Novitas-ROYAL,
2007, Vol.: 1 (1), 18-33.[i]
INTEGRATING
CULTURE INTO EFL TEXTS AND CLASSROOMS:
SUGGESTED
LESSON PLANS
Sultan TURKAN*, Servet ÇELİK**
Abstract
The need to integrate culture and its teaching
into foreign language education is not a new debate, and has long been
highlighted in countless studies. Yet, it seems to be common practice that
foreign language textbooks and classrooms frequently overlook the conclusions
drawn in such studies and neglect the essential information about the target
language culture that would help students reach a cultural understanding to
accompany their linguistic knowledge. The authors of this paper draw attention
to this ignorance by using
Keywords: Culture, culture teaching, language, language teaching, EFL,
textbooks
Özet
Kültürün ve öğretiminin
yabancı dil eğitimindeki önemi sayısız çalışmada irdelenmiştir. Buna rağmen
yabancı dil kitapları ve sınıfları bu çalışmaların ortaya koyduğu sonuçları ve
önerileri göz ardı ederek öğrencilerin kültürel doygunluk ve bakış açısı
kazanmasına ve edindikleri dilbilgisini pekiştirmelerine yardımcı olacak
kültürü ve kültürün önemli bileşenlerini çoğu zaman dışlamaktadır. Bu çalışma,
Türkiye’yi baz alarak, bu soruna dikkat çekmeyi ve öğrenilen dilin kültürünün
dil eğitiminden soyutlanması durumunda bir şeylerin eksik kalacağını ortaya
koymayı amaçlamaktadır. Bu nedenle yazarlar, dil öğretmenleri için kültürü
sınıflarında nasıl işleyebileceklerinin ve bu amaçla ders kitaplarını nasıl
geliştirebileceklerinin örneklerini vermekte ve bunlardan birini somutlaştırmak
amacıyla hazırladıkları Amerikan kutlamalarını öğreten ve üç dersten oluşan bir
ünite planını paylaşmaktadırlar.
Anahtar
Sözcükler: kültür,
öğretim, dil, öğrenim, ders kitabı
1.
INTRODUCTION
Rapid globalization has increased
the need for cross-cultural communication so that people have access to information all over the world. This growing
and extending need leads to growth in the foreign
language teaching profession. Many acknowledge that learning a foreign language is a requirement to survive in today’s world. The English language plays an important role,
because it has become the lingua franca of the world, and
the default language that one needs to learn in order to
keep up with the information age. Similarly, Phillipson
(1992) adds that “…at the present time English, to a much greater extent than
any other language, is the language in which the fate of
most of the world’s millions is decided” (p. 6). Burchfield (1985) also
acknowledges the role of English as lingua franca, and
argues that even a literate person may experience linguistic
deficit and deprivation, that is, lack of opportunities in language learning.
As this view suggests, this language deficiency is a significant condition, yet
not a specifically identified one.
Given the necessity of English
language learning, second language acquisition is not a process that occurs in
a ‘vacuum’ (Halliday, 1975). Students
get to be involved and actually act in various sociolinguistic situations.
Second language acquisition involves mutuality among speakers through the
interrelation of any language learning processes that are situated within the
sociolinguistic and socio-cultural norms. As Volosinov (1973) declares, “the
actual reality of language-speech is not the abstract system of linguistic
forms, not the isolated monologic utterance, and not the psycho-physiological
act of its implementation, but the social event of verbal interaction
implemented in an utterance or utterances” (p. 94). Second or foreign language
learning, therefore, is a socially constructed process just as are all the
other socially mediated activities. Since culture is embedded within every
aspect of society, language learning, in Seelye’s (1984) words, should not be
isolated from the society that uses it.
1.1. Aims
Based on this theoretical ground,
this paper argues that socio-culturally informative themes selected from
English speaking cultures should be integrated into the teaching of English,
both in terms of classroom practices and the textbook selection. Given that the
authors were trained in English language teaching programs in Turkey and were
exposed to English as a foreign language instruction there, the ultimate
targeted audience is English language teacher education programs and English
language practitioners in the country.
The leading observation underlying
this paper is that English language education in primary through high school
levels is dependent on massively produced mainstream English language textbooks
devoid of the teachers’ attempts to integrate the target culture into language
teaching and learning. In this regard, it is maintained that culture teaching
is inevitably a motivating and engaging component of language teaching and
learning. Therefore, it is specifically proposed to language teacher educators,
as well as language teachers, in
2.
Review of literature
Controversies exist around what kinds of content should be incorporated into a foreign or second language curriculum. Since
the early 1970s, momentous changes have occurred in the
field of foreign language teaching. The early 1970s
witnessed the reform of structural methodologies such as the Grammar
Translation Method and Audiolingualism, because it became
important that “language was not to be studied but to be learned and spoken”
(Byram, 1991, p. 13). After all the transitions from one approach to another,
the widely-held belief was that it was essential to teach the target language
through meaningful and culture-based content. In order to
be successful in real life situations, this, in turn,
would help the learners to employ the social rules of that target culture in learning
its language.
The social rules of language use
require an understanding of the social context in which the language is used, and hence, the language learner
ends up with the inevitable culture-specific
context of the foreign or second language class. As Alptekin (2002)
puts it, “learning a foreign language becomes a kind of enculturation, where one acquires new cultural frames of
reference and a new world view, reflecting
those of the target language culture and its speakers”
(p. 58). Similarly, applied linguists such as Halliday
(1975) have suggested that learners should acquire knowledge about how to use
the language in order to function successfully in socio-cultural contexts. Thus, language teachers are inevitably supposed to be equipped with target language
communicative competence, so that the students can gain
access to educational or economic opportunities within
the target language setting. What is more important, since acquisition of target language communicative competence
entails the integration of both language and its culture, learners should become familiar with the “experience
of another language, and a different way of coping with
reality” (Alptekin, 2002, p. 59). Similarly, as Risager
(1991) notes, speaking with a native speaker includes the ability to act in
real life situations, and is not merely a question of knowing the grammar and
lexis. Thus, it is important for the learners to be involved
in communicative acts, as well as in the reality of the
target culture, so that they can understand the cultural
references and views that the native speakers of the particular target culture possess.
2.1. The Current Situation: Do Materials Include L2 Culture?
It is widely acknowledged that
textbooks are the main materials used in language classes. They may be the
teacher, the trainer, the authority, the resource, and
the ideology in the foreign language classroom (Hinkel, 1999). Such textbooks are produced massively for English
as a Foreign Language (EFL) and English as a Second
Language (ESL) purposes all over the world, and aim to meet the needs of
language learners, so that they can function linguistically
and culturally well in English communicative acts. Thus,
it is extremely important that these textbooks include the vital components to
teach the language, its culture, and are appropriate for learners’ needs,
cultural background, and level. Yet, regrettably, certain aspects of the target
culture, such as oral and written history, literature,
music, drama, dance, visual arts, celebrations, and the lifestyle of native
speakers are not always represented in these resources, nor are the
intercultural phenomena. To illustrate, textbooks produced at a national level
for particular countries mirror the students’ local cultures, rather than the
English-speaking cultures. For instance, an EFL textbook for Venezuela, El Libro de inglés
(Núñez, 1988), has a text describing the country’s chief
geographic features, yet this can hardly be new content information
for the Venezuelan ninth grade students with whom the
book is used. As Hinkel (1999) reports, the sociolinguistic situations, such as asking for
and giving directions, take place in
Caracas, Venezuela. Other places outside
Another example is English for Saudi Arabia,
by Al-Quarishi, Watson,
Hafseth, and Hickman (1999), in which virtually every setting is
situated in the source culture. Hinkel (1999, p. 205) conveys the following
comments on this textbook: “When the textbook characters greet one another, talk
about professions, make Arabian coffee, or talk about going
on a pilgrimage to Mecca, they are predominantly Saudi
Arabians performing culturally-familiar activities in their own country with their own citizens (in
English).” According to Hinkel’s
description, none of the maps in the book are of other
countries. When there is a text about currency, it discusses only the Saudi
Riyal. Learners, therefore, see members of their own culture
and in their own context. With regard to the reasons why
the source culture is featured so strongly in such textbooks, Hinkel (1999) states
that learners are encouraged to talk about their culture through the use of
such materials, because then they become aware of their own cultural identity.
However, it seems unlikely that students would be able to learn about the
target culture, unless teachers and students reflect on the nature of culture, and
actually contrast or compare the cultural aspects likely to be held in common between the native and target cultures.
2.2. Culture Teaching in EFL Classes:
Similar to the current situation in
most, if not all, EFL contexts, in
Further, EFL textbooks for public
schools in
In addition, based on our personal
and academic past experiences in Turkey both as foreign language learners and
practicing teachers, it would not be an exaggeration to claim that EFL classes
have a tendency to focus on linguistic aspects of the language being studied,
and hardly ever present to the learners the lifestyle and standards of the
target language community to enrich their cultural understanding and to help
them build an international awareness and socio-cultural competence. Without
clear understanding, recognition, and execution of this wakefulness and
knowledge in one’s practice of learning and use of language, knowing when to
say what, to whom, where, and how, becomes difficult, and this, needless to
say, hinders successful communication in the foreign language. However, the
lack of teaching culture in EFL classes in Turkey should not been seen as
merely caused, although it is influenced by, the deficiencies in the textbooks,
but is also directly related to issues, such as language teacher education
practices in the country. The absence or shortage of training regarding the
cultural assimilation of the target culture, and how that culture can be
integrated into classrooms and effectively taught, is potentially leading to
the future teachers’ lack of knowledge, fear, and ineffective teaching
practices with respect to culture. Correspondingly, as Çelik (2005) illustrates, even English language teachers with exceptional
mastery of prescriptive rules (i.e., syntax) in the language, let alone
language learners at lower levels, may wind up having difficulties in getting
their ideas across within the norms of the target language culture, due to
their ignorance of the cultural rules underlying successful communication.
Yet, although the teacher training
programs in the field of language education fail to provide the necessary means
for teachers to be prepared to teach L2 culture, teachers should be conscientious
about identifying and recognizing their weaknesses and the insufficiencies in
their contexts (i.e., materials), and make an effort to improve themselves and
their situation as they look for ways to integrate culture into their
classrooms for the sake of inclusive and victorious teaching practices.
2.3. How to Integrate Culture into Language Teaching Texts and
Classrooms?
The main argument the authors attempt to
articulate is clear by now that teaching culture should be integrated into the
foreign language textbooks and classroom practices. Although language teaching
materials may not include the target language culture and its teaching, it is
the language teachers’ responsibility to find practical solutions to this
problem to integrate culture into their teaching in one way or another, and it
would not be reasonable to assume that language learners will later be exposed
to cultural material after they reach mastery of the linguistic features of the
language.
The
foremost and most important prerequisite for language teachers to incorporate
cultural material into their teaching is to make them familiar with the culture
of the language they are teaching. Often times, as disclosed earlier, teachers
lack the necessary knowledge of the target language culture and training in how
to teach it, resulting in a state of insecurity to even approach culture.
However, one should have the basic backdrop to be able to effectively help
students accomplish the essential skills in language learning to rationalize
and identify with the target language culture. This, unlike the widespread
misconception, is not the denial of one’s own culture or one’s absorbing and
accepting a foreign culture as ideal. On the contrary, this awareness serves as
a safeguard against potential negative attitudes students may encounter when
they learn about a new set of norms at odds with the ones of their own, and
helps language learners to recognize and appreciate the differences between the
two cultures for the benefit of successfully combining form and meaning in
language learning.
Subsequently,
language teachers should adhere to clear goals and successful instructional
strategies to put their cultural awareness into practice to establish an intercultural
understanding in the classroom. Seelye (1974) puts forward a number of goals
for language teachers to set while teaching culture, which serves as a
reference list in the process of selecting, collecting and compiling cultural
materials. According to Seelye, teachers should first invoke interest and
curiosity about the target culture. Secondly, they should ensure that their
students recognize the fact that social factors like age, gender, social class,
and ethnicity influence how people use the language. Thirdly, teachers should
seek to present to their students the case that language use changes according
to whether the particular situation entails an ordinary routine for people of
the target culture or is an unusual and unexpected situation (i.e., emergency).
Hence, students should be able to make sense of why people of the target
culture choose to behave in certain ways in certain situations, and ultimately,
acquire the skills to know the proper thing to say, at the appropriate time and
place, and to the right people. However, students should avoid
oversimplifications by carefully analyzing and assessing the generalizations
about the target culture through utilizing a wide range of available sources,
such as books and the media, authentic materials from the target culture, and
personal experiences, if applicable.
Integrating
the target culture into language teaching does not inherently provide a
clear-cut framework for teachers to employ. The reason why this process is so
fuzzy basically stems from the complex and vast nature of culture. The critical
question, at this point, regards what the teachers should focus on within the
wide range of topics or operations occurring in a culture. Correspondingly, language teachers should not be misled by the
delusion that including culture in their classrooms is a
straightforward act, but should be alert to the fact that selection,
development and/or adaptation of cultural materials or topics require
tremendous care to ensure numerous premises. To illustrate, such materials, as
Brooks (1975) lays out, should
be derived from symbolism, values, authority, order, ceremony, love, honor,
humor, beauty, and spirit, and should take into consideration and reflect
several aspects, such as the life style, uniqueness, common sense, religion,
and family values of the speakers of the target language. In light of the
issues mentioned and emphasized here, the creative classroom teacher can come
up with numerous ideas regarding how to integrate culture into the textbooks
and classroom activities. Some of the strategies the authors would like to
suggest are the utilization of movies, lectures from native speakers of the
target culture, audio-taped interviews with native speakers, video-taped
observations of the target language community, and authentic readings and
realia. However, it should be noted that the potential activities and
strategies are endless, and that each teacher should assess their own context
to evaluate the effectiveness of any prospective activity, and should modify any
activity or material at hand to fit their students’ needs better. To set an
example, the authors share a sample unit plan to teach about three American
holidays (Please see the Appendix), as they believe that popular themes, such
as celebrating festivals, would be a simple and effective way to start
approaching and teaching culture in language classrooms.
3.
PEDAGOGICAL suggestions
The
acquisition of cultural knowledge in language learning is defined as
intercultural competence. Intercultural competence is the underlying knowledge
successful language learners of English acquire through culturally and
linguistically integrated English language instruction. Intercultural competence, as part of a
broader foreign speaker competence, identifies the ability of a person to
behave adequately and in a flexible manner when
confronted with actions, attitudes and expectations of representatives of
foreign cultures (Meyer, 1991). This appropriateness and
flexibility imply an awareness of the cultural differences between one’s own
and the foreign culture. Intercultural
competence includes the capacity of establishing one’s self identity in the process of
cross-cultural mediation, and of helping other people to
stabilize their self-identity.
In intercultural foreign language education, the process of foreign language learning engages the learner in the role of a ‘comparative ethnographer’ (Byram, 1991, p. 19). Entering into a foreign language implies a cognitive modification that has implications for the learner’s identity as a social and cultural being, and suggests the need for materials which consider the identity of the learner as an integral factor in developing the ability to function fully in cultural ‘third places’ (Kramsch, 1993, p. 233-259). To develop cultural awareness alongside language awareness, materials need to provide more than a superficial acknowledgement of cultural identity and address more thoroughly the kind of cultural adjustment that underlies the experience of learning a foreign language. The authors suggest that the following practical tips will be quite useful for classroom teachers.
These tips aim to create a
classroom atmosphere that is conducive to opening minds to other cultures. With
this aim in mind, teachers could apply personalizing activities in order to
invoke identification with the students’ own realities. The activity could be
started by mentioning a remote country. In case students start stereotyping
about the country, teachers could simulate the students to talk about their own
lives as most students love talking about themselves. This way, they would be
able to draw the differences between the distant country and their own. In
addition to personalization activities, discussion activities organized around
the elements of the target culture are preferred by most teachers.
Consequently, when asked about possible
ways of integrating culture into a language class, most teachers may agree on
planning ‘discussion’ activities. However, the authors assert that not every
element of the target culture is particularly helpful with lower level
learners, and activities such as simple surveys, and question and answer tasks
may prove to be more beneficial. If discussion activities are designed,
teachers should remind themselves that language learners in EFL contexts, such
as
The issue of making the topics
about the target culture as interesting as possible is imperative. The first
strategy to engage students’ interest is selecting appealing aspects of the
target culture to talk about. One interesting facet of culture that attracts
the attention and interest of every human being is food and eating behaviors.
Teachers could designate one of the class periods as the international food or
cuisine day and could bring in ingredients and recipes. Students will basically
listen to the simple recipe directions from the teacher and try to prepare simple
dishes from the
4.
CONCLUSION
Integration
of culture into language teaching is, by no doubt, a requirement to pass on
general humanistic knowledge. If successful integration takes place, the
foreign and/or second language learners of English or any other languages will
be able to act flexibly and sensibly along the lines of cultural norms that
they encounter within the target language culture.
Throughout
the paper, it has been suggested that intercultural competence should be
fostered at every stage of the English language learning experience. In doing so,
English language learners get to assume the role of a comparative ethnographer
and fully comprehend the role of their own identity during this comparison
between their own culture and the target culture. Embedded within this claim is
that language awareness is not sufficient all by itself. By all means, cultural
awareness should be integrated while developing language awareness. At this
point, the authors draw attention to the significant role that EFL teachers
play in promoting motivation to integrate cultural awareness into language
learning. Thus, it has been recommended
that EFL teachers should attempt to help the student personalize a particular
content by having them discover the differences between their own culture and
the target culture. Discussion activities were mentioned as an example for
teachers to employ in class. However, it is also cautioned that relevant
discussion activities should be designed at a simple level as learners might
lose interest in the content.
Repeatedly, the main point has been that students’ interest in the
target culture should be cultivated and maintained at a level in which the students
are actively engaged in the material, merely because intercultural competence
will make them more aware of their own culture, as well as the target culture.
During the whole process of learning about the target culture, language
learning would most commonly be accelerated.
In sum, language learning cannot be
detached from the cultural content it inherently carries to the language
classrooms. The ideal case for teachers, therefore, would be to create a
classroom atmosphere in which questions and discussions about the target
culture, comparisons between students’ native culture and the target culture
will reinforce the students’ language learning.
REFERENCES
Alptekin, C. (2002). Towards
intercultural communicative competence. ELT Journal, 56(1), 57-64.
Al-Quarishi, K.D., Watson, M.,
Hafseth, J., & Hickman, D. (1999). English for
Brooks,
N. (1975). The analysis of language and familiar cultures. In R. Lafayette
(Ed.), The cultural revolution in foreign
language teaching (pp. 19-31). Reports of the Northeast
Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.
Burchfield, R. (1985). The
English language.
Byram, M. (1991). Teaching culture and language: Towards an
integrated model. In Buttjes, D., & Byram, M. S. (Eds.), Mediating languages and
cultures: Towards an intercultural theory of foreign language education (pp. 17-32).
Çelik, S. (2005). “Get your face out of mine:” Culture-oriented distance
in EFL Context. A helpful guide for Turkish EFL teachers. TÖMER Language Journal, 128, 37-50.
Dede, M., & Emre, M. (1988). Spotlight on English.
Halliday, M. A. K. (1975). Learning
how to mean: Explorations in the development of language. New York: Elsevier.
Hinkel, E. (1999). Culture in
second language teaching and learning.
Kramsch, C. (1993). Context and
culture in language teaching.
Meyer, M. (1991). Developing
transcultural competence: Case studies of advanced foreign language learners.
In Buttjes, D., & Byram, M. S. (Eds.), Mediating languages and cultures:
Towards an intercultural theory of foreign language education (pp. 136-158). Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters.
Núñez,
D. (1988). El libro de inglés.
Caracas: Maracay.
Phillipson, R. (1992). Linguistic imperialism.
Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Risager, K. (1991). Cultural references
in European textbooks: An evaluation of recent tendencies. In Buttjes, D.,
& Byram, M. (Eds.), Mediating languages and cultures: Towards an
intercultural theory of foreign language education (pp. 181-192).
Seelye, H. N. (1974). Teaching
culture: Strategies for foreign language educators.
Seelye, H. N. (1984). Teaching
culture: Strategies for intercultural communication (Rev. ed.).
Lincolnwood, IL: National Textbook Company.
Seelye,
H. (1993). Teaching culture strategies
for intercultural communication (3rd ed.).
Volosinov, V. N. (1973). Marxism and the philosophy of language.
APPENDIX
Lesson
Plans
Three Sample Lesson
Plans to Teach American Holidays[1]
Lesson 1: Thanksgiving (50 Minutes)
Materials Needed: Pictures (of
Lesson Objectives: At the end of the
lesson:
1) The students will have learned “Thanksgiving” and will be able to name at least
two/three American customs attached to it,
2) The
students will have expanded their collaborative learning skills through pair
and group work,
3) The students will be able to use advanced thinking skills
such as evaluation, synthesis, and analysis, and
4) The students will be able to check their abilities at getting their
points across in speaking and writing, and at comprehension in reading and
listening.
Cultural Context: The students go to the
Sequence of Activities
Warm-up (5 minutes)
The teacher asks the students what ‘
Activity 1: Info Gap “Timeline of American Thanksgiving
The teacher tells the students to suppose that they are taking an
American culture class at a language school in the States. They will have a
test tomorrow on a timeline of the American Thanksgiving holiday. They took
some notes in class when the teacher was talking about the topic, but they are
missing some information which they have to complete from their classmates’
notes to study for the test. An information gap activity is commenced. Each
student is given a sheet showing the timeline of the American Thanksgiving
holiday with some information missing. They are asked to move freely in the
class to talk to one another in the target language to complete their sheets.
They are advised to refuse to answer the questions if they think they have not
been asked in a polite manner. To make the activity more challenging, more than
5 or 6 different sheets are produced, which makes it necessary for each student
to talk to at least 5 or 6 students. Since most of the students have different
information on their pages, it is not likely that the students will ask the
same and/or simple questions such as “What’s missing in number 2?” They have to
use different question words and types as well as tenses and structures. The
teacher models what the students are expected to do by interacting with two
different students:
E.g.1) “Hi Murat, how are you? / Can you tell me who resumed the tradition in 1863? / Thanks” (The teacher is
missing the subject of the sentence in his/her sheet: “1863: _______________
resumed the tradition in 1863”)
E.g.2) “Hi Serpil, how’s it going? / I will be glad if
you could tell me when the Pilgrims and Native Americans enjoyed a harvest
feast in
Activity 2: Jigsaw “Thanksgiving Dinner” (15 minutes)
The same students taking an American culture class also work at a chain
restaurant in the
Activity 3: Making a List of the Ingredients (5 minutes)
For health purposes, some customers might want to know what the
ingredients are for each of these foods. For this reason, the students are
asked to make a list of the ingredients. Then, as the teacher reads aloud the
ingredients from the recipe book, the students check to see if they got them
right. This activity serves to see how well the experts were able to share
information with their teams.
Activity 4: Writing a Thanksgiving Greeting Card (10 minutes)
It was a hectic day for the students: an American culture lesson and a
busy day at work (at the restaurant). They still have something to do. Their host
family is waiting for them to be home for a Thanksgiving dinner together. A
Thanksgiving card would be a good way to show their appreciation and to give
them thanks.
The students will be given a chance to pick from a variety of genuine
Thanksgiving cards the teacher has brought to the classroom. Then, they will be
asked to be as specific as possible when thanking their host family for what
they have done so far (6 min).
After this, they will read their cards to their classmates in pairs and
get some ideas and comments (4 min).
Activity 5: Homework/Extension
The teacher tells the students that Santa Claus will be visiting their
class in the next lesson. S/he wants them to read the texts ‘Who is Santa?” and
“What is Christmas” before they come to the next class. The students are
already curious to meet Santa.
Evaluation Criteria:
Evaluation Criteria: The main criterion is the students’ participation in the activities.
Taking an active role in the implementation of activities is a must. Questions
(true/false, comprehension, etc.) and required tasks (role-plays, writing,
etc.) during the activities will help the teacher to offer ongoing feedback and
will also provide the opportunity to vigorously evaluate the students.
Lesson 2: Christmas (50 Minutes)
Materials Needed: Santa Claus costume,
Christmas story (from Bible), a stuffed animal (a dog in Santa’s costume),
pictures about Christmas (from “Parish, P. (1986). Merry
Christmas, Amelia Bedelia.
Lesson Objectives: At the end of the
lesson:
1) The students will have learned about “Christmas”
and will be able to name at least two/three American customs attached to it;
2) The students will have learned how to ask for and
give information politely;
3) The students will learn some basics about shopping
in the
4) The students will have expanded their collaborative
learning skills through pair and group work; and
5) The students will be able to check their abilities at getting their
points across in speaking and writing, and at comprehension in reading and
listening.
Cultural Context: The students are continuing their stay
in the States. Together with other international friends at school, they go to
church as they are curious to know what it is like. Next, they go to a happy
hour organized by their school. After the happy hour, they decide to go to a
department store all together to shop for Christmas. After all of this fun
time, they have to go home and do their assignment for their American Culture
class.
Sequence of Activities
Warm-up (5 minutes)
The teacher comes to class in a Santa Claus costume. He tells the
students that he has been visiting all of the classrooms in the world before
Christmas. He asks them what they know about him and Christmas. He then asks
who Jesus Christ is and what Bible is about. He facilitates the discussion with
some sample pictures about Christmas.
Activity 1: Story-Telling (15 minutes)
The students are supposed to be at a church service in the
The teacher models what the students are to do before the story-telling takes
place: He utters a sample sentence like “We will celebrate Christmas soon” and
asks the class:
‘Could you please tell me what
you have heard?’ or ‘Can you repeat the sentence, please?’
‘Could you tell me what will we celebrate soon?’(1 min)
At the end of the activity, the students will be asked some basic
questions to check their understanding
(4 min).
Activity 2: Christmas Party (10 minutes)
The students are invited to a Christmas party. After the service is done, they go
there for some fun. They do not know any of the people there. They will
introduce themselves, as well as try to get to know others. Each student will
be assigned a name, which has something to with Christmas (Santa, Christmas
Tree, Mistletoe, Poinsettia: Christmas Flower, Christmas Rose, Reindeer, Christmas Star, Holy: Christmas Green, the Glastonbury
Thorn). Each student will be given a paragraph or two explaining the
characteristics of only their name and what made this name important. After
they read the information given to them, the party will start. Their names
(tags/cards) will be stuck to their foreheads (with tape or post-it
notes) so that others can see who they are. The
teacher states that all students should try to talk to as many different people
as possible. Since there will be students who are assigned the same names, the
teacher warns them to avoid talking to people with the same names on their
forehead. The main aim is to try to get to know new people! They will not only
keep talking about themselves, but should also ask questions and listen to
others to get to know them better. Interpersonal relationships are emphasized,
so the teacher recommends that the students approach others in a kind way (5 minutes). The teacher models what the students are supposed to do and
starts the party. After 10 minutes, the party ends. The students are asked what
they have learned about others. The teacher puts everyone’s name on the board,
and the students take turns listing at least one thing under anyone’s name they
have interacted with (5 minutes).
Activity 3: Role Play “Paying for Christmas Shopping” (15 minutes)
After the party, the students decide to go to a department store to buy
Christmas gifts for friends and family. The teacher asks the students if they like
giving and receiving gifts. S/he tells the students that they will go Christmas
shopping at a department store since this is one of the customs. The teacher
asks the students what they think a department store is. To help the students
understand better, the teacher shows the students several pictures from a
department store (furniture, house-wares and appliances, men’s and women’s
apparel and cosmetics) and finally shows a department store picture showing all
of these different sections. Then, the teacher gives some examples of famous
department stores from the students’ countries such as Gima, Migros and Beğendik (3 min). The teacher gives some basics about shopping in the
The teacher models what s/he expects the students to do by using puppets
and playing both roles:
A: “Hi, how’re you?”
B: “Great, thanks! What can I help you with today?”
A: “I would like to pay for this fragrance and watch”
B: “Ok, your total is $25.”
A: “Can I redeem this coupon?”
B: “Sure! Your new total is $20. Are you going to pay by credit card or
write a check?”
A: “I will write a check. (S/he writes it) Here you go.”
B: “Thank you. Anything else today?”
A: “No, thank you!”
B: “Do you want the receipt in the bag?”
A: Yes, please. Thank you! Have a nice day!”
B: “You too!” (1 min)
Finally, 3 or 4 pairs are encouraged to role-play in front of the class.
They are free to look at their notes (6
min).
Activity 4: Writing a Christmas Greeting Card (5 minutes)
It is time for the students to go home and do their assignment for their
American Culture class. They are supposed to write a letter to Santa Claus.
The teacher tells the students to imagine that they have to write a
Christmas greeting for Santa as an assignment for the American Culture class
they are taking at a language school in the
Santa Claus,
Christmas Cottage,
North Pole
Activity
5: Homework/Extension: The teacher tells the
students that New Year’s is coming and they will be learning about an American
New Year’s. S/he asks the students to visit http://wilstar.com/holidays/newyear.htm and http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/7214/newyear.htm
to get a general idea of why people celebrate the coming of a new year
Evaluation Criteria: The main criterion is
the students’ participation in the activities. Taking an active role in the
implementation of activities is a must. Questions (true/false, comprehension,
etc.) or required tasks (role-plays, writing, etc.) during the activities will
help the teacher to constantly evaluate the students’ progress and to provide
prompt feedback.
Lesson 3: New Year’s (50 Minutes)
Materials Needed: Pictures of New Year’s
celebrations in the
Lesson Objectives: At the end of the
lesson:
1) The students will have learned about New Year’s and
will be able to name at least two or three American customs attached to it;
2) The students will be able to use advanced thinking skills
such as evaluation, synthesis, and analysis;
3) The students will have learned how to ask for and
give information politely;
4) The students will have expanded their collaborative
learning skills through pair and group work; and
5) The students will be able to check their abilities at getting their
points across in speaking and writing, and in comprehension in reading and
listening.
Cultural Context: The students come back
to
Sequence of Activities
Warm-up (5 minutes)
The teacher asks the students what they have
discovered in the readings about New Year’s. Then, the students discuss what
“new year” means to them. The teacher shows the students some pictures of New
Year’s and its celebrations in the
Activity 1: Reading a Letter (15 minutes)
The students are back home in
The teacher tells the students to read the letter they
have has just received from their friend living in the
Then, they can read and see if they have the correct
answers. It is not anticipated that the students will have difficulty in
understanding the letter since their friend gave the meanings of the unknown
words in parentheses as s/he knew that they would not know some words (7 min). When the students are done,
they are going to give answers to a set of questions about the letter. As they try
to find answers, they are free to scan through the text (6 min).
Activity 2: Writing a Letter (15 minutes)
The students should send a reply to their friend’s
letter. The students are put in pairs to discuss how Turkish people celebrate
the New Year before they are asked to write a response to Jennifer’s letter (2 min).
The teacher tells them that the letter should be at
least 2-3 paragraphs long and it should provide information about how Turkish
people celebrate the New Year with examples. The students are advised to write
their letters on a separate piece of paper since they will randomly exchange
the letters with their classmates when they are done (3 min).
Each student will evaluate their partner’s letter in
regard to the criteria given by the teacher in advance: “Does it give examples
of at least two/three things Turkish people do for fun on New Year’s Eve and/or
day?; Does it talk about any special food Turkish people eat for New Year’s?;
Are there any examples of special occasions which take place on New Year’s,
such as religious events, games, parades and television programs?’; Is the tone
of the letter friendly? (Can you see language functions such as greeting, thanking and farewell?)” (5 min)
The students are then encouraged to share what they have read. The
students report the class on their classmates’ letters; what they have found to
be interesting, if they have learned something new, etc. (5 min).
Activity 3: Meeting with Friends (15 minutes)
After they write the letter and mail it, the students will meet their
friends, who they have not seen for a few months. They will want to know about
the
Activity 4: Homework/Extension: The students are
asked to do a project work or portfolio in any style and format to present
what they have learned from the unit. They are given some ideas: For instance,
they can design a newspaper or a holiday guide for tourists. They are
encouraged to synthesize the information passed on to them through the study of
the unit and to be as creative as possible. Pair or group work is promoted, but
individual projects are accepted as well. This will be a cultivating activity
for the students and will make up some portion of the total evaluation and
assessment.
Evaluation Criteria: The main criterion is
the students’ participation in the activities. Taking an active role in the
implementation of activities is a must. Questions (true/false, comprehension,
etc.) or required tasks (role-plays, writing, etc.) during the activities will
assist the teacher in assessing the students and providing feedback.