Gary Althen

 Introduction to the writer

 Introduction to the text

Basic theme of the text

*Introduction

*Individualism and privacy

*Equality
*The future, change and progress

*Informality

*Time

*Achievement, action, and materialism

*Directness and assertiveness

 Foreign student adviser at University of Lowa
 Wrote 2 books on his experiences
The handbook of Foreign Student Advising
(1983)
American Ways: A Guide for Foreigners in
United States(1988)
 This passage is extracted from the latter book
 Unwritten rules of culture
Difference in values and assumptions
 Beliefs and customs
Seems normal in one and strange in
another
 Problems resulting from cross-cultural
variation
Values?
 Ideas about -what’s wrong and right
-desirable and not desirable
-normal and abnormal
-proper and improper
 We learn these values from?
-parents and other relatives
-teachers
-books and newspapers
-television programs
Assumptions?
 The unquestioned standards about people and life
 “The way things are”
 What we suppose or think
 Men and women  Gaining education
should inhabit  Lighting candles in
separate social world birthdays
 Family belongingness  Dress’ color of the
 Respect towards God bride

 Patriotism  Crossing of the way

by a black cat

Values Assumptions
 Consider themselves independent
 View about people with contrasting culture
 View of ideal person
 Relationship: parents and children
 Non-Americans’-regarding Americans’ culture
 Privacy
 All men are created equal
 One man one vote
 Men and women are equal
 Respect to people of higher status
 Basic level of respect to everybody
 Notion of equality lead Americans to be
informal
 Informality in speech, posture and dress
 They find informality appealing
 Their informal and egalitarian approach to
other people
 History and traditions are passé

 A foreseen future

 Overcoming difficulties
 Culture verses culture
 Impatient bloodline
 Time is a resource
 Time is money
 Admire well organized people
 Man or a machine
 McDonalds-Symbol of American society
 American concept of Efficient and Efficiency
 Admiration for achievers
 Work harder and harder
 Be busy doing something
 Job is the identity
 Earning is must for evaluation of success
 Directness=straightforwardness, sincerity, truthfulness
 Assertive=bold, courageous, confident
 Frank, bold and open
 Settling conflicts through forthright discussion
 Guarding emotional responses
 Speak up the mind
 We need to learn from the Americans
-individual and interdependency
-no distinction, all are equal
“All are created equal”
-being informal makes you work easy
 - respect for time- esp. future
- schedule time and bring positive changes
-be bold, frank and expressive. Don’t fear truth
 Observe the nature of people and act
 Don’t copy them but be inspired by them, positively
“Be yourself ” !!!
Tips:
 Read the question or essay title
 Brainstorm
 Make it in simple words
 Do not repeat yourself-say it another way
 Look at the final version of essay -review
 Format it and note down
 Introducing the topic
 Giving one point of view, in support of the argument,
with reasons and examples
 Giving a contrasting or different view
 Concluding (giving your own opinion or interpretation
of the facts