- •1. Answer the questions.
- •2. Read the definition of intercultural communication.
- •3. Read the quotations and share your opinions in small groups. What evidence can you present to debate?
- •4. Elicit your background knowledge of the following and answer the questions.
- •1. Skim the text and choose the best title:
- •2. Complete the text with the words from the list.
- •3. Find the key concepts of intercultural communication in the text above to match given definitions.
- •4. Read the text again and discuss the following questions in pairs.
- •Vocabulary
- •1. Match the following essential key concepts of intercultural communication to their definitions taken from Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary.
- •2. Fill in the gaps with key concepts of intercultural communication given above.
- •3. Vocabulary extension
- •1. Read the text and explain its main idea.
- •2. Answer the following questions.
- •Inversion
- •1. Study the following rules
- •Inversion after 'So' and 'Such'
- •Inverted Conditional Forms
- •2. Read the extract and retell it to your partner using inversion where relevant.
- •1. Read the statement and share your opinions in small groups.
- •2. Listen to the recording and take notes to answer the questions.
- •3. Listen again and fill in the gaps with suitable words.
- •1. Read the proverbs about languages and share your opinions in small groups. Support your opinions with any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
- •If you want people to understand you, speak their language. (African proverb)
- •2. Write a brief summary of your discussion about proverbs and present it to the group.
- •Intercultural Language Teaching and Learning
- •2. Read the text again and choose the correct answer.
- •3. Answer the questions.
- •1. Chart the history of your English language learning over the years in a piece of paper. Talk about your charted histories taking into account the following:
- •2. Listen to the text and decide whether these sentences are true (t) or false (f)
- •3. Listen again and fill in the gaps with suitable words.
- •5. Answer the following questions comparing and contrasting the facts given in the recording.
- •1. Discuss the following issues in small groups.
- •2. Read the following excerpt and comment on it.
- •Teaching and Learning Intercultural Awareness
- •2. Scan the text and decide whether the following statements are True or False
- •3. Read the text again and answer the questions
- •4. Cover the extracts and look at the headings. Tell your partner what techniques can be used to develop intercultural awareness.
- •1. What are the pros and cons of multiculturalism? Complete the table with your partner. Change your partners and share your ideas.
- •2. Listen to the recording and decide whether the following sentences are true (t)
- •3. Look at the words below. Try to recall the context where the following words are used.
- •4. Listen again and write down some questions you would like to ask the class. Ask the group your questions.
- •5. Express your opinions on the following issues.
- •4. Analyse the answers and create a brief presentation. Present it to the group.
- •Barriers to Effective Intercultural Communication
- •Mixed Conditionals
- •1. Study the following grammar rules
- •2. Complete the sentences with the appropriate form of the verb.
- •1. Express your opinion on the following.
- •2. Read the text.
- •Intercultural Communicative Competence
- •3. Answer the questions in pairs.
- •1. Skim the text and choose the best title.
- •2. Read the text and match the headings to each paragraph. There is one extra heading.
- •3. Read the text again and decide whether the following statements are True (t)
- •4. Answer the questions.
- •The intercultural dimension' in language teaching
- •2. Answer the following questions.
- •3. Explain the difference between the following:
- •1. Work in groups of three or four and express your opinions on the following assumptions and beliefs about culture and intercultural learning.
3. Vocabulary extension
Choose some of the words from the list. Use a dictionary or the Internet to build up more collocations for each word.
COMMUNICATION
1. Read the text and explain its main idea.
The Relationship between Language and Culture
The relationship between language and culture is deeply rooted. Language is used to maintain and convey culture and cultural ties. One can see that learning a new language involves the learning of a new culture. Consequently, teachers of a language are also teachers of culture.
The implications of language being completely entwined in culture, in regards for language teaching and language policy are far reaching. Language teachers must instruct their students on the cultural background of language usage, choose culturally appropriate teaching styles, and explore culturally based linguistic differences to promote understanding instead of misconceptions or prejudices. Language policy must be used to create awareness and understandings of cultural differences. Teachers must instruct their students on the cultural background of language usage. If one teaches language without teaching about the culture in which it operates, the students are learning empty or meaningless symbols or they may attach the incorrect meaning to what is being taught. The students, when using the learnt language, may use the language inappropriately or within the wrong cultural context, thus defeating the purpose of learning a language.
(Aubrey Neil Leveridge for TEFL.net)
2. Answer the following questions.
What relevance does intercultural communication have to language education?
How far should teachers be familiar with the culture of foreign language they teach?
What is culture teaching in a foreign language teaching context?
Is it necessary for teachers to be trained in intercultural communication?
Is it important to raise consciousness of cultural differences in the classroom?
3. What position would you have in these situations? Discuss them in small groups explaining your point of view.
"It is better to study major international languages like English rather than to spend time on minority languages for the sake of regional identity."
"Cultural differences cause problems. It is better for people to stay in their own countries rather than to migrate to other ones."
LANGUAGE FOCUS
Inversion
1. Study the following rules
Inversion is a way of reversing the usual or expected word order to bring emphasis to a sentence, to make it more negative, to make it stronger, more dramatic. Compare these two sentences:
Students have never had such challenging opportunities. Never have students had such challenging opportunities!
You can see the effect of inverting the subject/verb and bringing the frequency adverb to the start of the sentence. Here are some similar examples.
Rarely had he been spoken to in such a way. Never had he known about the child and it was a huge shock to him.
Time expressions with negative meaning: never, rarely, seldom
These time expressions are used with a perfect form or with modals and often include comparatives:
Never have I been more insulted! Seldom has he seen anything stranger.
Time expressions: hardly, barely, no sooner, or scarcely
These time expressions are used when there is a succession of events in the past. Hardly (the most usual), scarcely and barely go with the past perfect tense. No sooner may also be used with other tenses, but never for actions that will take place in the future.
You cannot therefore say: No sooner do I see her, I will invite her to my birthday party.
Examples Scarcely had we started to watch the film when the light went off. No sooner had the teacher finished the lesson when Ann walked in the classroom.
After 'Only' Expressions such as 'only after', 'only when', 'only then', etc.
'Only' is used with a time expression.
Examples Only then did I understand the problem.
Only after understanding the situation does the teacher make a comment.