5. Money
Have your students bring some bills and coins of their native culture to the class. They can pass these money around and look at them. For younger students, this can be a good chance to teach some basic knowledge about currency, exchange rate, international finance, etc. For more sophisticated students, you can have students introduce the people printed on their native current, and share stories.
6. Tales
Folk tales or tall tales are a great way of bringing culture and customs into classrooms. You can have your students prepare and read some traditional tales of their native culture, in English version of course. By looking at the prominent role and how he handles issues, we can learn about different groups of people. Sometimes, you will find out that some stories, once believed to be unique in one culture, has a similar 'sibling' in another culture.
7. Family
Family is such a classic topic in language lessons that we actually avoid it more often than not. However, we can alternate this topic a little and make it a critical thinking activity. Have different students from the same native culture share their family stories, at the same time students from other cultures have to conclude what is a common view of value within that culture, and what may vary among different families.
Now, below are some topics about culture that you may want to be decide carefully whether to use in classrooms or not. These topic may work fine with a certain group of students, but others may find it offensive or inappropriate. Always keep in mind of the age, gender, language sophistication, or extent of open-mindedness of your students.
- Politics
- Wealth
- Religion
- Historical/On-going Conflicts
- Sex/Sexuality
- Stereotypes
Money can be a very interesting topic to teach. Most importantly we have to teach what money means in a particular culture and what to expect from locals when it comes to finances. People from different countries might have different attitudes towards money. Recently, I was invited to a birthday party, where, in addition to my expensive present, I was asked by the birthday girl to pay for my own plate, plus ridiculous 30-40% tips. So, a very modest dinner at a crappy local restaurant cost me and my husband about $200, not to mention the babysitter fees. It was both a culture shock (still after 10 years in US) and an educational experience for me. I know, in most cultures, including mine, the gift giving guests never pay for their own food. I wish someone taught me about the opposite in any of my ESL classes.
ReplyDeleteAla, that is terrible. Never go to that person's birthday party again. In my culture, the family of the birthday girl-boy-woman-man cooks a big pot of something or has a potluck, but it is rude for guest of a party to have to pay.
DeletePolitics and on-going conflicts is for sure not-to-discuss subject. I was taught not to do it since I was little, and now I'm experiencing it in real life, and have to deal with it just ignoring some people's opinions. They call it " the freedom of speech and living in a democratic country". Those people consider themselves intelligent, but I don't think so. Intelligent person knows what not to say. And I call it from rags to riches, and I refuse to educate them. Our society needs them to get smarter and they can stew in their own juice.
ReplyDelete