Dan Zhong HI ED 546 College Teaching Assignment 2----Learning Activity

Culture Difference Rotation Project

Brief description:

This activity offers an opportunity to get to know your classmates better, as well

as a chance to introduce a topic that you are familiar with. One of the objectives of

this course is to develop familiarity with American culture traits. It’s an effective way

to interpret it through comparison with your own culture. Besides, delivery of a clear

and effective presentation is also one of the objectives. This activity tries to meet two

objectives and meanwhile keep the classroom atmosphere productive and fun.

Since this activity takes place in class instead of take-home assignment and the

time for preparation is short, it constitutes only 10% of the course grade. We evaluate

it on a 100 point scale at first because compared to 1-5 scale; the results may have

more variety and could differentiate each individual’s score. Then it will be calculated

by me into 10% of the final grade.

This activity preferably happens at the beginning of the course, and the

approximate student number is 12-15, all of which are non-native speakers of English.

It lasts a whole period of class which is around 2 hours.

Instructions:

This activity is divided into two parts;

1) A rotation discussion part;

In the first part, students sit in two concentric circles, face to face. In this section,

two students are to describe things/traits that you think it’s unique in your own

culture. And the two are supposed to discuss and compare two different cultures. If
 Dan Zhong HI ED 546 College Teaching Assignment 2----Learning Activity

the two students happen to be from the same country, you could talk about the same

culture because later in the second section you are going to give a brief presentation

of your discussion. Each pair has 5 minutes before they rotate to another classmate.

Take notes while you discuss. Rotate all the way around and talk to everyone in the

opposite circle.

2) A short presentation to the class.

In the second part, students from different cultural backgrounds give brief

presentations (about 10 minutes) of the discussion rotation. You could either choose to

present features in your own culture or you could compare two or several cultures in

bullet point. You’ll have 15 minutes to prepare for the presentation. It’s your own

choice to decide whether to use PowerPoint or blackboard, etc. (Note that there are

computers in the classrooms for those who want to create PowerPoint.)

Remember to give an introduction and a short summary of your presentation.

Assessment criteria: (100)

1. Discussion participation (10%)

10 5 1
Actively participate in the Participated in the discussion Lacks of focus during the
discussion rotation with with partner, not quite active; discussion; barely take notes
constant focus on the topic, sometimes the topic goes off
and keeps taking notes the track, keeps taking notes

2. Grammar and syntax (10%)

10 5 1
The summary demonstrates The summary demonstrate Comparatively low-level
good grammatical structures fairly appropriate expressions answers with isolated and
and expressions of relevant with some errors but disjointed words and phrases.
ideas. understandable.
3. Presentation organization (20%)
20 15 10 5
 Dan Zhong HI ED 546 College Teaching Assignment 2----Learning Activity

Consistently clear, Usually clear, concise, Not always clear or Unclear and

concise, well well organized; most concise; organization disorganized,

organized; points are of the presentation is is weak. There are rambled too much.

easy to follow easy to follow. some random points The presentation is a

because of the wandering and little bit confusing.

organization. sometimes difficult to

follow.

4. Information (20%)
20 15 10 5
Displayed great Displayed many Displayed some Only a few

variety of content different points from information, but not superficial content,

from discussion; very the discussion and rich in content little information

informative. students could learn a

lot from it.

5. Pronunciation and fluency (20%)

20 15 10 5
Speech is clear and Pronunciation is There are some Unintelligible

fluid; great generally clear and problems in pronunciation

pronunciation and understandable. It pronunciation; some

appropriate may require listener’s words and phrases are

intonation. The effort, the overall unintelligible.

overall quality if high. quality is good.

6. Stage Presence (20%)

20 15 10 5
Excellent state Good stage presence; Adequate stage Poor stage presence;
 Dan Zhong HI ED 546 College Teaching Assignment 2----Learning Activity

presence; fluent appropriate pace of presence; frequent unprepared; poor

speech; confident, speech; fairly pauses and hesitations eye contact and

notes well used, confident, used notes are delivered; gestures; turned

excellent gestures, fairly well, good minimal gestures and from audience to

eye contact and gestures, acceptable eye contact. read the slides/paper.

audience attention eye contact and

audience attention.

(*Note that students can receive a grade in between the rubric scores, e.g. score 8
for Grammar.)