NAVIGATING CULTURAL NUANCES

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Hi, everyone!

Welcome to another post on my English teaching adventures! Today, I'm excited to share an activity about understanding cultural nuances in the English language classroom. This idea sprang from a particularly inspiring experience I enjoyed a few weeks ago: the "II Jornadas de Escuelas Amigas" at EOI La Carolina, where I participated in many interesting workshops. These were not only enlightening but also deeply encouraging. So, I just can't wait to tell you!

The workshops underscored the importance of motivating students and designing attractive activities... and here I am:  brimming with the new ideas I discovered then and eager to implement them in my classroom. Thanks to Cristina Cabal, Carolina Sáez, Olga Peláez, Marisa Rodríguez, Javi Rico and Ana Pérez for their inspiring sessions! I wish I had had the opportunity to attend many more!

In fact, the activity I'm about to describe is a direct result of the inspiration I drew from Cristina’s methods and Marisa´s enthusiasm. It's designed to challenge students to think critically about cultural practices and communication styles worldwide, using a technology-enhanced format: QR codes and avatars!

In the activity, students engage with five avatars, each representing a distinct country—Japan, France, China, India, and Brazil. These avatars present specific cultural scenarios that students might encounter when interacting with people from these countries. Each scenario is designed to educate and challenge students to think critically about the appropriate responses based on cultural context.

For instance, in Japan, how does one appropriately greet a business partner? The options may include a deep bow or a firm handshake, pushing students to apply their understanding of Japanese customs. Similarly, scenarios from France to Brazil explore dining etiquette, gift-giving customs, personal space considerations, and polite ways to apologize. Let the debate begin: Have a look here!

How to proceed! First, display the QR codes around the classroom walls and organize students into groups. Each group will be asked to scan a QR code to listen to their avatar and take notes on the scenario presented. Then, let students return to their seats to debate and decide on the culturally appropriate response. They may even consider what the right attitude would be in Spain! To conclude, each group shares their scenario and selected response with the class. It will be fun to guess who was right and who wasn't and why.

As you can see, after the "Jornadas", I am more inspired than ever to continue integrating more engaging activities in my classroom to spark curiosity among students and prepare them for real-world interactions in their personal and professional lives. As educators, isn’t that exactly what we strive for? Proud to be part of the best team ever:


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Have fun with English C1.2 by Paula Gómez is licensed under a Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial-CompartirIgual 4.0 Internacional License.