"Making Time to Teach Culture without Taking Time" Elena Shvidko, Stefanie Rasmussen, and Mark Tanner Thursday, March 26, 2009 Denver, CO – Convention Center Room 404, 1:00 – 1:45 p.m.

Orientations towards culture in the language classroom: Learning About Culture Teaching Culture Learning Culture Teaching About Culture

Techniques Used to Teach Culture? Critical incidents Cultural assimilators Culturgrams Role-plays Cultural similations Field experiences Ethnography Experiential activities Cross-cultural training Values clarification Film / video Literature Realia Authentic materials

Many teachers do not include culture into the language classroom because they feel there is no time to address culture in a packed curriculum.

Consider a culture capsulation Can 5 minutes make a difference? Lets do the math! Say you teach for 14 weeks, 4 days a week for 4 hours a day – If students are taught just 5 minutes of American culture in each class, how much culture instruction will they receive? Every day? – 4 classes X 5 min. = 20 min./day Every week? – 4 days X 20 min./day = 80 min./week Entire course? – 14 weeks X 80 min. = 18 hours and 40 min. of culture instruction (It adds up!)

How can we make time for teaching and learning about culture? The Grammar Class The Writing Class The Reading Class The Listening Class

Teaching Culture in the Grammar Class What ideas come to your mind of how to teach culture?

Expanding the lesson…

Do not use under the water!

Use only for one head at the same time!

* Do not use for drying pets!

Do not put in mouth!

Do not use orally!

Teaching Culture in the Reading Class

1) Choose a cultural topic that is related to American culture. * Look at the passage taken from the textbook Active Skills for Reading: Book 3 by Neil J. Anderson

2) Use different materials in class that help to teach culture * T.V. Guide How would you teach culture using this type of reading material?

Teaching Culture in the Writing Class

1) Choose a cultural topic that is related to American culture. Compare and contrast two American holidays/famous people/cities etc Writing on a current event in the US Writing about political/economical/educational system in America 2) Use different materials in class that help to teach culture

How would you use these cultural items in your writing class? Brochures Food Packages Grocery store receipts Newspapers

Teaching how to describe a process by making peanut butter sandwich

Why a peanut butter sandwich?

Procedure Students are divided into groups of three or four Each group writes the process of making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich using transition words for describing the process: First Second Then Following this At this point After Before this Simultaneously Finally Next Lastly Groups trade their descriptions and each group will have to make a sandwich according to the description. They should follow the description the way it is written.

Teaching Culture in the Listening Class

Choose a cultural topic that is related to American culture. *Compare and contrast two American famous people: Martin Luther King Barak Obama -

What Distinguishes Art from an Accident?

What distinguishes Culture Teaching from Talking about Culture? Intentionality Focus

Conclusion: The language learning experience should be combined with explicit cultural instruction designed to provide students with specific information about life in the United States and to increase their understanding of American values and behavior. (Ackerberg and Comer, 1986) Consider ways that you can incorporate culture into your teaching on a daily basis. As you do so, you will empower your students with the cultural knowledge and understanding they need to be communicatively competent.

Presenters Contact Information Elena Stefanie Rasmussen Mark Thanks for coming!