PdF:AJ1308 Inquiries in Intercultural Com - Course Information

AJ1308 Inquiries in Intercultural Communication

Extent and Intensity

0/2/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Taught in person.

Teacher(s)

Natalia Marakhovska, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Ailsa Marion Randall, M.A. (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Jana Zerzová, M.A., Ph.D. (seminar tutor)

Guaranteed by

Mgr. Jana Zerzová, M.A., Ph.D.
Department of English Language and Literature – Faculty of Education
Contact Person: Jana Popelková
Supplier department: Department of English Language and Literature – Faculty of Education

Timetable of Seminar Groups

AJ1308/Kombi01: Fri 16. 9. 12:00–13:50 učebna 11, Fri 30. 9. 12:00–13:50 učebna 11, Fri 14. 10. 12:00–13:50 učebna 11, Fri 4. 11. 12:00–13:50 učebna 11, Fri 18. 11. 12:00–13:50 učebna 11, Fri 2. 12. 12:00–13:50 učebna 11, N. Marakhovska
AJ1308/Kombi02: Fri 16. 9. 10:00–11:50 učebna 11, Fri 30. 9. 10:00–11:50 učebna 11, Fri 14. 10. 10:00–11:50 učebna 11, Fri 4. 11. 10:00–11:50 učebna 11, Fri 18. 11. 10:00–11:50 učebna 11, Fri 2. 12. 10:00–11:50 učebna 11, N. Marakhovska
AJ1308/Prez01: Mon 13:00–14:50 učebna 41, except Mon 24. 10., J. Zerzová
AJ1308/Prez02: Thu 13:00–14:50 učebna 1, except Thu 27. 10., J. Zerzová

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

there are 12 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display

Course objectives

INQUIRIES IN INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
This is not a class in 'American' or 'British' studies but rather a course in cultural fluency with an emphasis on the difference in social and cultural patterns between the Czech Republic and various other countries (not solely English-speaking lands).
This is a one-semester course. Classes will be partly organized in learning centres, with students leading them and given a further choice as to which other options they would like to take in the winter semester. The rest of the seminar will be covered via students' presentations.
A note about the method: In a seminar, there are no correct or incorrect answers, the aim is to "think out loud", offering your thoughts to your colleagues in the circle. If everyone does this, we all walk away with more insight into the situation than when we came. But because we are talking about culture and real life, we will NEVER arrive at "THE ANSWER". It doesn't exist. Our goal is, instead, that we will all acquire more understanding and "cultural fluency".
In general, the aims of the class are to:
1) Provide you as current or future teachers of English with the cultural background necessary for language teaching.
2) Give you the opportunity to speak in group situations and provide each of you individually the material, supervision and support to lead an interactive class presentation.
3) Provide a cultural perspective that could mitigate the culture shock awaiting those of you who do or will live and study abroad.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, the student will:
- be more aware of the cultural differences between people from different countries and how to react to them
- be able to analyse the reasons behind failure in communication
- be ready to face culture shock in another country
- be able to create a presentation based on culture for students of English
- create a lesson plan suitable for teaching cultural topics
- assess fellow students' lessons and plans

Syllabus

• 1 Introduction and organization
• 2 - International exchange (culture shock)
• - Ethnocentrism vs cultural relativism
• - Stereotypes
• 3 - Culture and communication (ONION)
• - Culture and values (HOFSTEDE)
• - Cross-cultural adaptation (DMSI)
• 4 - Communication styles
• - The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis (language)
• - Translation and interpretation
• 5 - Physical appearance
• Culture and non-verbal communication (gestures, etc.)
• - Proxemics and chronemics and haptics
• 6 - ICC components (Byram, Deardorff, Fantini)
• - Mass media (political economy and mass media, media and construction of social reality)
• - Strategies to develop ICC
• 7 - Intercultural Development Plan
• - Critical incidents
• - Culture assimilators
• 8 - Culture capsules
• - Culture clusters
• - Lesson plans
• 9 - Cultural islands
• - Cultural Venn-diagrams
• - Lesson plans
• 10 - Drama
• - Simulation games
• - Lesson plans
• 11 - Reflective Journaling
• - Problem Solving
• - Lesson plans
• 12 - Book/stories/films/series/video games presentations/discussions + recommendations
• - Interview presentations
• - Lesson plans

Literature

required literature
• LIU, Shuang, Zala VOLČIČ and Cindy GALLOIS. Introducing intercultural communication : global cultures and contexts. London: Sage, 2011, x, 318. ISBN 9781848600362. info

recommended literature
• Routledge Encyclopedia of language teaching and learning. Edited by Michael Byram - Adelheid Hu. Second edition. Oxford: Routledge, 2017, xxxvi, 817. ISBN 9780415593762. info
• The Sage handbook of intercultural competence. Edited by Darla K. Deardorff - Derek Curtis Bok. London: Sage, 2009, xiv, 542. ISBN 9781412960458. info
• PETERSON, Brooks. cultural Intelligence. Intercultural Press, 2004. info
• Context and culture in language teaching and learning. Edited by Michael Byram - Peter Grundy. Buffalo: Multilingual Matters, 2003, 105 p. ISBN 1853596574. info
• BYRAM, Michael and Karen RISAGER. Language teachers, politics, and cultures. Philadelphia: Multilingual Matters, 1999, x, 206. ISBN 1853594415. 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
• HOFSTEDE, Geert. Cultures and organizations : software of the mind : intercultural cooperation and its importance for survival. 1st pub. London: Harper Collins Business, 1994, xiv, 279. ISBN 0006377408. info
• BYRAM, Michael. Cultural studies in foreign language education. Philadelphia: Multilingual Matters, 1989, ix, 165. ISBN 1853590185. info

Teaching methods

student presentations, learning centres, discussions, interviews and their analysis, micro-teaching, online discussion forums, preparation of lesson plans

Assessment methods

Compulsory parts:
1. Attendance and participation in class (15%): This is a seminar, not the sort of class you can study at home if you miss class. You must be present if you expect to learn anything, and for that reason, it's important that you are here every meeting. You will be allowed only 2 absences each term. Three or more absences will mean loss of this portion of the credit, or in extreme and unavoidable circumstances, additional work. You will be expected to come to the classes having read all the material provided on Moodlinka. This will be checked.
2. Leading a learning centre or a presentation + moderating its forum (45%): The major credit work will be in the form of a 30-minute presentation on culture in which your classmates will become your students as you demonstrate your ideas on the cross-cultural concepts we will be dealing with this semester. Your activities for your learning centre will be based on the reading for the respective week and no less than 5 other different sources on the topic. Your centre must be interactive - take the form of asking questions and involving your classmates, in short, leading and directing class discussion about your topic. Also, I expect you to be expert enough that you can answer questions on your subject as it relates to other topics throughout the year. You are welcome to use any tools you find suitable for your learning centre (videos, texts, various online tools). If you need the students to go through some materials before your presentation, write into the respective Moodlinka forum, please, one week before your presentation.
This should help you prepare your classmates to come to your class with enough basic knowledge that they can discuss the subject intelligently and profit from your more detailed presentation. You should provide your classmates with copies of your lesson plan and any texts or material you have used. Also, include a complete list of print and/or electronic sources you used to research and prepare your learning centre. Your lesson plan will be uploaded into our Moodlinka course.
3. Contributing to all the forums in our Moodlinka course
4. Options:
There are 3 options and you should complete two of them to get the credit. They are each worth a maximum of 15 points.
A: Interview a foreigner in Brno (or online) on one (or more) of the topics we cover in class, analyze and present the interview in class.
B: Analysis of a book/story/film/theatre play/video game
C: Preparing a full lesson plan
You must complete the compulsory parts and 2 options and get at least 70 points overall to pass the course. At the end of the semester there will be a comprehensive oral exam.

Language of instruction

English

Further comments (probably available only in Czech)

Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: kombinované studium: výuka v blocích.

Teacher's information

https://moodlinka.ics.muni.cz/course/view.php?id=3495

• Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2022, recent)
  
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