Plenary - Connecting Students to Culture: More than Authentic Material
Location
Rotch 108
Description
It is no secret that emotional connections to native speakers-- whether through friendship, romantic relationships or family ties-- greatly enhance language learning. Often, however, students' language level, cultural background or geographic location makes forming these important relationships difficult. Even with the aid of authentic material, the target culture may remain foreign and not "real." This presentation demonstrates an approach instructors can use to help bridge the gap between students of English and the target culture by making use of untapped themes, email exchanges and recorded interviews.
Plenary - Connecting Students to Culture: More than Authentic Material
Rotch 108
It is no secret that emotional connections to native speakers-- whether through friendship, romantic relationships or family ties-- greatly enhance language learning. Often, however, students' language level, cultural background or geographic location makes forming these important relationships difficult. Even with the aid of authentic material, the target culture may remain foreign and not "real." This presentation demonstrates an approach instructors can use to help bridge the gap between students of English and the target culture by making use of untapped themes, email exchanges and recorded interviews.