Unit 5

1. Unit 5 MARCO GEOGRÁFICO, HISTÓRICO Y CULTURAL DE LOS PAÍSES DE HABLA INGLESA. APLICACIÓN DIDACTICA DE ESTOS ASPECTOS.

2. ThaTable of Content • 1. THE UNITED KIGDOM • 1.1. Geography • 1.2. History • 1.3. Culture • 2. THE UNITED STATES • 2.1. Geography • 2.2. History • 2.3. Culture 3. SOCIOCULTURAL AWARNESS

3. 1. TheUnitedKingdom1.1. Geography • The UK – facts and figures: • made up of England, Wales, Scotland and NorthernIreland • A memebr of the Commonwealth • A memebr of theEuropeanCommunity • Itspopulation – 57 million; area – 244, 110 km2 • Capital city – London; currency – poundsterling • Constitutionalmonarchywithtwolegislativehouses : theHouse of Lords and theHouse of Commons. • TheChief of StateistheSovereign – Queen Elisabeth II- and the Head of Government - the Prime Minister – David Cameron.

4. 1.1.The land: • The land of the UK evenly divided between lowlands and uplands, with 5% of highlands. • England has 3 hill regions of up to 900m in the north, west and southwest. • Scotland has 3 distinct regions: the Northern Highlands (Ben Nevis), the Central Lowlands, the Southern Uplands. • Most of Wales – the Cambrian Mountains (Snowdonia) • Northern Ireland – mainly low plateaus and hills

5. 1. TheUnitedKingdom1.1. Geography • The climate: is generally mild and temperate - the warming influence of the Gulf Stream. • Forests cover less than 1% of the total area • Relatively few mineral resources: natural gas and oil dominates the production over construction and industrial minerals.

6. 1. TheUnitedKingdom1.1. Geography • 1.2. The people: • According to the 2011 census the population of the UK was around wasaround63,182,000. • The third largest country in the EU. • Since 1950s – rapidly growing percentage of Commonwealth immigrants: India, the west Indies, Pakistan and Bangladesh. • Immigrants from South Asia -2/3 of net immigration in 2005. • English is the major language • 3/5 of the population – the Church of England

7. 1. TheUnitedKingdom1.2. History • 1.3. The History: • Celtic-speaking people - the early pre-Roman inhabitants. • Invasions of the original Celts by the Romans (1st A.D.) • Angles, Saxons and Jutes (6th A.D.) invaded Britain. • 8th-9th A.D. – Vikings raided the coasts of Britain and often sent conquering armies • 1066 – William of Normandy conquered England and became William I (1066-1087) • 11th A.D – Scotland came under the influence of the English crown • 12th A.D – Henry II conquered Ireland

8. 1. TheUnitedKingdom1.2. History • Edward I (1272-1307) – conquered Wales. The first parliament was convened. • Henry VIII (1491-1547) established the Church of England. • Elisabeth (16th century) challenged Spanish supremacy of the seas, and in 1588 the Spanish Armada was defeated. • George III (1738-1820) – American colonies won independence in 1783, followed by the war with revolutionary France. • 19th century – Great Britain and Ireland joined to create the UK. • 20th century – the Irish Free State became the Irish Republic and left the Commonwealth. • 1973 – the UK joined the EU.

9. 1. TheUnitedKingdom1.2. History • 1997 – Labour Party won • 2001 – a second successive victory of the Labour Party. Economic growth. Tony Blair as a prime minister supported the UK invasion of Iraq in 2003. • 2007 – Gordon Brown as a prime minister. An election victory of the pro-independence Scottish National Party. • 2008 – the economic crisis. The UK economy had shrunk for the first time since 1992. End to easy credits, reduction in consumption, deprecation of sterling. • 2010 / the first hung parliament since 1974. The Conservative Party won the election but did not get the majority in the Parliament. Coalition government between the Conservatives and Liberals: David Cameroon (Prime Minister) + Nick Clegg (Deputy prime Minister).

10. 1. TheUnitedKingdom1.2. Culture • Education • The British educational system: • is centralized by the government • there is a National Curriculum (1988) lying the basis of compulsory education. • It defines 4 key stages: • Key Stage 1: up to 7 • Key Stage 2: from 7 to 11 • Key Stage 3: from 11 to 14 • Key Stage 4: from 14 to 16 (preparation for academic/vocational qualifications) • All children of compulsory school age (5 to 16) must receive full-time education. • there are standardized tests and a national body of inspectors.

12. Education is compulsory for all children aged 5 to 16. • A primary school - for children between 5-11: divided into 2 departments: Infants and Junior. • Secondary School has a number of different systems: • In some areas the change from Primary to Secondary is still in use. • In other areas: Middle Schools for children form 8 to 12, later transferred to Comprehensive Schools at the age of 13. • The Comprehensive Schools take children of all abilities, offer a wide range of courses leading to the public examinations at the age of 16 – GCSE. • Some areas retain Grammar Schools for intelligent kids to go after the age of 11. • Most of the Grammar Schools have been absorbed by Comprehensive Schools.

13. 1. TheUnitedKingdom1.2. Culture • At the age of 16 – exams for the GCSE (1987). • At the age of 18 – the certificate at advanced level – “A” level exams, usually in 3 subjects. • Students with “A” level are ready to enter the University. • Those students who haven’t passed GCSE exam – can get degrees at a technical college after leaving school.

14. 1. TheUnitedKingdom1.2. Culture • The Universities • All British universities are private, but nearly all of them receive grants from the state. • 90% of students receive personal grants. • Degree courses leading to B.A or B.SC take 3-4 years. • Four of the world’s top six universities are in the UK. • UK higher education is split into two levels: • Undergraduate programmes include bachelors degrees, foundation degrees, higher national diplomas and more • Postgraduate programmes include masters degrees, MBAs, PhDs, doctorates and more. Usually you need an undergraduate qualification to enter a postgraduate programme.

15. 2. TheUnitedStates of America2.1. Geography • The USA is a federal republic composed of a national government and 50 states governments. • The are 48 contiguous states occupying the mid-latitudes of the continent + the state of Alaska + the island state of Hawaii (Pacific Ocean). • The are 2 legislative houses: Senate and the House of Representatives. • The Head of State is the President - Barack Obama. • The capital city – Washington, D.C. • The total area: 9, 529,-063 km2. • The population: 318,918,000 millionpeople (2014)

16. 2. TheUnitedStates of America2.1. Geography 0.1. The land • It is the third largest country in the world by area and has a varied topography. • The eastern regions consist of hills and low mountains • The central interior is a vast plain (called the Great Plains region) • andthe west has high rugged mountain ranges (some of which are volcanic in the Pacific Northwest). • Alaska also features rugged mountains as well as river valleys. • Hawaii's landscape varies but is dominated by volcanic topography.

17. 2. TheUnitedStates of America2.1. Geography • The climate of the U.S. also varies depending on location. • It is considered mostly temperate • but is tropical in Hawaii and Florida, • arctic in Alaska, • semiarid in the plains west of the Mississippi River •  and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest.

18. 2. TheUnitedStates of America2.1. Geography • 0.2. People • The population: 318,918,000 millionpeople (2014). Thethirdmostpopulousnation in theworld. • The USA is not a homogeneous but rather a pluralistic society, a nation of groups. • A great “melting pot”. • Race and ethnicity (according to 2010 census): • White - 72.4%, Black or African American - 12.6%, American Indian or Alaska Native 0.9%, Asian - 4.8%, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander - 0.2% • 16.7% of people identified themselves as Hispanic - just over 50 million people. 

19. 2. TheUnitedStates of America2.1. Geography • Ancestry (according to 2000 census): • German - 15.2%, Irish - 10.8%, African American - 8.8%, English - 8.7%, American - 7.2, %Mexican - 6.5% • Language: • English -is the main language of 80% of American residents. • Spanish is the main language of 12.3 residents • Chinese is the main language of 2.3%. • Religion: • 51% of all Americans are Protestants, and almost a quarter 24% are Catholic.

20. 2. TheUnitedStates of America2.2. History • History • The original 13 colonies of the United States were formed in 1732. • Tensions between the American colonies and the British government   the American colonists were subject to British taxation but had no representation in the British parliament. • These tensions eventually led to the American Revolution which was fought from 1775-1781.

21. 2. TheUnitedStates of America2.2. History • On July 4, 1776, the colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence and following the American victory over the British in the war, the U.S. was recognized as independent of England. • In 1788, the U.S. Constitution was adopted and in 1789, the first president, George Washington, took office. Tensions between the slave states and non-slave states led to the Civil War, lasted from 1861-1865 when the Confederate States were defeated. • Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the U.S. continued to grow and remained neutral at the beginning of World War I in 1914. • The 1920s were a time of economic growth in the U.S. and the country began to grow into a world power.

22. 2. TheUnitedStates of America2.2. History • In 1929 however the Great Depression began and the economy suffered until World War II. • The U.S. also remained neutral during this war until Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, at which time the U.S. joined the Allies. • Following WWII, the U.S. economy again began to improve. The Cold War followed shortly thereafter as did the Korean War from 1950-1953 and the Vietnam War from 1964-1975. • The U.S. grew industrially and the nation became a world superpower. • 2001, 11 September – Islamic terrorist attacks. • As a response to this attack – an invasion of Iraq which led to the overthrow and capture of Saddam Hussein. • 2008 – Barack Obama was elected president. In 2010 he oversaw the enactment of major health care and financial system reform.

23. 2. TheUnitedStates of America2.3. Culture • American culture has produced many outstanding writers and artists: • 19th century: Twai, poe, melville, Whitman, James • 20th century: Hemingway, Faulkenr, Steinbeck, Miler, Williams, etc. • Motion picture has been very influential. A number of film makers: George Cukor, Orson Wells, Fran Capra, etc. • Developing of several distinctive types of popular music: jazz, the blues, country, rock and roll, etc.

24. 2. TheUnitedStates of America2.3. Culture • The USA Education System: • is decentralized: depends on the articulation of educational authorities within each individual state • There is no any National Curriculum. • Education is primarily the responsibility of state and local government, and so there is little standardization in the curriculum, for example. • Compulsory schooling ends by age 16 in most states; the remaining states require students to attend school until they are 17 or 18. • All children in the United States have access to free public schools. • Private schools (religious and non-sectarian) are available, but students must pay tuition to attend them.

25. 2. TheUnitedStates of America2.3. Culture The American School System. • Classes are organized in grades: • Grade K: kindergarten or nursery school • Grades 1 to 5: Elementary school pupils • Grades 6 to 8:junior high school students • Grades 9 to 12: senior high school students. • There are no national examinations. Students wanting to go to university must take the Scholastic Aptitude Test or SAT.

26. 2. TheUnitedStates of America2.3. Culture Higher Education. • For a long time America has led the world in higher education. • In 1825 there were 2 universities in the UK and 50 in the USA. • Now there are more than 2000 universities and hundreds of junior colleges, teacher’s colleges and special schools. • More than 30 of the highest-ranked 45 institutions are in the United States. • Most students receive federal loans. • Most students are in “public” universities. • The most prestigious university is the University of California at Berkley.

27. 2. TheUnitedStates of America2.3. Culture • The are schools that offer a 2-years degree (an associate degree) or a 4-years degree (a bachalor’s degree). • Students who have obtained a bachelor’s degree can continue studies to get a master’s degree and later a doctorate degree (PhD).

28. 3. SOCIOCULTURAL AWARNESS • Howthe sociocultural knowledgeisformulated in language, and in particular in a L2? • Pavlenko and Lantolf(2000) arguethattraditionalmodels of SLA do nottakeintoconsideration sociocultural items. • Celce-Murcia (1995) suggests a modelconsisiting of thefollowing sociocultural components: • SOCIOCULTURAL FACTORS • Participants variables (age, gender, status, etc) • Situation variables (time, place, social situation) • STYLISTIC APPROPRIATNESS FACTORS • Politeness conventions and strategies • CULTURAL FACTORS • Sociocultural background knowledge of the target language • Awareness of major dialect differences • Cross-cultural awareness • NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATIVE FACTORS • Kinesics factors (body language) • Proxemic factors (use of space)

29. 3. SOCIOCULTURAL AWARNESS • The role of the teacher is to provide this information in the most accessible way (Handford, 2002). • We may use activities focusing on such aspects as: • Famous Englis people • Customs and traditions • Popular songs and tales • Shops • Cities, etc.