Activity
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Teacher Activities
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Student Activities
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Assessment
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Time
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Introduction
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Share that the topic for the day is “intercultural communication” and that students will be learning about what culture includes as well as sharing about their own cultures.
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Listen to the teacher.
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3 minutes
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Pre-lesson Activity
Critical Incidents Part 1
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Divide class into pairs (with one group of three) and explain that they will read about a problem between two people belong to different culture and try to guess what the problem was. Supply a critical incident card for each group. Monitor progress and answers questions.
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Read the cards and discuss what may have caused the problem. Prepare to share a summary of the problem and a theory as to what caused it.
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Note any students who are not actively participating or seem to be having difficulty.
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5 minutes
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Pre-lesson Activity
Critical Incidents Part 2
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Ask groups to share about their critical incidents and provide an interpretation. Ask for clarification when answers are unclear.
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Share about their critical incidents and provide an interpretation.
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Note any students who are not actively participating.
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5 minutes
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Activity One
“What is intercultural communication?”
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Write, “Intercultural communication is _________” on the board and asks students to fill in the blank with their own words. Remind students that many possible answers are acceptable. Ask students to share what was difficult about the activity. Provide an opportunity for students to vote on which definition is the best.
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Suggest various words to fill in the blank. One student records idea. Groups share ideas with the class. After all groups share, each group attempts to create a one sentence definition of intercultural communication. One student from each group will write that group’s definition on the board. Students vote on which definition is the best.
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Note any students who are not actively participating or seem to be having difficulty.
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10 minutes
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Activity Two
Adapted from
“Exploring the iceberg”
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Draw a picture of an iceberg and ask students how much of the iceberg is available above the surface and how much of it is below the surface. Ask students how the image of an iceberg can be applied to interculture.
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Answer questions.
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3 minutes
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Have students share what they have observed about American culture. What is unique or different about the U.S.A.? What images come to mind? Write responses on the board.
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Supply answers.
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Note any students who are not actively participating.
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5 minutes
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Organize students by country groups. Ask each group to write two aspects of their home culture that are easily observable and two aspects that are more difficult to notice.
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Work in groups with one recorder and one or more presenters. Choose aspects of culture and present them.
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Note any students who are not actively participating or seem to be having difficulty.
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10 minutes
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Explain the differences between “Big C” and “Little c” cultures. The former is observable yet not always helpful in aiding understanding. The latter is more difficult to detect, but will be more beneficial in cross-cultural understanding. Use “Thank you” as an illustration.
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Listen to the teacher.
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Note any students who are not actively participating or seem to be having difficulty.
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4 minutes
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Challenge students to continue working in country groups to present five aspects of “Little c” culture that could be helpful for someone visiting their country.
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Work in groups with one recorder and one or more presenters. Choose five aspects of “Little c” culture to share about. Present to the class while the rest of the class takes notes on the presentation.
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Note any students who are not actively participating or seem to be having difficulty.
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20 minutes (10 to prepare, and 5 minutes for each group to present)
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Post Lesson Writing
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Instruct students to write a response entitled, “Helpful Tips in Understanding _____ Culture”. In this response, the students should write about another country represented in the class and discuss that country’s “Little c” culture.
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Write in response to the prompt. Demonstrate understanding of both the topic and their peers in writing.
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These essays will be collected and evaluated by the teacher in order to check for understanding and engagement with the presentations of their classmates.
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15 minutes
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