HAMEL 1

English as a Foreign Language: Xian Jiaotong University

Brief description of classroom setting:
This lesson plan is for a classroom of about 40 undergraduate students learning English
as a foreign language at a major university in central China. They are enrolled in a two-week
intensive summer English program. All of these students have completed their first year of
college and are either pursuing engineering or computer science majors. The learners ranged in
speaking, listening, reading and writing but, for the purpose of the course, this lesson plan
focuses on students listening and speaking skills. Their proficiencies in listening and speaking
ranged from intermediate-low to advanced-mid.
The class met five days a week, twice a day for three hours each period, 9:00-12:00pm
and 2:00-5:00pm. The classes would be taught by the teacher for one period of time and then the
other was led by a teaching assistant. Also, since the time in each class was long, two ten-minute
breaks were taken, typically before the top of the hour.
Pre-less inventory
Lesson Goal:
Students will critically think about culture, and how cultures can be similar or different and why.
Lesson Objectives:
Students will be able to describe what culture, stereotypes and taboos are.
Students will be able to describe aspects about American culture.
Materials:

Computer
Projector
Chalkboard
Chalk
Culture PowerPoint
Stereotypes PowerPoint
Warm-up: What is culture? (10 minutes)
Purpose:

HAMEL 2
Allows students some time to think about culture, what represents it, how it is defined,
etc. Since this is the topic of the class, it gives the students an opportunity to understand their
classmates impressions of what culture is as well.
Procedures:
Ask students to get out a piece of paper and a pencil. For three minutes, they will write down
what they think culture is or what they think about when they hear the term culture.
After three minutes, randomly select students to write their answers on the board.
Based on the responses on the board, have a discussion about what culture is. Ask questions like:
How do you define culture? Is it easy or difficult to define?
Transition:
Culture is not an easy thing to define. Its difficult because we dont want to make judgments
about someone just because they are from a certain culture. Especially since culture can be very
subjective, even within the same country.
Activity 1: Culture PowerPoint (15 minutes)
Purpose:
Students will learn how to recognize cultural aspects, how to define culture and that
culture can be subjective.
Procedures:
Using the culture PowerPoint, culture is discussed.
Pictures are shown to discuss what culture encompasses; food, mountains,
stadium and a painting are displayed.
Transition:
Since culture can be subjective, its important to know how you, as an individual, define your
culture.
Activity 2: Draw Your Culture (20 minutes)
Purpose:

HAMEL 3
Students will have the opportunity to visual how their culture is represented and have the
opportunity to explain their culture to classmates.
Procedures:
Ask students to get out a piece of paper and a pencil.
Explain to students that they will be drawing what they believe represents their own culture.
Emphasis that even someone from the same city or province might draw
something different than you might since culture is subjective.
Students draw a picture of their culture. (~10 mins)
Once students are done, an example is shown and explained of why the picture was drawn and
how it represents culture.
Volunteers are then asked to come to the front of the class and explain their own drawings.
Transition:
We now have had an opportunity to reflect upon what our own culture means. After the break,
were going to talk about what you believe to be American cultural norms.
BREAK 10 minutes
Activity 3: American Cultural Practices (20 minutes)
Purpose:
Students will have the opportunity to explore what perceived cultural practices they have
about the United States compared to the actuality. This exercise coincides with the next exercise
to demonstrate the similarities and differences these cultures have.
Procedures:
In small groups (4-5 people), students are asked to create a list of about ten United States cultural
practices.
Items for groups to think about: gender roles, food practices and values.
Using the PowerPoint slide, a member from each group includes a practice that their group came
up with.
Once all groups have contributed to the slide, the list will be discussed.
Make sure to note possible stereotypes of American culture.
Transition:

HAMEL 4
After looking at this list you all created, do you think American cultural practices are similar to
Chinese cultural practices?
Activity 4: Chinese Cultural Practices (20 minutes)
Purpose:
Students will reflect upon what cultural practices are unique to China. Once this is done,
students with compare and contrast the two lists to see how similar cultures can be.
Procedures:
In the same groups, students are asked to create a list of about ten Chinese cultural practices.
Using the PowerPoint slide, a member from each group includes a practice that their group came
up with.
Once all groups have contributed to the slide, the list will be discussed.
Make sure to add own example of Chinese cultural practice once the list has been
gone through.
Transition:
Its definitely important to take about culture. Can anyone tell me why its important? Often, its
easy to create stereotypes about another culture. Does anyone know what a stereotype is?
Activity 5: Stereotypes PowerPoint (15 minutes)
Purpose:
Students will know what stereotypes are, get students to critically think about how they
arise and why its important to not make assumptions about groups of people.
Procedures:
Using the PowerPoint, the following topics are discussed:
What stereotypes are
What taboos are
Differences between stereotypes and taboos
In pairs, students discuss:
Why they think stereotypes arise
If generalizations about people is a good or a bad thing. Why?
With the whole class, the questions that were answered are talked about.

HAMEL 5
Transition:
Now that we know what stereotypes are we are going to look at taboos from the US right after
we take a break.
BREAK: 10 minutes
Activity 6: Taboos from the United States (20 minutes)
Purpose:
Students will be able to understand what taboos exist in the United States, so that they
can compare these to Chinese taboos (next activity).
Procedures:
Using the PowerPoint, ten taboos about the United States are presented.
Throughout the presentation, questions are asked about the similarities of taboos
from the US and in China.
Transition:
You now know some taboos or taboo topics in the United States. Since we are in a cultural
exchange, I now want you to create a list of Chinese taboos for me.
Activity 7: Chinese Taboos (20 minutes)
Purpose:
Students reflect and create a list of taboos in China. Students are also comparing and
analyzing the similarities and differences between the two cultures.
Procedures:
In small groups, students are asked to create a list of about ten taboos from China.
After groups have finished, one student from each adds a taboo onto the corresponding
PowerPoint slide.
The taboos are discussed as a class. Ask for elaboration when necessary.
Once the list has been discussed, students are asked to think and talk about the differences and
similarities between the two in their small groups.

HAMEL 6
Other questions students should consider: Why should people learn about these
taboos from other countries? What about if they travel there and didnt know these
taboos?
Transition:
Okay, youve all had a couple of minutes to talk. Can someone explain to me why its important
to be aware of these commonalities?
Closure: Why is culture important? (10 minutes)
Purpose:
Students are making connections from the previous activities to reflect upon why culture
is important to learn and talk about.
Procedures:

On the chalk board, the question is written: Why is culture important?

Volunteers are asked to come up to the board and write their answers. Someone from

each group should at least write one reason.

After answers have been written on the board, they are discussed.
o The amount of reasons as to why culture is important should be emphasized so
that students can visually see that it is a topic worth discussing.

Announcements:
Remember that this afternoon you will be engaging in more activities with the teaching assistant
where you will be sharing more about your culture.