Intercultural Activity Design: Family and Domestic Duties
Communicative Mode Presentational Speaking
Intercultural Elements: Knowledge/Reflection, Critical Cultural Awareness, Discovery/Interaction
Overview:
Source Activity:
3.4 Domestic Duties (Corbett, 2010, p. 63)
Description:
Students debrief after a field trip to a local community and interview native speakers about domestic duties as well as compare the differences between a Vietnamese family and his/her own family
Context:
This activity is designed for adult language learners who are at level S-1+ in speaking (ILR scale)
Objectives: Students will be able to
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ask and answer questions about household duties
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compare the differences between their informant’s family and his/her own family
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describe these cultural practices in an average Vietnamese family
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analyze the principles behind these cultural practices
Plan:
Class Time: 60 minutes (class size: 4 students)
Materials/Preparation:
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Interview: Prior to this class, students go on a field trip to a local community and each will interview two Vietnamese native speakers and take notes during the interviews.
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Questionnaire/Chart (in Vietnamese) is given by teacher.
Procedure: all interactions are done in Vietnamese
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Warm up: Teacher briefly asks students about their experience during the field trip (what they think about the activity) (5 minutes).
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Each student presents briefly on what he/she has learned from his/her informants regarding domestic duties, and makes comments on the similarities and differences between a Vietnamese and an American family (20 minutes: 5 minutes per student).
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While one student speaks, the rest of the class listens, and takes notes in order to discuss with their peers later.
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After all four students have finished, the teacher asks students to work in pairs to find out how domestic duties are apportioned in their family (10 minutes).
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After pair discussion, the teacher asks each student to tell the whole class who does what domestic duties in their family. For example: the student may say "my wife always does laundry", then asks the class to compare if it’s similar or different from their informant (10 minutes).
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Wrap up: The teacher gives feedback on students’ performance and asks students to reflect on what they have learned after the field trip. (5 minutes)
Recommendations/Variations:
Depending on the proficiency level of students, the teacher may suggest questions that require more or less complex responses, for example how, why questions instead of Yes/No or what, when, and where questions.
Rationale:
I chose to design this lesson to teach students to talk about daily routines with regard to domestic duties in a family. This lesson is the last hour of a four hour lesson about family. I ask students to conduct an interview prior to this class. After this class, students are able to talk about and understand who does what in the family with regard to domestic duties/routines. if the students are unable to interview a native speaker, I will interview one and record the conversation for students to listen to.
As for the cultural objectives, this lesson provides students an opportunity to communicate with native speakers, ask questions, and learn in an authentic setting. During the interaction with native speakers, students will have to get their message across and negotiate meaning in order to understand their informants. This also allows students to see what their informant and their own family have in common and what the differences are regarding domestic duties.
Model Questionnaire: Household structure and duties (Corbert, 2010.p.65)
Who is mainly responsible for …
You Partner/Wife/Husband Mother Father Female Child Male Child Others
Cooking meal
Washing clothes
Ironing clothes
Cleaning the house
Serving food or drink
Washing dishes
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