Korean Job Discussion Forums

[SOOHWA101]

I must teach a culture class, be it Western or just American; even better would be the differences bewteen the Western curltures. Anyone have any good sources to draw from before I spend a hellava lot of time starting from scratch?

I remember there was a fellow on here that linked some powerpoint slides, but I couldn't seem to download them.

[wormholes101]

I can post them again for you on Monday if you like. Send me a PM.

[Jandar]

Plato v. Confucius.

Shoes on v Shoes off.

Subserviant bowing v. the Abolishment of Slavery

Roasting v Barbeque

West Coast v East Coast gangster rap

Jazz
Blues
Ragtime
Rock & Roll
American Folk
Irish Folk
C&W
R&B

Hollywood v Reality

[SOOHWA101]

[cdninkorea]

This was a two hour lesson for low level adult students:

I bought a copy of "Ugly Koreans, Ugly Americans" by Min Jung Chul for five thousand won at Kyobo bookstore. Half is devoted to Korea, half to America. Each page is a cultural difference: an explanation in Korean and English, along with an amusing illustration.

In the back of this book is an index: one line for each page (e.g. "Koreans like to share glasses when drinking, much to the shock of Americans") in both languages.

Here's what I did: photocopy the index and divide it into categories: Manners, Dress + At The Office, At The Table, On The Go + Travelling, and Socializing.

Hour One
Divide students into pairs or small groups and give each pair/group one category from the Korean index. Explain that they will be "teaching" others about their category later, so they should work with a partner and decide how they will "teach." If they don't understand the one line index explanation, show them the corresponding page in the book.
After twenty minutes or so, have them switch partners and "teach" each other. Do this four times so each person gets lots of practice explaining and gets to hear every category. That's one hour.

Hour Two
Basically the same, except with the American index. Some of them they will find surprising, so be prepared to show them the book and clarify yourself.

I've done this with three classes, and it went well in all of them. PM me if there's something I didn't explain very well. Otherwise, hope this helps!

[The Hammer]

cdninkorea,

That's a good idea!


Here are some cool images.

East vs West: cultural differences by Yang Liu

http://www.doobybrain.com/2008/01/18/east-vs-west-cultural-differences-by-yang-liu/

http://www.scribd.com/doc/492094/East-Vs-West-A-good-observation-represented-pictorially-to-understand-culture-

[wylies99]

OP, you can do a lesson that isn't so formal about food, movies, and many of the other differences.

[EzeWong]

Personal Space - Westerns have about arms length, Koreans it's much more intimate

Body language - Bowing, greetings, etc.

Collectivism vs. Individualism - Westerners are Individualistic, Easterners are Collectists.

[The Hammer]

[EzeWong]

[The evil penguin]

[The Hammer]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fons_Trompenaars

Trompenaars and Charles Hampden-Turner have developed a model of culture with seven dimensions. There are five orientations covering the ways in which human beings deal with each other.:

1. Universalism vs. particularism (What is more important, rules or relationships?)

2. Individualism vs. collectivism (communitarianism) (Do we function in a group or as individuals?)

3. Neutral vs. emotional (Do we display our emotions?)

4. Specific vs. diffuse (Is responsibility specifically assigned or diffusely accepted?)

5. Achievement vs. ascription (Do we have to prove ourselves to receive status or is it given to us?)

In addition there is a different way in which societies look at time.

6. Sequential vs. synchronic (Do we do things one at a time or several things at once?)

The last important difference is the attitide of the culture to the environment.

7. Internal vs. external control (Do we control our environment or are we controlled by it?)

[Ilsanman]

Teach them about Christmas.

How about weddings? Those r radically different.

Thanksgiving.

[The evil penguin]

[PRagic]

Look up and use (just suggestions, and largely dependent on the level of the class):

Iceberg model of culture
Onion model of culture
Kwast's Model of Culture
Kluckhogn and Strodbeck's Variations in Values Orientations
Anything by Hofstede concerning his culture dimensions
Anything by Trompenaars concerning his culture dimensions
Schwartz's Value Theory
Ronen and Shenkar's Clusters
World Value Survey
Gannon's Cultural Metaphors (works in well in an English class, too)
Hall's 'Beyond Culture', particularly the perceptions of time
Anything by Nancy Adler
As a base, you can use the Peace Corps on-line materials (I think it's called 'Culture Matters'

You can also do a web search for material dealing with culture impacts on
1) ethics, 2) motivation, and 3) leadership

Good luck with your class. -P.R.