Page 288 - Beyond Methods

276 Raising cultural consciousness library, encyclopedias, the Internet, elders at home, or a combination
of these.
12.1.4 Ask them to use the information they have gathered to draw a cultural profile that includes key words, symbols, or pictures to rep- resent a part of their focus.
12.1.5 Arrange for them to display their cultural profiles. For in- stance, they may display their profiles on a poster board for everybody to see and read.
12.1.6 After giving them time to view the displays, have a few stu- dents (let them self-select) give a brief oral presentation explaining the cultural practice they selected. Depending on their proficiency level, ask them to explain the deeper, metaphorical meaning behind signs and symbols and their historical importance.
12.1.7 Have a discussion on the presentations, focusing on the con- tent as well as the style. Encourage students to ask questions. Step in with your own questions if other students miss something or misun- derstand what was presented.
12.1.8 After the presentations and discussion, ask students to tell the class what they think is the common thread in the different cultural practices presented by students from various cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
12.1.9 Take time to talk about the norms of similar cultural prac- tices from the target language community. Help learners identify the conceptual pattern that connects the practices of the target language community and their own. If necessary, help them perceive the con- nection.
12.1.10 As a final step, have the students write a coherent narrative of not only the cultural practice(s) they chose to talk about but also the new knowledge they gained about the target culture and other cultures represented in class.
In this kind of activity, L2 learners get a chance to identify the im- portant elements of their culture that have shaped their lives. In addi- tion, through comparison and contrast, they can share their cultural knowledge in a way that enables them to see the differences and simi- larities between their own cultural practices and those of others. The strength of this kind of microstrategy is that it lets the students select and define the elements of their culture that are important to them, thereby encouraging them to be creative, original, and, above all, make their lived experiences part of their classroom activity. The same goals