Goals: You will be able to...
- discuss cultural differences between their home countries and the US;
- read about differences in writing styles between different countries;
- discuss differences in writing styles between their home countries and the US.
Task: Before
we discuss writing in English, it is important to understand that
writing in another language is more than just writing with a different
grammar and vocabulary. There are a number of cultural factors that
affect how people write in different languages. Today we will discuss
cultural differences between the United States and how these differences
affect academic writing in these cultures.
First, in groups of 3 or 4, discuss these questions:
First, in groups of 3 or 4, discuss these questions:
- When you first arrived in the USA, did some of the ways that American work and speak with each other seem different than your own country.
- Did you speak in a certain way or do a certain action that was understood differently by Americans? Give some examples.
- What other cultural differences have you noticed since you arrived in the USA?
Next, we are going to read
some short paragraphs of students' perspectives on how writing in their
culture differs from writing in the USA. Read your paragraph and
explain what it says to your group (do not just read it to
them!). Then, Discuss the following question:
- How is your culture similar or different from the culture you read about?
Homework:
