A2BK_VMKA Inquiries in Intercultural Communication A

Faculty of Education
Autumn 2008
Extent and Intensity
0/0/24. 2 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Michael George, M.A. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Zdeněk Janík, M.A., Ph.D.
Department of English Language and Literature – Faculty of Education
Contact Person: Jana Popelková
Prerequisites (in Czech)
A2BP_SOZK Complex Exam || A2BK_SOZK Complex Exam
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
This is not a class in American or British studies, but rather a course in cultural fluency with the emphasis on the difference in social and cultural patterns between the Czech Republic and English speaking lands. American And British History are prerequisites, and the course must be followed by the continuing second half in the summer semester in which students will research, organize and present a class of their own on some aspect of inter-cultural differences. In the winter semester, classes will meet for two hours every week and will be organized as traditional seminars in which students are assigned texts on a given subject and come to class prepared to discuss it in open conversation around the seminar table.
The aim of the class is to: 1) provide teachers of English with the cultural background necessary for language teaching; 2) give students the opportunity to speak in group situations and provide each individual the material, supervision and support to lead an hour's interactive class presentation; and 3) provide a cultural perspective that could mitigate the culture shock awaiting those students who will study abroad.
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction and organization
  • 2. Migration, integration and the changing world
  • 3. Culture shock and expectations
  • 4. What's normal? - for example Czechs and Americans
  • 5. Culture, values and language
  • 6. Cross cultural dialogs
  • 7. High/low context cultures
  • 8. Symbol, gesture and body language
  • 9. Cultural fluency
  • 10. Culture in language teaching
  • 11. Methodology for presentations
  • 12. Conclusion and evaluation
Literature
  • PETERSON, Brooks. cultural Intelligence. Intercultural Press, 2004. info
  • SHULMAN, Myra. Cultures in Contrast. University of Michigan Press, 1998. info
  • NOLLEN, Tim. Culture Shock. London: Kuperard, 1997. ISBN 1-85733-190-7. info
  • MACIONIS, John and Nijole BENOKRAITIS. Seeing Ourselves. Prentice Hall, 1995. info
Assessment methods
class preparation, attendance and participation; research presentation
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: 24 hodin.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2007, Autumn 2009, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, Autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019, autumn 2020, Autumn 2022.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2008, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/ped/autumn2008/A2BK_VMKA