Introducing Intercultural Content to Senior High English Class: An Example for Taiwanese Context

1. Introducing Intercultural Content to Senior High English Class: An Example for Taiwanese Context Gateway 5 Cindy Lee

2. Contents • Preface • Challenges • Principles of Lesson Plan • Example Lesson Plan • Resources

3. Preface • This session provides an initial attempt to introduce a self-designed lesson plan for senior high school context. • Welcome you to try out the sample syllabus and share your experience!

4. Challenges • How to insert new cultural elements into the fixed syllabus? • How to attract students’ interest in learning cultural content above grammar and vocabulary? • How to squeeze the new cultural activity in the already tight schedule?

5. Principles of Lesson Plan (1) Here the lesson plan is based on two teaching methods: TBLT and CBI. • Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) • Activities that involve real communication are essential for language learning. • Activities in which language is used for carrying out meaningful tasks promote learning.

6. Principles of Lesson Plan (2) • Content-Based Instruction (CBI) • The students learn the language as a by-product of learning about real-world content. • Students use the language as a means of acquiring information, rather than as an end in itself. • For example, students learn about history, science, etc. in English.

7. Principles of Lesson Plan (3) • Objectives- Learning by Doing • Encourage students to participate in activities and collect relevant material • Enhance students’ four skills through various communicative tasks • Help students acquire cultural ‘knowledge’

8. Sample Lesson Plan – (1)Topic: Holiday and Celebrations • Example Textbook: Far East English Reader • Sample Unit: Lesson 1- Valentine’s Day in Book II • Time for the task: Students’ preparation: 3-4 hours (pre-class) Students’ presentations: 40-45 minutes (in class) Teacher’s comment: 5 minutes (in class)

9. Sample Lesson Plan – (2)Pre-class Task 1.Divide students into several groups (5-6 people in one group) 2. Each group choose one country under three categories: English-speaking country, non-English speaking country and Taiwan 3. After decide the country, each group select one interesting festival or holiday there for later 5-minute presentation

10. Sample Lesson Plan – (3)Requirements of Presentation • Each group has to introduce the selected festival to the rest of class by answering following questions: • What was the origin of the festival? • How did people celebrate it in the past? • What does the festival mean to the modern people? • How do people celebrate it nowadays? • Each group has to prepare an ‘visual aid’ for the presentation. It can be: • A poster, photos, relevant pictures, objects, video tape or a role play, etc.

11. Sample Lesson Plan – (4)Forms of Presentation • Oral Presentation: The group members deliver a speech with the visual aid in turn • Role Play: Group members use costume or properties for stage play to demonstrate the celebration • Story Telling: One of the group members acts as a narrator and others play the origin of the festival.

12. Example Lesson Plan - (5) In-class Activity • Students’ presentations • 30-40 minutes (subject to the size of class) Each group has about five minutes. • Before presentations, the teacher could inform the class about the further discussion afterwards. • Attention is required. • Students are encouraged to speak English, but of course, this is also subject to the class’ overall language proficiency.

13. Example Lesson Plan - (5) In-class Comment & Reflection • Teacher’s comments (10 minutes) 2-1 Give positive comments to every group’s performance 2-2 More importantly, ask students to compare and contrast the foreign and Taiwanese festivals 2-3 Possible questions for reflection are: -What do foreign and Taiwanese people care through these festivals? (values) -Why do/don’t Taiwanese people do the same thing like the foreigner (give one example)? (Life styles)

14. Example Lesson Plan - (6) Teaching Notes • The answer to the question for reflection can be an open or negotiated one. • Students should be encouraged to make assumption. • The point is to lead students to be aware of cultural values and intercultural differences. • A teacher is unlikely to know ‘everything’ about world festivals and cultures! It is also a great opportunity for you to ‘learn by teaching’!

15. Example Lesson Plan - (6) Resources • Students should be encouraged to do research in the library. • Information about festivals can be easily found in various • travel guides of international countries, 光華雜誌, 空中英語 • 教室, etc. • Another option is to use the Internet. Useful links can be found • on this website. Some information about Taiwan in English can • refer to 交通部觀光局 http://tiscsvr.tbroc.gov.tw/en/ which also • provides relevant photos.

16. Resources • http://www.etweb.fju.ed.tw/culture • More lesson plans in [Pedagogy] and the Internet resources in [Links] can be found in this website. • You are welcome to use the lesson plans and modify them to fit your your need! • You may have even more or better ideas about how to teach intercultural competence. • Look forward to hearing from your experiences or comments!

17. End Thanks!