Culture & Society Mid-Term Project Guidelines

October 29th, 2009

For those of you in my “Society and Culture of Major English-Speaking Countries ( 英语国家社会与文化入门 )” class, here are the guidelines for your Mid-Term Group Project:

Mid-Term Project Guidelines Fall_09

If you have any questions, let me know!


Week 7: British Foreign Relations

October 29th, 2009

This post is for my students at the Hunan Institute of Science & Technology ( 湖南理工学院 ) who are taking the course: “The Society and Culture of Major English-Speaking Countries ( 英语国家社会与文化入门 ) : An Introduction (Book One / Second Edition)

This week’s lesson covered unit 8  from the textbook which covers British Foreign Relations.  In this unit we discussed the major bodies that affect British foreign policy (both domestic and international) and we covered the significant international events of the past 60 years or so that have shaped modern British foreign policy.

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If you would like to have the Presentation Notes from this week’s class, click on the link to view or download them.

Week 6: British Education System

October 22nd, 2009

This post is for my students at the Hunan Institute of Science & Technology ( 湖南理工学院 ) who are taking the course: “The Society and Culture of Major English-Speaking Countries ( 英语国家社会与文化入门 ) : An Introduction (Book One / Second Edition)

This week’s lesson covered unit 7  from the textbook which covers the British Education System.  In this unit we discussed some of the history and original motivations for the creation fo the modern education system in England.  We also noted differences in the usage of common terms between different Western country’s education systems.

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If you would like to have the Presentation Notes from this week’s class, click on the link to view or download them.

Week 5: UK Literature

October 15th, 2009

This post is for my students at the Hunan Institute of Science & Technology ( 湖南理工学院 ) who are taking the course: “The Society and Culture of Major English-Speaking Countries ( 英语国家社会与文化入门 ) : An Introduction (Book One / Second Edition)

This week’s lesson covered unit 6  from the textbook which covers UK Literature.  In this unit we focused not on a long list of British authors and the books they wrote, rather, we focused on the general trends observed in British literature as well as the possible reasons driving those trends.

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If you would like to have the Presentation Notes from this week’s class, click on the link to view or download them.

Attention:  This is week there was a disturbing number of students who showed poor judgment and chose to behave unethically during the reading quiz.  Don’t waste your time or mine, have respect for yourself and your education and demonstrate that you are capable of success without resorting to cheating!

Week 4: UK Economy

October 10th, 2009

This post is for my students at the Hunan Institute of Science & Technology ( 湖南理工学院 ) who are taking the course: “The Society and Culture of Major English-Speaking Countries ( 英语国家社会与文化入门 ) : An Introduction (Book One / Second Edition)

This week’s lesson covered unit 5  from the textbook which covers the United Kingdom’s Economy.  We spent some time defining some of the important terms needed in order to have an intelligent discussion about modern economies and then we took a look at the recent history of the UK economy.

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If you would like to have the Presentation Notes from this week’s class, click on the link to view or download them.


Week 3: UK Government, Politics, Class & Race

September 24th, 2009

This post is for my students at the Hunan Institute of Science & Technology ( 湖南理工学院 ) who are taking the course: “The Society and Culture of Major English-Speaking Countries ( 英语国家社会与文化入门 ) : An Introduction (Book One / Second Edition)

This week’s lesson covered units 3 & 4  from the textbook which covers Government, Politics, Class & Race in the United Kingdom.  Like last week, we pretty much only covered the basics, we’ll go over some of the more fine details over the next few weeks as we take a deeper look at the UK.

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If you would like to have the Presentation Notes from this week’s class, click on the link to view or download them.

Attention:  This is week THREE and some of you have already missed class!  Please don’t let this become a habit, or your grade will be negatively impacted.  (If you do not attend class, it is impossible to pass, even with a perfect score on the final exam!)

Ten Tips for Cross Cultural Communication

September 21st, 2009

Cross cultural communication can be a tricky business. These basic tips can go a long way in minimizing misunderstandings and maximizing your cross cultural communication skills….

Here are some simple tips to help you improve your cross cultural communication skills:

Slow Down

Even when English is the common language in a cross cultural situation, this does not mean you should speak at normal speed. Slow down, speak clearly and ensure your pronunciation is intelligible.

Separate Questions

Try not to ask double questions such as, “Do you want to carry on or shall we stop here?” In a cross cultural situation only the first or second question may have been comprehended. Let your listener answer one question at a time.

Avoid Negative Questions

Many cross cultural communication misunderstandings have been caused by the use of negative questions and answers. In English we answer ‘yes’ if the answer is affirmative and ‘no’ if it is negative. In other cultures a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ may only be indicating whether the questioner is right or wrong. For example, the response to “Are you not coming?” may be ‘yes’, meaning ‘Yes, I am not coming.’

Take Turns

Cross cultural communication is enhanced through taking turns to talk, making a point and then listening to the response. Read the rest of this entry »

Week 2: United Kingdom Introduction

September 18th, 2009

This post is for my students at the Hunan Institute of Science & Technology ( 湖南理工学院 ) who are taking the course: “The Society and Culture of Major English-Speaking Countries ( 英语国家社会与文化入门 ) : An Introduction (Book One / Second Edition)

This week’s lesson covered units 1 & 2  from the textbook which is an Introduction to the United Kingdom.  We covered just some of the basics, we’ll go over some of the more fine details over the next several weeks as we take a deeper look at the UK.

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If you would like to have the Presentation Notes from this week’s class, click on the link to view or download them.

If You are Sick with the Flu

September 5th, 2009

I received word today that H1N1, commonly called “Swine Flu”, has been found this week in several students at H.I.S.T.  So far, classes are NOT canceled, but the faculty are requesting that all students take extra care so that we can keep the spread of this flu to a minimum.  If you think you are coming down with the flu, DON’T COME TO CLASS!

Seriously, it’s better to miss a week of class than it is to get all the rest of us sick!  Here are some more tips if you think you might be sick;

  • Know the signs and symptoms of flu. Symptoms of flu include fever or chills and cough or sore throat. In addition, symptoms of flu can include runny nose, body aches, headache, tiredness, diarrhea, or vomiting.
  • Stay home or in your dorm if you are sick for at least 24 hours after there is no longer a fever (38 degrees Celsius) or signs of a fever (have chills, feel very warm, have a flushed appearance, or are sweating).  Staying away from others while sick can prevent others from getting sick too. Ask a roommate or friend to check up on you and to bring you food and supplies if needed.
  • Cover you mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective if soap and water are not available.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.  Germs spread this way.
  • Drink plenty of clear fluids (such as water, broth, sports drinks, and electrolyte beverages for infants) to keep from becoming dehydrated.

A New Semester, New Responsibilities

September 3rd, 2009

So, it’s been quiet around here all summer, sorry about that!  It’s not because nothing was happening, in fact, the opposite is true!  We were VERY busy this summer with the end of the Spring ‘09 semester and the arrival of 13 cultural exchange students from America!

Now the Fall ‘09 Semester has begun and in addition to the class I taught all last year, The Society and Culture of Major English-Speaking Countries ( 英语国家社会与文化入门 ),I am now also working in the foreign exchange office of the Hunan Institute of Science and Technology ( 湖南理工学院 )!

I have some new and exciting responsibilities that are going to make this next semester a new challenge, but one that I’m really looking forward to!  I’ll be sure to post a story or two here about how things are going!