Western Culture and Society 西方文化社会

American-BritishCultureandSocietySyllabusOffice:BuildingA3-518OfficeHours:4:30-5:30THRPhone:695978E-mail:[e-mail]Website:Edmodo.com(code:x0013d)DescriptionThestudyofanycultureandsocietyisenrichedbyaninterdisciplinaryuseofmethodsandtheoriesfromhistory,anthropology,sociology,andgenderstudies.Thesedisciplinesilluminatethroughobservationsandmaterialdatahowsocialgroupsareformed,andhowandwhypeopleinteractinthewaytheydointhepastandpresent.Thesocialsciencesandhumanitiesareallaboutaskingbigquestionsanddiscoveringpracticalanswerstothevariousaspectsofthehumanexperience.OrganizationThisisalecture-labcourseinwhichtopicsarepresentedbytheinstructor,topicsareexplained,andclassparticipationiscompletedbystudentsbothduringclassperiodsandoutsideofclass.Objective,homework,andquizzesaregivendaily,andthereisacomprehensivefinalexam.Thecourseisanintroductiontoprovidestudentswithcrucialknowledgeaboutwesterncultureandsociety.Sowhenstudentsinthiscourseproceedtovisitorinteractwithinwesternsociety,theywillbeatapproximatelythesamelevelofexpertiseasthosewhohavehadprevioustrainingorexperiencewithwesternculture.ClassroomRulesofConduct1.Notalkingwhileinstructionisgoingon.Listenandstayseated2.Nofoodorbeveragesexceptwaterispermitted3.Nouseofcellphonesoranytechnologynotrelatedtogettingcourseworkdone4.Homeworkassignmentsaredueatthestartofeachclassotherwiseit’snotaccepted5.Treateveryoneandtheirpropertywithrespect6.Followdirectionsthefirsttime7.Nospeakingoutofturn.Raiseyourhandtoberecognized8.Noprofanity.SpeakappropriatelyAttendanceAttendanceisimportant.Studentsshouldbeontimeandpreparedforclasseachperiod.Thisisperhapsthemostimportantpartofthecourseasitistheprerequisitetogreatperformance.Youneedtobereadytoparticipateineachclassroomsession.Ifyouarewellpreparedyouhelpgeneratealearningenvironmentbasedoninformedreflection.AttendanceAbsencesforwhichamedicalorcourtexcuseisprovided(professionalletterheadrequired)willberecordedbutnotfiguredintheattendancegrade.Likewise,oneabsenceforwhichadvancenoticeisgivenbyphoneorinpersonwillnotbefiguredintheattendancegrade.Anysignificanttardyorearlydeparturefromclasswillbefiguredasahalfabsence.Also,anyonewhohasmorethanfourclass-long,unexcusedabsenceswillreceiveanFgradefortheCOURSEWhatisculture?LinellDavisCultureislikeaniceberg–Onlysomeofcultureisvisible–Mostofcultureisbelowthesurfaceofourawareness–Purposeofteachingcultureistoraisethehiddenpartoftheicebergsothatmoreofitbecomesvisible.Cultureisoursoftware–Ifwearebornwiththephysicalselves(hardware)wecan’tbesaidtobehumanuntilweareprogrammedbyourhomeculture-basicoperatingsystem.–Asanygoodsoftware,whenweuseit,itfadesintothebackground.Asaresultweonlyvaguelyawareofit.–Purposeofteachingcultureistoenableourstudentstoaddnewsoftwaretotheirbasicoperatingsystemssotoincreasetheoverallpowerandflexibility.Cultureisthewaterafishswimsin–Afishscansitsenvironmenttofindfood,reproduceandprotectitselffromdanger.Itnoticeeverythingexceptthewateritisswimmingin.Cultureisthestorywetellourselvesaboutourselves–Everyculturalgrouphasastorytotellwhotheyareandwhattheworldislike.–Itisnotimportantwhetherthestoryistrueornot.Whatissignificantisthatpeopletellthestorytoshowthemselvesandotherswhotheyare.AsociologicaldefinitionCultureisthewayoflifeofagroupofpeopledevelopedovertimeandpasseddownfromgenerationtogenerationCultureisthedistinctivelife-wayofapeopleunitedbyacommonlanguageandgovernedbyrulesandmodelsfortheirbeliefsandbehavior.Insimpleterms,cultureiswhatweliveeverydayandwhatwebringwithustoschoolortheworkplace.Whydowelearnwesternculture?Peoplearecuriousabouteachother,andwhentheymeetpeoplefromdifferentcultures,theywanttoknowaboutthem:Whatislifelikeintheircountry?Whatkindofhousedotheylivein?Whatkindoffoodtheyeat?Whataretheircustoms?Butthemostinterestingquestionsareoftenthehardesttoanswer.Whatdothepeoplebelievein?Whatdotheyvaluemostinlife?Whatmotivatesthem?Whydotheybehavethewaytheydo?为什么在语言课堂上要引入文化教学?美国教育家温斯顿—布伦姆伯格说过:”采取只知语言而不懂文化的教法,是培养语言流利的大傻瓜的最好办法”.Teachinglanguagewithoutcultureisaperfectwaytoeducatefluentfool.CulturelearningCulturelearningistheprocessofacquiringtheculture-specificandculture-generalknowledge,skills,andattitudesrequiredforeffectivecommunicationandinteractionwithindividualsfromothercultures.Itisadynamic,developmental,andongoingprocesswhichengagesthelearnercognitively,behaviorally,andaffectively.CARLA–CenterforAdvancedResearchonLanguageAcquisitionLevelsofculturalawarenessLevelInformationWayofknowingInterpretation1Awarenessofsuperficialorveryvisibleculturaltraits;stereotypesTourism,textbooks,TVandfilms,popularopinionUnbelievable,exoticorbizarreandpossiblyentertaining2AwarenessofsignificantandsubtleculturaltraitsquitedifferentfromyourownCultureconflictsituationsUnbelievableinafrustratingway;itseemsirrational3AwarenessofsignificantandsubtleculturaltraitsquitedifferentfromyourownStudyabouttheculture;formalstudyinschoolBelievablebutonlyatathinkinglevel4AwarenessofhowaculturefeelstosomeonewhoisamemberofitGettingintoandlivingthecultureBelievableatanemotionallevel