1.Culture Through Language By Vicky Loras The Loras Network 1st
Loras Network Workshop on Bilingualism and Multilingualism
September 22, 2013
2. My name is Vicky Loras... ...and I am multicultural. Born in
Canada Parents born in Greece but raised in Canada Family history
dating back 300 years: Ancestors in France, Italy, then Greece...
Before that: Who knows? I teach the English language I carry my
cultures into my classes a mental backpack 3. Culture According to
Merriam Webster Dictionary: culture: the customary beliefs, social
forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group
Strasbourg Cathedral Door, by Vicky Loras (Image taken from eltpics
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eltpics) 4. Language According to
Merriam-Webster Dictionary: language: the words, their
pronunciation, and the methods of combining them used and
understood by a community (Image from www.sayhellototheworld.eu) 5.
Speaking of Languages... (Image taken from
http://infographiclabs.com/showcase/speaking-of-languages/ ) How
many and which ones do you speak? How did you choose them? Which
one do you prefer to express yourself in? 6. Why do we / our
learners learn languages? We learn languages: because we like them
to visit other countries or after visiting them to enrich our
knowledge we cannot stop learning 7. I learn languages... 8. ...go
upstairs, turn right. (Photo by Vicky Loras, Brussels from the
album Bilingualism) Could you please tell me where the bathrooms
are? Certainly. Please go up the stairs, turn left and you will see
the bathrooms right in front of you. Go up the stairs, turn left.
9. Understanding in various languages Colour in languages: English:
Ooooooooh! Greek: Aaaaaah! Swiss German: A- hoooooooaaah! 10.
Billys Story There once was a boy in my class called Billy...
(Image taken from http://i114.photobucket.com/) 11. Young Learners
Get them talking about their own countries first Show and Tell:
They can bring in things from their countries (objects, souvenirs,
food, music) Then they start asking each other Interaction! (Image
taken from :
http://growglobe.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/embrace-diversity.jpg)
DIFFERENT IS GREAT... DIFFERENT IS BEAUTIFUL! 12. Adult Students
First-lesson icebreakers (great opportunities for cultural elements
to appear): Would you take the last piece of cake at a reception,
if you were hungry? How would you feel if a colleague of yours got
the job you really wanted? How would you react if a colleague
disagreed with your way of approaching a work problem? (Cambridge
Business English Activities, 2000) 13. Culture through Language
Teaching? Why? Ken Wilsons Blog: Who Cares What English People Have
for Breakfast? http://kenwilsonelt.wordpress.com/2009/11/01/co
ming-up-some-sort-of-culture-debate/ (Image taken from
http://blog.beatthebrochure.com/wp-content/uploads/
2012/08/english-breakfast-blackpudding.jpg) As long as we: Avoid
stereotyping and generalisations Are careful with cultural mentions
Take care of any unfortunate incidents immediately 14. Different
cultures, different languages but... (Images from:
blog.triptrotting.com, http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com and
flickrhivemind.net) 15. Contacts: E-mail: [email protected]
Twitter: @vickyloras Facebook: vicky.loras Skype: vicky.loras Blog:
http://vickyloras.wordpress.com The Loras Network:
http://www.lorasnetwork.com
