Level: intermediate upper
Time: 40-60 minutes
Aim: Have the students talk about different cultures and traveling to a foreign country.
Procedure
Bring in the class some pictures of some people who are in a foreign country. Talk about the pictures. Talk about different cultures. Elicit ideas and tell the different customs of different countries.
e.g. Indonesia – never point anything with your foot Canada and the US – don’t arrive early if you are invited to someone’s home Muslim countries – don’t eat food with your left hand Thailand – never touch anything except a child on the head and etc.
Ask some questions if the students have ever experienced any of the customs.
e.g. Does your culture follow any of these customs? What other customs of other countries do you know? What is the advantage of learning different cultures?
And, ask some questions about visiting abroad.
e.g. Have you ever been to a foreign country? What is the first foreign country you want to visit in the near future? Why? How do you feel when you visit abroad for the first time?
Draw a mind map and elicit the words that describe how people feel when they visit and stay in a foreign country.
New vocabulary: anxious, nervous, uncomfortable, embarrassed, secure, enthusiastic, confident, fascinated, suspicious, worried, depressed, calm, uncertain, curious.
Tell the students choose which of the following words can describe them best when they are in a foreign country for the first time and give reasons to each statement.
Motivate the students to speak more on the topic by giving some information
e.g. 1. The thing that I’d be most worried about 2. Something I ‘feel confident about 3. The person that I’d miss the most 4. Something that I might be uncomfortable about 5. The thing that I’d find most exciting
Variation: You can set groups and have the students discuss all the statements in groups. Each group makes a group decision and tells the class