Watch the video again and fill in the gaps.

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In Germany at the end of the …. we almost always do the …, first we do the … …., and the we do the …. ….

5 Erin gave three examples from...

1) USA, China, Germany.

2) Turkey, China, Germany.

3) Germany, England, Italy.

Discuss in small groups or as a class, the reasons for each of the four views.

COMMUNICATION

Role-play

Divide into 3 groups to prepare and then act out the situations.

Situation 1

You have been invited to the international conference “The world around us”, which is devoted to the factors that shape the way we see other people and cultures. Talk to your partners about possible misunderstandings between people of different nationalities, and give your own suggestions on how to smooth cultural differences.

Role A

You think despite having different cultures, we have a lot in common. The best way to overcome cultural gap is to find similarity between people.

Role B

You think that all of us are completely different. Only curiosity and openness to other cultures will bring us success in intercultural communication.

Role C

You think that the best solution to the problem of cultural differences is the ability to take something from another culture and to be able to use new knowledge where necessary.

Situation 2

A friend of yours wants to marry his girlfriend from another culture and move away with her, but his parents want him to marry someone from their own country. Discuss this issue together and explain why he should be permitted/prohibited to marry his girlfriend.

Role A

You think it is better to marry someone from of the same culture. Provide your reasons.

Role B

You think it doesn't matter, whether you marry a person from different culture or your own one. Provide your reasons.

Role C

You are already married to a person from another culture. Dwell on your personal experience.

Situation 3

You are debating with your friends about which language to learn as a second foreign language at the university. Try to convince others that your choice is the bestone.

Role A

You are choosing Korean language because of your interest to the culture. You think that learning a culture together with language is more interesting and brings fruitful results.

Role B

You think that it is not a cultural aspect but demand at the niche of work that matters. You want to choose Chinese language because of the developing relations of Kazakhstan and China.

Role C

You would like to learn French language. In your opinion, European languages are easier to learn and they prevail over Asian ones.

Intercultural Communication

LEAD-IN

Generate ideas on the following issue.

Some teachers say that creating an authentic classroom/learning environment is essential for teaching and learning foreign languages and cultures; others consider that the classroom environment should help learners study. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the opinions given. Use examples to support your stance.

INFORMATION-ACCUMULATION: READING

Skim the text and choose the best title.

1. Language Barrier

2. National Character and Mentality

3. Intercultural Communication

4. Communication Technologies

Language is a mirror of cultures. It reflects not only the reality, the actual conditions of life, but also the social (1) ……………..of the people, their mentality, their national character, their traditions, customs, value system and perception. Intercultural communication cannot be achieved only with mastering foreign languages. It needs overcoming of the cultural barrier, too. This barrier is “invisible” and is only felt when there is a clash of two or more cultures. The cultural misunderstanding can cause great conflicts, even wars. This is why the modern global world puts the specialists before the following complex tasks:

· to study the roots, the forms and the development of culture in the different nations and their contacts;

· to teach (2) ………………, respect and understanding of the other cultures in the process of learning a foreign language.

In the new, globalizing world the study of foreign languages means a deeper study of the world, of the culture of the people whose language is being studied, of their way of life, national character and (3) ………………. To form intercultural (4).……………. means not only to form linguistic, communicative, strategic and discursive competences. Intercultural competence also includes the following aspects of socio-cultural competence: when, how, whom and where to say or write the thing. When teaching a foreign language, it is necessary to teach the social and cultural life of the people who speak this language.

Information and communication technologies in the contemporary (5) ……………. offer a great deal of opportunities for participation in intercultural dialogue in interactive forms. Vast horizons of opportunity lie in the Internet for different types of “simulations”. It offers opportunity for modelling interaction between the real worlds of languages and cultures in virtual reality, for example: European-Asian, Bulgarian-Belgium; Russian-American and others. They all have their personal mission and comprehend “the other” through the prisms of their own national-cultural stereotypes. The simulation aims to create an idea about the nationality and culture of others. There are different stages of simulation games which could be outlined:

· setting of the social group, which will participate (students, administrative staff, businessmen);

· introduction of the mediator/facilitator which will be the leading figure in the activities.

The participants write down different (6) ……………., characteristics of personalities, outer appearance, significances, popular persons as they try to create a cumulative profile of the nation and culture they will attempt a dialogue. Example: Belgians will write down their ideas about Bulgarians. Similarly, Bulgarian participants do the same for the Belgium side.

The two sides share their notes via a video-conference in real time and with the assistance of the (7) …………….. There is no doubt that some cultural conflicts will appear. The conflict becomes a focal point in the creation of personal mission in the world of the other culture to check through trials in a setting with unknown settings of communication.

Participants “live” in different than their own national-cultural parameters - speak a language which is the intermediate between the two groups. They participate in traditional customs, holidays of the other nation. They search for what the natives of the language speak and how they react and communicate. In this process the participants manage their skills to overcome the (8) “…………… ” and to accept the differences of the world; they are introduced to the cultural identity of the other side. This leads to a solution of (9) …………… in the field of cultural integration where “I “and “you” together solve the conflicts and overcome different cultural stereotypes.

This type of strategy for intercultural communication offers an opportunity to see you through the eyes of the others. This will allow your (10) …………… to accept part of others’ culture and mentality which makes us richer. [84] Trakia Journal of Sciences, Vol. 6, No. 3, 2008, P.47

Complete the text with the words from the list.

tolerance mentality competence stereotypes identity mediator setting consciousness conflict culture shock

Read the text again and discuss the following questions in pairs.

1. Why cannot intercultural communication be achieved only with mastering foreign languages?

2. What complex tasks does the modern global world put before the specialists?

3. What does intercultural competence include?

4. What is the role of the Internet in intercultural dialogues?

5. Why can cultural conflicts take place at a video-conference?

6. How can the participants overcome the cultural shock?

VOCABULARY

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