Module 1: Teaching English across Cultures

1.1 Introduction to Module 1 …………………………………………….………………………………….……………….. 2

1.2 Optional Discussion: Getting to Know Each Other …………………………………..………………………… 4
1.3 Warm-Up: Attitudes about English as an International Language……………………………........... 6
1.4 Lecture: English as an International Language (EIL) and Levels of Culture ………………………… 7
1.4.1 Optional Reading: McCay, 2004 ……………………………………………………………………………………. 17
1.4.2 Optional Discussion: Materials Review for Teaching English in International Context…... 24
1.5 Culture Spotlight: Equality of Opportunity and OERs……………………………………………………….. 26
1.5.1 Activity: Famous Americans Talk about Equality of Opportunity………………………………..…. 28
1.5.2 Quiz: Equality of Opportunity……………………………………………………………………………………..… 33
1.6 English Attitudes Survey Review………………………………………………………………………………………. 33
1.7 Reflection: Cascading New Knowledge Survey…………………………………………………………………. 34
Module 1 Check ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 35

© 2019 by University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Module 1: Teaching English across Cultures for the American English E-Teacher
Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. government, and administered by FHI 360. This
work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License, except where noted. To view a copy of this license, visit
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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1.1 Introduction to Module 1

Dear Participants,
Welcome to the TESOL Methodology course! We are excited to have you join us!
In this course, we will look at best practices for teaching English. We will emphasize the teaching of
English in settings where English is generally not spoken as a native, or first, language.
As you begin, it is important to set some learning goals. Think about what you hope to gain from
this course.

 Do you want to explore new teaching techniques and strategies?

 Are you looking for ideas to address specific needs, such as increasing learners’ oral fluency or
motivating students?
 Would you like to interact with English teaching colleagues from your country, your region, and
around the world?
 Do you wish to improve your academic English?

Take a minute to write or type your goals for this course. These are just for your own benefit and
will not be turned in through Canvas. If you choose to participate in the introduction discussion,
you can also share your goals there.
Since this course is focusing on teaching English where it is not typically a native language, we
would like you to think about your own teaching context.

 Why do people learn English?

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 What do they use it for?
 Who do they use it with?
 What varieties of English are used in your area?
 Is one variety preferred over others? Why?
 What variety or varieties of English do you teach in your classroom?
 How do you incorporate culture in your teaching?

In the first module, we will examine the role of English as an international language and how that
affects the choices we make as teachers and course developers. We will also explore levels of
culture in language teaching. Finally, we will expand our access to instructional materials through
the use of open educational resources to promote equality of opportunity.
We are excited to have you with us on this journey! Let's get started!

Module 1 Task List:

The module should take 4-5 hours to complete. Complete the following tasks by the end of the
week (by Monday, February 3, 11:59 p.m EST).

1. Participate in the optional Getting to Know Each Other discussion (15 minutes)
2. Complete the warm-up activity about Attitudes About English as an International Language (30
minutes)
3. Read English as an International Language (EIL) and Levels of Culture (60 minutes)
4. Participate in an optional discussion about Materials Review for Teaching English in
International Context (30 minutes)
5. Read Culture Spotlight: Equality of Opportunity and OERs (30 minutes)
6. Complete the activity about Famous Americans Talk About Equality of Opportunity (30
minutes)
7. Take the Equality of Opportunity Quiz (30 minutes)
8. Reflect on the module in the Cascading New Knowledge Survey (30 minutes)
9. Complete the English Attitudes Survey Review (15 minutes)

Module Requirements

 Each page of the module should be viewed and read

 All quizzes require a score of at least 70% to pass
 Discussions need to be reviewed but posting is optional
 Cascading New Knowledge Surveys should be completed at the end of each module
 Completion of the previous module is always a prerequisite for the subsequent module

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1.2 Optional Discussion: Getting to Know Each
Other

“Hello Hi Foreign Background Greeting Bounjour” .by Maialisa is licensed under a Pixabay License. It is free to use and share.

This discussion board is a great way for you to get to know some of the people taking this course.
Who knows? You might even "meet" someone from your home town.
Take a moment to introduce yourself to your fellow participants and colleagues. Discuss the
following topics in your post:

1. Introduce yourself (where you are from, what you teach, years of experience in English
teaching or learning).
2. What is your most memorable moment in teaching or learning a language?
3. What do you like to do in your free time?
This discussion is not graded, but we encourage you to comment on other people's posts.
Here is an example for an introduction:
Hello Everyone,
My name is Kati. I am originally from Budapest, Hungary, but I have lived in the USA for the last 20
years. I live in Baltimore, Maryland, where I teach at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. I
teach ESL classes, a freshmen writing course for the English Department, and a graduate linguistics
course for the Education Department.

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My most memorable teaching moments are when former students come back to my office to thank
me for helping them lay the foundation for their academic success. It is so nice to see students
succeed at the university, knowing that the fact that they attended our program helped them
achieve this.
In my free time I enjoy reading books, working out, and cooking.
I am looking forward to working with all of you in this MOOC.
Kati

Note: Submit your post online. A good discussion board post is about 150-250 words long.

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1.3 Warm-Up: Attitudes about English as an
International Language

“Untitled” by Gerd Altmann.is licensed under a Pixabay. License. It is free to use and share.

There are many opinions about language, culture, and language teaching. As we start our course,
please take a moment to consider what you already know or believe about these ideas. Complete
the following survey to get a better understanding of how you view language and culture. This
survey is not graded and there are no right or wrong answers. It is designed to help you consider
some ideas about language and culture. You can only take this survey once.
The survey must be completed online.

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1.4 Lecture: English as an International Language
(EIL) and Levels of Culture

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Read more about Sandra Lee McKay's three levels of culture.
Introduction
There are many people who speak English all over the world. One might assume that English is the
most widely spoken language in the world. However, that is not the case. Mandarin (a language
spoken by many people in China) has the most native speakers (L1--first language). What makes
English unique is the number of speakers who are non-native English speakers (L2--second
language). With the growing number of English learners, the approach of teaching English as an
International Language has become more and more important in recent years. This raises the
question of how we should teach culture. Is it important for EIL learners to learn about native
English speakers' cultures? Whose cultures should we teach?
Culture and Language
In order to answer those questions, it is important to examine what role culture plays in language
teaching. Obviously, it is present in many words and expressions that are specific to certain
cultures. For example, the expression yellow journalism, which is a type of journalism that uses
sensational headlines instead of well-researched news to sell more newspapers, is a US term that
would have no special meaning for an EIL learner in other cultures. There are also cultural
differences between spoken and written language in social context. For example, the way business
communication is written or certain essays are composed is different from culture to culture. It is,
therefore, very important to keep these differences in mind when designing a curriculum (plan of
what to teach in a course or program) or textbooks for EIL learners.
Three Levels of Culture
There are three levels of culture that we should consider when making decisions about curriculum
design and instructional materials for EIL learners.

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1. Teachers can draw on learners' own culture (source culture) in English. For example, a teacher
in Brazil might use the carnival in Rio to teach greeting visitors.
2. Teachers can teach the culture of certain countries where English is spoken as a native
language (target culture). For example, a teacher might use Halloween (an American tradition)
as an example when teaching about scary ideas.
3. Teachers can include different cultures from all over the world (international target culture).
For example, a teacher in Japan might use an African dance to teach describing with the
present continuous tense.

“3 Types of Cultural Materials” by Zarin Marvi for University of Maryland Baltimore County is licensed under CC BY 4.0 for use in the AE E-Teacher
Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.

It is important to emphasize that it is the teachers who must decide which approach to use .
Teachers are the ones who can determine what is best for their students. However, keep in mind
that learners may use English for many purposes and contexts in their lives, so learning about all
cultures in all three levels can be helpful.
Optional Reading:
Reference (OER):
McKay, S. L. 2004. “Western Culture and the Teaching of English as an International
Language.” English Teaching Forum. 42(2): 10-
15. https://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/04-42-2-f.pdf.

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Sandra Lee McKay

U N I T E D S T A T E S

Western
and the
Culture
Teaching
as an
of
English
International
Language
O NE OF THE MOST COMPLEX PROBLEMS IN TEACHING ENGLISH AS AN INTERNATIONAL

language (EIL) is determining the cultural basis of EIL. For some, the learning of

any language necessitates learning how to use the language correctly and appro-

priately according to native speaker norms. For others, however, an international

language by definition is not linked to any particular culture. Smith (1976), for

example, argues that in reference to an international language:

a) non-native speakers do not need to internalize the cultural norms of native

speakers of that language,

b) an international language becomes “de-nationalized,” and

c) the purpose of teaching an international language is to facilitate the com-

munication of learners’ ideas and culture in an English medium.

(For a discussion of additional features of an international language, see McKay

2002.)

10 A P R I L 2 0 0 4 E N G L I S H T E A C H I N G F O R U M
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In many countries today there is tremen-
dous interest in learning English for interna-
tional purposes, yet there is ambivalence
toward the linking of EIL with the culture of
countries where English is spoken as a native
language. To exemplify this ambivalence, I
begin by discussing several countries in which
educators have rejected the inclusion of West-
ern culture and values in the teaching of Eng-
lish. Then I demonstrate how, ironically, at
the same time, many of those countries
include Western culture and values in their
approved textbooks.
Attitudes toward western cultures
Currently, in many countries throughout
the world, there is tremendous pressure to
learn English. This pressure is evident in a
variety of ways. To begin, in many countries,
English is a required subject beginning in mid-
dle school and continuing through high
school and is often one of the areas tested on
college entrance examinations. In addition,
many international corporations are encourag-
ing their employees to develop their English
skills by providing English training on the job.
Along with the pressure to learn English
comes concern about how English should be
taught and what role culture should play in
the teaching of English. Many language edu-
cators support the inclusion of a cultural com-
ponent in the teaching of English. Adaskou,
Britten, and Fahsi (1990), for example, sum-
marize the following arguments for having a
cultural component in language teaching: it
can promote international understanding,
deepen an understanding of one’s own culture,
facilitate learners’ visits to foreign countries,
and motivate learners.
Prodromou (1992), on the other hand, dis-
putes the value of including cultural content
in language teaching materials. He bases his
opinion on the results of a survey he gave to
Greek students, mostly young adults (studying
in private language institutes and at the British
Council Teaching Centre), regarding what
they believe should be the subject matter of
English lessons. The two top choices of topics
were the English language and science and
society. The reaction to cultural content was
quite mixed. Whereas 60 percent wanted to
study British life and institutions, only about a
quarter of the students wanted to study either
E N G L I S H T E A C H I N G F O R U M
American or Greek life and institutions. Pro-
dromou hypothesizes that the students’ inter-
est in British life and institutions may be due
to students’ belief that if they knew more
about British life, they would do better on the
British-based Cambridge exam. If that is the
case, overall these students did not find learn-
ing about culture, either their own or others,
very motivating.
In other contexts, there appears to be sup-
port for including a cultural component in
language teaching materials, but only if the
materials deal with the local culture. For
example, in examining the Moroccan situa-
tion, Adaskou, Britten, and Fahsi (1990)
found that the inclusion of culture, specifical-
ly Western culture, in teaching materials is not
motivating or beneficial to students. Drawing
on interviews with Moroccan teachers, Adask-
ou, Britten, and Fahsi maintain that, in gener-
al, Moroccan educators believe that including
information about Western culture, and then
inviting cultural comparisons, contributes to
students’ discontent with their own culture.
Teachers also pointed out that some patterns
of behavior that exist in English-speaking
social contexts are ones that many Moroccans
would prefer their young people not see.
Finally, the teachers believe that students will
be more, not less, motivated to learn English if
the language is presented in contexts that
relate to their lives as young adults rather than
in the context of an English-speaking country.
In Chile, the Ministry of Education has
decided that it would be more motivating for
students to focus on their own culture and
country. Hence, the Ministry has designed a
series of textbooks for the public schools enti-
tled Go for Chile (Mugglestone, Elsworth, and
Rose 1999, 2000) that implements the Min-
istry’s learning objectives. Go for Chile features
a group of students from various countries
onboard a ship sailing along the coast of Chile.
The scenario of the sea voyage enables the
textbook writers to deal with Chilean places
and concerns. Thus, the book is filled with
information about various areas of Chile and
issues facing the country.
One of the strongest rejections of the inclu-
sion of Western culture in EIL teaching mate-
rials appears in a Japanese bestseller entitled
Why the Japanese people are no good at English
by Suzuki Takao. Suzuki (1999) offers several
A P R I L 2 0 0 4 11
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reasons why he believes the teaching of Eng-
lish should be separated from information
about Western cultural values. First, he argues
that Japan as an international power has no
need to teach Western culture. Secondly, he
believes that Japan must fight against the sub-
tle form of Western imperialism that suggests
the need to emulate everything Western,
including the English language. For him, such
emulation is a form of mental colonization.
He says:
When Japanese come into contact with for-
eigners [Westerners, specifically, Ameri-
cans], they have been historically predis-
posed to accepting that person’s way of
thinking and acting, that person’s value sys-
tem, and even that person’s habits. And if
they seem better than one’s own, they don’t
hesitate to imitate them and take these dif-
ferences in as their own, even hoping to
become like them. This is the mental pre-
disposition to what I referred to earlier as
auto-colonization. (p. 145)
For Suzuki, promoting Western cultural stan-
dards in the use of English often results in
Japanese people having a feeling of inferiority.
As illustrated by the examples above, man-
ifestations of attitudes toward including West-
ern culture in EIL teaching materials vary by
country. Some countries emphasize making
the local culture the focus of the content,
while other countries reject any inclusion of
Western culture.
Western culture and EFL textbooks
While educational leaders in some coun-
tries are hesitant to include Western culture in
English language teaching, many of the text-
books adopted in these countries do include
Western characters and values. Japan is a case
in point. Although the majority of characters
in textbooks approved by the Ministry of Edu-
cation are Japanese, those that are not Japan-
ese are Western characters. In examining cur-
rent high school English oral communication
textbooks, Shimako (2000) found that
although Japanese culture was the main con-
tent used in the books, when foreign cultures
were mentioned in the texts, it was in the con-
text of visitors to Japan (almost exclusively
Western visitors) being introduced to Japanese
culture by Japanese. By and large, the main
Western culture presented was American.
12 A P R I L
This tendency to focus mainly on Western
English-speaking cultures is also evident in
junior high school textbooks approved by the
Japanese Ministry of Education. This is demon-
strated by the chart on the next page, which lists
the countries of origin of the non-Japanese
characters in such textbooks.
Perhaps more interesting than the national-
ities of characters in textbooks is how charac-
ters are used in the textbooks. In many coun-
tries where Western characters are introduced
in textbooks, it is often in the context of pre-
senting differences between Western culture
and local cultures, often accompanied by an
emulation of Western culture and traditions.
Examples in the following discussion demon-
strate this tendency. All of these examples
involve the issue of gender roles, and all of
them appear in textbooks approved by the
local Ministry of Education.
In one Moroccan textbook (English in
Life), students are introduced to an American
engineer, Steve Lynch, and his family of three
children. In terms of gender roles, the family is
fairly traditional because the wife, Barbara,
doesn’t work outside of the home. However, in
one of the readings, the family’s activities are
described in such a way that traditional gender
roles are questioned.
Example One:
After work Steve comes back home. He
likes to be with his family in the evening.
Usually he or Nancy [his daughter] cooks
dinner for the family. Then they wash the
plates. Barbara just likes to eat. She doesn’t
like to work in the kitchen. She thinks it
takes a lot of time and it isn’t interesting.
Steve never criticizes her. Do you think he’s
right? (page 41)
In this case, although the wife plays a tradi-
tional role in that she doesn’t work outside of
the home, nonetheless, she is unusual because
she doesn’t participate in the traditional female
role of making meals. Steve, on the other
hand, by undertaking domestic duties, illus-
trates a male role that is often encouraged in
Western cultures. Hence, not only does the
book depict gender roles advocated by many
Western cultures, but it also opens a discussion
of gender roles by asking whether or not Bar-
bara should be criticized for not playing a tra-
ditional female role.
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04-0218 ETF_10_15 4/13/04 2:23 PM Page 13

TEXTBOOKS WESTERN OTHER CULTURES

ENGLISH-SPEAKING CULTURES
Total Active Communication USA (5 characters)

Columbus USA (4 characters) Korea (3 characters)

New Zealand (1 character)

New Crown USA (3 characters) China (1 character)

England (1 character) Kenya (1 character)

New Horizon Australia (3 characters)

Canada (1 character)
USA (1 character)

One World Canada (1 character) Brazil (1 character)

USA (1 character)

Sunshine Canada (1 character) Brazil (1 character)

USA (1 character) China (1 character)
Total English USA (2 characters) Kenya (1 character)

Total: 25 characters Total: 9 characters

Source:
Watanabe. S., R. Ogasawara, and R. Goris, eds. 2002. Total Active Communication 1. Tokyo: Shubunkan. N Tojo, K.,
ed. 2002. Columbus 21 English Course 1. Tokyo: Mitsumura Tosho. N Morizumi, M., ed. 2002. New Crown English
Series 1. Tokyo: Sanseido. N Kasajima, J., H. Asano, Y. Shimomura, T. Makino, and M. Ikeda, eds. 2002. New Hori-
zon English Course 1. Tokyo: Tokyo Shoseki. N Sasaki, T., ed. 2002. One World English Course 1. Tokyo: Kyoiku
Shuppan. N Shimaoka, T. and S. Aoki, eds. 2002. Sunshine English Course 1. Tokyo: Kairyudo. N Horiguchi, T., ed.
2002. Total English New Edition 1. Tokyo: Gakko Tosho.

A presentation of Western values regarding
gender roles is evident later in this same text-
book when the daughter, Nancy, is discussing
her future with her Moroccan friend, Latifa.
The following is an excerpt from this dialogue:
Example Two:
Nancy: Do you want to see this magazine,
Latifa? It’s all about different possi-
ble careers.
Latifa: No thanks. I’ve decided on my
career. I’m going to be a university
professor.
Nancy: Oh, that’s nice. Congratulations.
What university are you going to
teach at?
Latifa: I haven’t decided yet. Probably the
biggest one. What about you, Nancy?
Have you decided on your career?
Nancy: No, not yet. I’m still thinking
about it.
Latifa: Have you thought about a career in
medicine?
Nancy: Hm. I’d like to be a doctor. But no,
I can’t. I’m not intelligent enough.
Latifa: That’s true. Well, have you consid-
ered a career in business? That
doesn’t need much intelligence.
Nancy: Oh really? Yes, I’d like to be a busi-
ness woman. But no, it’s impossible.
I’m too lazy for a career in business.
Latifa: Well, have you thought about jour-
nalism? Some journalists don’t
work very hard.
Nancy: Oh yes! I’d like to be a journalist.
But…I don’t know…I don’t write
well enough.
Latifa: It’s difficult, isn’t it? You aren’t
intelligent, you aren’t hard-working
and you don’t write well. What
careers have you thought about?
Nancy: Well, I’d like to be a gym teacher –
you know, physical education.
Latifa: Oh. I see yes…Well, I must get
back to work. See you.
Nancy: Bye, Latifa. (pages 156–57)
The dialogue presents a complex account of
gender roles. Although the interaction sug-
gests that it is important for a woman to have

E N G L I S H T E A C H I N G F O R U M A P R I L 2 0 0 4 13
04-0218 ETF_10_15 4/13/04 2:23 PM Page 14
a career, a value often promoted in Western
contexts, the Western figure appears to be
incapable of managing most careers. Hence,
Nancy provides a far from exemplary role
model. On the other hand, Latifa, a Moroc-
can, appears quite determined to pursue a suc-
cessful professional career. Dialogues like this
one demonstrate that even though there
appears to be little support among Moroccan
educators for the inclusion of Western culture
in teaching materials, textbooks do, in fact,
include examples of Western values, often pre-
sented in an ambivalent manner.
Presentation of cultural values is less am-
bivalent in the Chilean context mentioned ear-
lier. Although characters from many countries
are portrayed in the Go For Chile textbooks, the
gender roles depicted reflect typical Western
values. Most of the families presented in the
textbook include a mother who works outside
of the home in a professional job. For exam-
ple, in the family of one character, the mother
is a secretary and the aunt is a dentist. There is
no mention of a family in which the mother
works in the home taking care of the family.
Perhaps the most vivid example of the pro-
motion of Western gender roles appears in the
following dialogue from a Japanese textbook.
Example Three:
Rye: Jim?
Jim: What.
Rye: Is your father always doing the dish-
es like that?
Jim: Yes. My parents take turns cooking
and doing the dishes.
Rye: My father never helps with the
housework. He’s too tired after a
long day’s work.
Jim: I think the Japanese work too much
and too long. What do you think?
Rye: I think so too. But people are taking
more holidays than before. My
father stays home longer.
Jim: What does he do on holidays?
Rye: Usually, he just relaxes. But you
know what? He started to learn
cooking.
Jim: Does he cook well?
Rye: Yes, he cooks very well. Everything is
very very well-done.
(Source: Echo. 1997. Tokyo: Sanyusya, Lesson
18, “Housework,” as cited in Shimako 2000)
14 A P R I L
The dialogue is a vivid example of what
Suzuki (1999) refers to as auto-colonization, in
which Japanese are depicted as emulating and
accepting Western values. In the dialogue, Rye
not only appears to apologize for aspects of his
own culture, agreeing with Jim that Japanese
“work too much and too long,” but he quickly
points out that his father is emulating Western
traditions by learning to cook. As if this is not
sufficient evidence of a type of auto-coloniza-
tion, he goes on to say that his father, however,
has not managed to undertake this Western
pattern very effectively since everything he
cooks is “very very well-done.”
Conclusion
As Smith (1976) argued almost 30 years
ago, the fact that English has become an inter-
national language suggests that English no
longer needs to be linked to the culture of
those who speak it as a first language. Rather,
the purpose of an international language is to
describe one’s own culture and concerns to
others. The examples in this article demon-
strate that, in many countries, the teaching of
English is becoming much more closely
aligned with the host culture as those coun-
tries use local characters, places, and issues as
the content for their teaching materials. On
the other hand, a closer look at some of these
materials demonstrates that, in more subtle
ways, English is still being linked to the cul-
ture of English-speaking countries. First, in
many cases where characters other than local
figures are included in teaching materials, the
characters are from Western English-speaking
countries. These depictions persist even
though, in many instances today, second lan-
guage speakers of English use EIL to commu-
nicate not with native speakers of English but
with other second language users of English.
By not portraying second language speakers of
English in dialogue with one another, educa-
tors are missing an opportunity to provide
learners with models of second language
speakers of English communicating effectively
with each other. Secondly, and perhaps more
importantly, the use of Western characters in
some language teaching materials is illustrat-
ing in subtle ways that the use of English
necessitates the acceptance of Western values.
It would be unfortunate if dialogues such as
those noted above left students with that
2 0 0 4 E N G L I S H T E A C H I N G F O R U M
04-0218 ETF_10_15 4/14/04 9:30 AM Page 15
impression. For, as Smith claimed long ago,
only when English is used to express and
uphold local culture and values will it truly
represent an international language.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to David Malinowski for his transla-
tion of Suzuki (1999) and Takako Nishino for
her analysis of the junior high school textbook
characters.
References
Adaskou, K., D. Britten, and B. Fahsi. 1990. Design
decisions on the cultural content of a secondary
English course for Morocco. ELT Journal 44
(1):3–10.
English in Life. 1990. Casablanca: Royaume du
Maroc, Ministere de L’Education Nationale
[Morocco’s Ministry of Education].
McKay, S.L. 2002. Teaching English as an interna-
tional language: Rethinking goals and approaches.
Oxford: Oxford University Press.
E N G L I S H T E A C H I N G F O R U M
Mugglestone, P., S. Elsworth, and J. Rose. 1999,
2000. Go for Chile, Book 1 and 2. Santiago,
Chile: Addison Wesley Longman.
Prodromou, L. 1992. What culture? Which cul-
ture? ELT Journal 46 (1): 39–50.
Smith, L. 1976. English as an international auxil-
iary language. RELC Journal 7 (2):38–43.
Suzuki, T. 1999. Nihonjin wa naze Eigo ga dekinai
ka [Why the Japanese people are no good at
English]. Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten.
Shimako, I. 2000. Evaluating cultural context and
content in EFL materials: A study of high school
level oral communication (OCA) textbooks in
Japan. Paper presented at the international con-
vention of Teachers of English to Speakers of
Other Languages, Vancouver, Canada.
SANDRA MCKAY is a Professor of English at
San Francisco State University in the TESL
program. She has been involved in teacher
education programs in many countries,
including Chile, Morocco, and Japan.
A WORD SEARCH PUZZLE
URBAN RENEWAL
ANSWERS
A P R I L 2 0 0 4 15
1.4.1 Optional Discussion: Materials Review for
Teaching English in International Context

“3 Types of Cultural Materials” by Zarin Marvi for University of Maryland Baltimore County is licensed under for use in the AE E-Teacher
Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.

Directions
We all have to use and create different types of teaching materials for our students. For this
activity, please do the following:
1. Review how culture is taught in your teaching materials (textbooks, handouts, and other
books such as novels) and answer the following questions:

 How do the textbook and/or your other teaching materials present culture?
 Do they show all three levels of culture? Give some examples.
 If you don't have teaching materials, or if your materials don't teach all the levels of culture,
how might you include the three levels of culture in your lessons?
2. Post your responses to these questions in the discussion thread below. Your responses
should be between 150-250 words long.

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Here is a sample post for this discussion:
Hello Fellow Participants,
In my classes, I use textbooks and easy readers (books designed especially to be used for ESL
students of different levels). They represent two levels of cultural materials: target culture,
providing insights on the American and British culture from a variety of perspectives (traditional
holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas; festivals such as Mardi Gras and Coachella), and
international cultural materials, introducing traditions and practices from around the world
(Single's Day in China, Latin American food, Mediterranean travels, etc.). I try to expand the
international culture materials by using videos, articles, and interviews showing a variety of
accents, traditions, and habits. I also use current cultural and political topics from all over the
world.
Since our textbooks do not include source culture materials, I use the internet to find sources
written in English about our traditions, culture, and history. The lack of source culture materials
is also a great opportunity to have the students do some research about their own culture
in English and then maybe compare it with either the target or international culture.
Kati
This discussion is not graded. However, please see this self-assessment rubric for scoring on
how well you address each part of the assignment.

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1.5 Culture Spotlight: Equality of
Opportunity and OERs

CULTURE SPOTLIGHT
“Cultural Spotlight icon” by Tiera Day for University of Maryland Baltimore County is licensed under CC BY 4.0 for use in the AE E-Teacher Program, sponsored by the U.S.
Department of State.

Culture spotlight is a part of each module, where you will have a chance to learn about
American values and teaching practices. In this Module, we will focus on equality of
opportunity.

Directions: Read the introduction to the cultural value of equality of opportunity, and how it
connects to open education resources (OERs). On the next page you will complete a model OER
activity on equality of opportunity.

Words to know

Equality the right of different groups of people to have a similar social position
and receive the same treatment (CEFR)

Equity equality and fairness in relationships (Wikipedia)

Equal the same in importance and deserving the same treatment (CEFR)

Liberty the freedom to live as you wish or go where you want (CEFR)

to fight or argue (CEFR)

Clash

Exploit use unfairly (CEFR)

Introduction to Equality of Opportunity

Equality of opportunity is an American cultural value. This is the American dream. It started
with the Declaration of Independence, a document that was signed by the first thirteen

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independent states on July 4, 1776. The states wanted to start a new nation called the United
States of America. Written in this document are the words:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their
Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of
Happiness."- Preamble to the Declaration of Independence (U.S., 1776).

Equality means many things to many people. In the United States, people come from many
countries, religions, languages, and races. Each individual and each group of people may have
different experiences. Everyone is free to pursue (go after) a life, liberty and happiness. This is
what equality of opportunity is all about. This means that the law protects freedom for people
of all religions, races, genders, and classes. The government provides access to free public
education for all school aged children, and requires equal access to public employment
opportunities and spaces.
Although the United States was founded on the idea that “all men are created equal,” this
referred specifically to men of European ancestry. Throughout history, different groups of
people have fought to expand that understanding to include everyone, including women,
people of different races and ethnicities, and people with disabilities.

Open Educational Resources Support Equality

This work is a derivative of “Untitled.” by Gordon Johnson used under CC0 1.0. This derivative is licensed under CC BY 4.0 by University of
Maryland Baltimore County for use in the AE E-Teacher Program, sponsored by the U.S Department of State.

Open Education Resources (OERs) offer access to free resources and information for those who
may not be able to pay for them. For example, English classes and teaching materials are often
available only to those who have money. However, if we make and share OERs with others, we
can provide access to free resources for English teachers and students who may not otherwise
have them. This whole course is an open educational resource that can provide professional
development to English teachers. The activity on the next page is a model open educational
resource (OER) activity about a U.S. cultural value (target culture).

References (OER)
United States (1776). The Declaration of Independence. National Archives. Retrieved January 7,
2018
from https://search.archives.gov/search?query=Declaration+of+Independence&submit=&utf8=
&affiliate=national-archives (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

27
1.5.1 Activity: Famous Americans Talk about
Equality of Opportunity
Model OER Activity
The activity below is a model open educational resource (OER) activity about a U.S cultural
value (target culture) with a CCBY4.0 license. This means you can reuse, remix, and redistribute
(share) it as long as you give attribution (credit) to the source. Think about how you can use this
OER to support your students' learning, how you might adapt (modify or change) it for your
context, and how you might share it with other colleagues. You can also use this activity to
support your own learning.

Famous Americans Talk About Equality of Opportunity

Part 1: Read and/or listen to some quotes about equality from famous
Americans. What do you think they mean? You will use these quotes and their
meanings in the matching activity below. You can quiz yourself on the next
page.

"I do believe that there will be a clash [fight] between East and
West. I believe that there will be a clash between those who want
freedom, justice and equality for everyone and those who want to
continue the systems of exploitation [treating someone unfairly]. I
believe that there will be that kind of clash, but I don't think that it
will be based upon the color of the skin…."
- Malcolm X, African-American Muslim minister and human rights
activist
“Untitled.” by Deutsch is licensed under a Pixabay

License. It is free to use and share.

"There never will be complete equality until women themselves

help to make laws and elect lawmakers.”
—Susan B. Anthony, activist and leader in the women's voting
rights movement

“Susan B Anthony.” by G.E. Perine & Co.,

28
NY via Wikimedia Commons is licensed under Public
Domain.

"A good many observers have remarked that if equality could

come at once, the Negro [black person] would not be ready for it. I
submit that the white American is even more unprepared."
—Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Civil rights leader

“Untitled.” by skeeze is licensed under

a Pixabay. License. It is free to use and share

“Now, as a nation, we don't promise equal outcomes, but we were

founded on the idea everybody should have an equal opportunity
to succeed. No matter who you are, what you look like, where you
come from, you can make it. That's an essential promise of
America. Where you start should not determine where you end
up.”

“Untitled” by Pete Souza via Wikimedia Commons is

— Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States
licensed under Public Domain.

I do believe that every person has an equal opportunity to be a good

and wise judge regardless of their background or life experiences.
Read more at:
https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/sonia_sotomayor_454928

"I do believe that every person has an equal opportunity to be a

good and wise judge, regardless of their background or life
experiences."
“Untitled” by Deutsch is licensed under — Sonia Sotomayor, 1st Hispanic U.S. Supreme Court Justice
a Pixabay. License. It is free to use and share.

"This nation was founded by men of many nations and

backgrounds. It was founded on the principle [basic truth] that all
men are created equal, and that the rights of every man are
diminished [make smaller] when the rights of one man are
threatened."
—John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States

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 “Untitled.” by Deutsch is licensed under
a Pixabay License. It is free to use and share.

Part 2: Match the quote with its meaning.

Matching Activity
Please take a moment to reflect on these quotes and try to match them to their correct
meaning. When you are ready, go to the next page and quiz yourself to find the correct match.
Example:
3. "There never will be complete equality until women themselves help to make laws and elect
lawmakers.”
means
F. People need a voice in decision making in order to have equality.

Quote Meaning

1. "I do believe that there will be a clash between

East and West. I believe that there will be a clash A. It does not matter how
between those who want freedom, justice and and where people grow
equality for everyone and those who want to up, they can be a leader
continue the systems of exploitation. I believe that for justice.
there will be that kind of clash, but I don't think
that it will be based upon the color of the skin…."

2. “Now, as a nation, we don't promise equal

outcomes, but we were founded on the idea
everybody should have an equal opportunity to B. When people don’t treat one group
succeed. No matter who you are, what you look equally, other groups are in danger of not
like, where you come from, you can make it. That's being treated equally as well.
an essential promise of America. Where you start
should not determine where you end up.”

3. "There never will be complete equality until C. Anyone can work to improve their
women themselves help to make laws and elect situation and achieve success.
lawmakers.”

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4. "This nation was founded by men of many
nations and backgrounds. It was founded on the
principle that all men are created equal, and that
the rights of every man are diminished when the
rights of one man are threatened."
D. For groups of people that have not
experienced equality of opportunity for
diverse groups, making change and
sharing power is challenging.

E. There will be a fight between people

5. "I do believe that every person has an equal who want resources for money and
opportunity to be a good and wise judge, those who want fair treatment for
regardless of their background or life experiences." people.

6. "A good many observers have remarked that if

equality could come at once, the Negro [black F. People need a voice in decision making in
person] would not be ready for it. I submit that the order to have equality.
white American is even more unprepared."

Remember, you can print these quotes and download the audio files from online to use this
activity with your students!

References (OER)
Anthony, S. B. (May 1897). [Quote]. National Archives. Retrieved December 14, 2017,
from https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/documented-rights/exhibit/section3/ (Links to an
external site.)Links to an external site.

"Equity" [definition]. Wikipedia. Retrieved December 13, 2017

from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equity (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Kennedy, J. F. (1964). Report to the American People on Civil Rights. Retrieved December 14,
2017, from https://www.jfklibrary.org/Research/Research-Aids/JFK-Speeches/Civil-Rights-
Radio-and-Television-Report_19630611.aspx (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

United States (1776). The Declaration of Independence. National Archives. Retrieved January 7,
2018
from https://search.archives.gov/search?query=Declaration+of+Independence&submit=&utf8=
&affiliate=national-archives (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

31
References (Copyrighted)
This content is copyrighted, and cannot be adopted in any way, or distributed after the end of this course. It is not
Public Domain or Creative Commons-licensed, and therefore not for public use. Please do not save a copy for your
personal use, and do not use it after the course ends .

(CEFR), Common European Framework of Reference. English vocabulary profile free

subscription. Retrieved December 13, 2017,
from http://englishprofile.org/index.php/wordlists/free-subscription (Links to an external site.)
King, M. L. (1967). Where do we go from here: Chaos or community? New York: Harper & Row.
X, M., & Breitman, G. (1990). Malcolm X Speaks: Selected speeches and statements. New York:
Grove Weidenfeld.

32
1.5.2 Quiz: Equality of Opportunity

Quiz Instructions: Quiz yourself to see if you can match the quotes with the meanings. This quiz
is graded, and it is worth 6 points.
You must complete this quiz online.

1.6 English Attitudes Survey Review

Now that you have completed Module 1, revisit the English Language Attitudes Survey to see if
your beliefs have changed or not. Similarly to the warm-up survey, you can only take this
review once.
This survey will not count towards your grade, but is required to complete Module 1.
The survey must be completed online.

33
1.7 Reflection: Cascading New Knowledge Survey
Quiz Instructions

Cascading New Knowledge

“Casading New Knowledge icon” by Tiera Day for University of Maryland Baltimore County is licensed under CC BY 4.0 for use in the AE E-
Teacher Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.

In education, we use the word cascade to describe sharing knowledge among professionals. For
example, after finishing this MOOC, you may want to share with your colleagues some of the
new approaches that you have learned. In other words, you would cascade new knowledge.
Please complete this graded survey on how you would design an activity using Open
Educational Resources and how you might cascade the knowledge you gained in this module.
There are three free-response questions (where you have to write a short answer) and one
multiple choice question.

Here is a sample response to each of the free response questions.

This survey must be completed online.
1. Describe an activity that you use to teach culture in your classroom.
Topic: Birthday traditions
Objectives: By the end of the activity, students will be able to talk about different ways to
celebrate birthdays all over the world.
Students’ level: Intermediate
Step 1: Students form groups of 3 and discuss how they celebrate their birthdays, sharing their
own family traditions.
Step 2: Each group receives a birthday tradition (Sweet 16, Bar Mitzvah, Quinceañera) that they
have to research and prepare a presentation about (if there is a computer lab, students can
work on it in class, or they can do it at home).
Step 3: Each group prepares a presentation using PPT, Prezi, or boards.
Step 4: Each group presents in class.
Step 5: After the presentation, students can ask questions.

34
2. Which level of culture does your activity address?
Level of culture: Source culture, target culture, international target culture.

3. How could you develop your activity into an OER (open educational resource)?
I would make sure that all the PPT presentations include the sources (preferably OER sources)
that the students used. Then I can create a PDF document from all the PPT presentations and
post it on the Creative Commons website with a CCBY 4.0 attribute.

This survey must be completed online.

35
Module 1 Check
Quiz Instructions

Please answer one question to verify that you have completed all activities in Module 5. You
must choose "yes" in order to move on in the course. This quiz will count as 1 point toward
your grade.
This quiz must be completed online.

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