up. Bullying, teasing, it often goes too far. Americans are less into that. Which is good.

English people don't make much effort with their appearance. They view it as pretentious to wear more than jeans and a T-shirt. Americans are more aware of when looking smart is required.

Americans are less cynical. English people are filled with sarcasm.

English people tend to be bossy. Deep down they know that they know best, and things have to be done properly or else. Americans are more democratic.

Americans are more assertive. They will tell you what they want., English people keep things in reserve more, and so are more agressive.

Americans drink less. They have better things to do. English people have mostly rainy weather and their lives often center around the pub.

[alongway]

[robbie_davies]

Americans LOVE taking the high ground wherever it is moral, spiritual, intellectual etc. They do it with each other but if they can, they'll let you know and it is grating if you are not used to it or you aren't good friends with the person concerned.

Americans are tight fisted but if you are a good friend of theirs then they are generous - or the ones I have met anyway.

I find them a lot less racist than British people and are less likely to indulge in petty racism or in the telling of racist jokes.

British people love Indian food like they love Mexican.

American men have more cases of undiluted 'yellow fever' than British men do.

More extreme atheism with Americans, most young British people are generally atheist or aren't holding strong religious convictions.

British men are far more foul mouthed and are more likely to rip on with swear words that Americans find offensive.

Younger Americans in my expericne travelling tend to be a lot more cliqueish and insular than the British and are not open on the surface with getting to know people who they are not familiar with but again, if they get to know you over a period of time, they are great friends.

[Lucas]

Americans eat gravy as a 'side'.

We English pour it on top of food.

[radcon]

[YTMND]

I am looking for subject differences, not what you think of their personalities. (foods, health care system, sports, transportation, people/government)

For rugby, I see a lot more Australians and New Zealanders get into that. Maybe I just haven't met enough Britons. I also meet a lot of Canadians that don't talk about hockey either (maybe that is a sin to some Canadians).

[mayorhaggar]

[Brooks]

English are more formal.
For example Americans use Can you... more, but the English would prefer to use Could or Would.

[YTMND]

mayorhaggar, you and I are on the same page.

I was wondering about the pancake thing. I put up 2 pictures, one with pancakes after searching American breakfasts and the other with beans and toast after searching British breakfasts. I noticed the tomatoes were on the side cooked or with some sauce, but in America I would more normally see it cut up into smaller pieces and be part of an omelet.

It might be true that pancakes are eaten less in England. I never thought of that. Can any Britons confirm this?

I have done 2 classes so far, and they were pretty baffled by the differences. However, after the nervousness wore off they eventually communicated with one another and came up with answers. I have dictionaries and my cell phone to translate in case they only know the word in their language.

I was surprised to see they couldn't recognize David Beckham. He is no longer popular? Who should I use instead to represent England? This was a first year high school class.

The medical thing is more complex, but I need something in case some whiz bang student decides to challenge me and steal my thunder. I just throw that out to shut them up. I already had one student not understand why I wanted other students to participate besides him. He knows the answers, therefore he feels he must speak for the whole class after every question.

It's not the first thing I show them, and so far we haven't gotten anywhere near needing it. I wanted to talk about how health care is provided to more people in England whereas it is more private in the states. With Obamacare closing the government down, I thought this would be an appropriate time for advanced students to chime in. There are some at second year who are preparing to study abroad and I am also teaching a few of them in advanced classes. These students are writing 1,000 word essays and never need me to repeat myself.

On a more simpler note, I did the coffee and tea thing as an example but was wondering if there was something else Britons might drink more of than Americans. If we were to say coke for America, that might be an outdated comparison since you can get coke almost anywhere nowadays.

I want to stay away from beer, because if it were successful a student might get the wrong impression ("Hmm, teacher knows a lot about beer, I wonder why?", then goes off and tells the school. NO.)

[young_clinton]

[Lucas]

[Brooks]

Well there is tea time and food like scones.
Meat pies are popular, as is roast beef.
Black pudding.

Think about what an English breakfast is. I had one in Durham and there was bacon, sausage, beans...
I forget what else.
I would eat cereal or bagels in New York.

In London people used to eat eel.
The English may eat more fish than Americans.
Maybe Americans eat more pork due to German-Americans.

Rugby is a big deal, since it isn`t played as much. I had a friend from Chesire and when rugby was on the TV (telly) he would yell Get down! Rugby!
There is the six nations cup, and England gets its own team.
The English prefer to see their flag instead of the Union Jack.

[YTMND]

[Brooks]

I am part Swiss German. My grandfather from Iowa would eat pork three times a day. He is 92 and still kicking.