I just thought I'd share a worksheet I'm doing with my students tomorrow. It asks them to examine some common English expressions for the cultural values they reflect and then compare those cultural values to Korea.
A useful way to understand a culture is by examining the expressions people use in everyday conversation. These common expressions, after all, reflect what most people in a given society believe in or value. With your partner, discuss what these expressions suggest about American culture. From peacecorps.gov/wws/culturematters/ch2/thethingswesay.html
Example:
He thinks he's better than so and so.
She's always putting on airs.
That person should be cut down to size.
It's gone to his head.
Value/belief:______Egalitarianism
1. Talk is cheap.
2. Put your money where your mouth is.
3. He's all talk and no action.
Value/belief:
4. She's always beating around the bush.
5. Tell it like it is.
6. Straight talk, straight answer, straight shooter: that's what we need.
Value/belief:
7. She did something with her life.
8. Nice guys finish last.
Value/belief:
9. Every cloud has a silver lining.
10. Look on the bright side.
11. Tomorrow is another day.
Value/belief:
12. Where there's a will there's a way.
Value/belief:
13. Stand on your own two feet.
Value/belief:
14. Don't judge a book by its cover.
15. All that glitters isn't gold.
Value/belief:
16. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Value/belief:
After checking your answers with the class, would you say that the same values/beliefs are highly valued in Korean culture? Support your answers with examples from Korean culture (for example, Korean expressions – use Korean and translate into English). Your comparison/contrast of these values/beliefs will be submitted for a grade.
1-3: Americans value action and doing over talking, especially if it's talking instead of action.
4-6: Directness
7-8: Emphasis on accomplishment, achieving things, in addition to being a good person.
9-11: Optimism.
12: Self determination.
13: Self-reliance, independence.
14-15: Don't judge or be fooled by appearances; look beneath the surface.
16: Risk-taking, experimentation.
Hi, I'm Priscila, a Brazilian student.
I thought your blog very interesting specially for English teachers as I am. I'm studying yet but I teach children for 2 years. I really would like you to send me a message with some tips of how to teach English for children in your opinion.
Have a nice night!
Bye
I have no idea how to teach children. Sorry.
Posted by: James Trotta at September 7, 2005 3:11 PMESL blog is one of many Blogs for learning English & teaching English. Translation services information.