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Roell2010 Intercultural Training With Films PDF
Roell2010 Intercultural Training With Films PDF
F
ilms are a great medium to use • Films involve the viewers, appeal
not only to practice English, to their feelings, and help them
but also to facilitate intercul- empathize with the protagonists.
tural learning. Today English is a global • DVDs usually come with subtitles
language spoken by people from many in English, which facilitates under-
countries and cultural backgrounds. standing and improves reading skills.
Since culture greatly impacts com- After discussing the importance
munication, it is helpful for teachers of teaching intercultural communica-
to introduce lessons and activities that tion and suggesting films that match
reveal how different dialects, forms of specific cultural categories, this article
address, customs, taboos, and other describes some activities to use when
cultural elements influence interac- showing a film in the classroom and
tion among different groups. Numer- presents a task-based project involv-
ous films contain excellent examples ing the use of films.
of intercultural communication and
are highly useful resources for teach- Using films for intercultural
ers. Additional reasons for teachers to training
incorporate films in class and encour- Culture, according to one defini-
age their students to watch movies in tion, is the values, traditions, customs,
English include: art, and institutions shared by a group
• Films combine pleasure and learning of people who are unified by nation-
by telling a story in a way that cap- ality, ethnicity, religion, or language.
tures and holds the viewer’s interest. The language teaching profession’s
• Films simultaneously address differ- interest in cross-cultural communi-
ent senses and cognitive channels. cation has increased during the past
For example, spoken language is few decades. According to Kramsch
supported by visual elements that (1995), this development is due to
make it easier for students to under- political, educational, and ideological
stand the dialogues and the plot. factors; even though politicians might
• Students are exposed to the way feel that learning a foreign language
people actually speak. will solve socioeconomic problems,
2 2010 N U M B E R 2 | E N G L I S H T E A C H I N G F O R U M
educators think that for that to happen a lan- Films that illustrate intercultural conflict
guage course must contain legitimate cultural Not surprisingly, there are many films that
content. Kramsch (1995, 90) thinks that in illustrate the conflicts and problems that arise
the future the language teacher will be defined between members of different cultural groups:
“not only as the impresario of a certain lin- • Witness shows the culture clash between
guistic performance, but as the catalyst for an the mainstream American lifestyle and
ever-widening critical cultural competence.” the Amish culture.
Intercultural topics that show how people • A Love Divided, based on a true story,
from different backgrounds communicate and reveals some causes of hostility between
interact are becoming more prominent in lan- Catholics and Protestants in Ireland.
guage teaching. Teachers can benefit from the • Ae Fond Kiss is about the problems
treasure trove of films that deal with subjects faced by an Irish woman and a man
like immigration, xenophobia, adjusting to of Pakistani descent after they start a
a new culture, or the dilemmas faced when relationship.
one belongs to two cultures. Although films • Save the Last Dance shows the resent-
cannot substitute for actual interaction with ment a white teenage girl is exposed
members of other cultures, they can provide to due to her relationship with a black
useful preparation for those encounters by classmate.
fostering understanding and developing sen- • Yasmin explores the anger and estrange-
sitivity. “Learning about stereotypes, ethno- ment a young British Muslim woman
centrism, discrimination, and acculturation feels because of the way she is treated in
in the abstract can be flat and uninspiring. the wake of the 2001 terrorist attacks.
But if we experience intercultural contact with
our eyes and ears, we begin to understand it” Films that deal with racism
(Summerfield 1993, 1). Intercultural contact Some films tackle the difficult topic of
through films enables students to understand racism:
other people’s actions and to have empathy • American History X is about a Southern
with members of minority groups. Films also Californian skinhead who is impris-
vividly represent intercultural misunderstand- oned after committing murder; in pris-
ings and the roots of racism. on he starts seeing the error of his ways.
• This Is England portrays a teenager who
Culture representation in film joins a skinhead group in the early 1980s.
There is a wide variety of films with inter- • A Class Divided is a documentary
cultural themes, and the teacher must consult about an experiment conducted by
reviews or see the movie firsthand to deter- Jane Elliott, a teacher in a small all-
mine if it is appropriate for the desired lesson. white Iowa town, in the wake of the
The following categories describe cultural ele- assassination of Martin Luther King.
ments in just a few of the films available for Elliott divided her class into blue-eyed
study. (Note than many of the films can fall and brown-eyed groups to make them
into more that one category.) experience discrimination. (The film
can be watched at: www.pbs.org/wgbh/
Films that foster empathy with foreigners pages/frontline/shows/divided. The
The following films foster empathy with website also provides a teacher’s guide,
people of different backgrounds: transcripts, and other resources.)
• Bread and Roses portrays the situation
of Ana, a young Mexican woman who Films that contain stereotypes
works illegally in the United States. Movies are authentic cultural products,
• Dirty Pretty Things is about illegal work- and many tend to be culture-bound. These
ers in London. types of film allow students to identify the
• In This World shows the journey of two stereotypes held by a certain culture.
Afghan brothers who are on their way • The Prince and Me portrays Paige, an
to Europe. (For more information and American student who displays stereo-
teaching resources on the subject of refu- typical values of achievement, success,
gees, see: www.savethechildren.org.uk.) ethics, equality, optimism, efficiency,
E N G L I S H TE A C H I N G F O R U M | NUMBER 2 2010 3
and pragmatism. Interestingly, these suitable technique to study nonverbal com-
values were also identified by research- munication. Nonverbal communication in
ers looking at the rhetoric of several different cultural contexts appears in:
U.S. presidential election campaigns • The Joy Luck Club (Chinese)
(Larson 2009). • Bread and Roses and Real Women Have
• Green Card portrays a Frenchman full Curves (Mexican)
of joie de vivre in a stereotypical way. • My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which con-
• Mind Your Language is a British com- tains an example of proxemics
edy series from the 1970s. Although
somewhat dated, it portrays stereotypi- Films that deal with different patterns of
cal characters from different countries. behavior
Some of the episodes can be found on Cultural differences are often perceived in
YouTube. how individuals or societies regard time, orga-
nization, communication, and relationships.
Films about cultural traditions and The following categories explain some behav-
intergenerational conflict ioral patterns that are also represented in film:
Conflict often ensues when a traditional
value system is upheld in spite of the influence Monochronic and polychronic perceptions
of modernization. Oftentimes, members of of time
the younger generation adopt modern ideas, Monochronic individuals or societies tend
even though they live in a traditional environ- to be data-oriented and value planning, struc-
ment. The following films provide examples ture, and punctuality. Polychronic individuals
of different cultural traditions and intergen- or societies accept unstructured activities and
erational conflict due to cultural expectations: interruptions and do not mind improvisation
• Monsoon Wedding offers an interest- or a change of plans.
ing glimpse into a Punjabi wedding • Cast Away questions the monochronic
and can be used in the classroom concept of planning and efficiency.
to compare wedding traditions and • My Big Fat Greek Wedding shows exam-
discuss the concept of arranged mar- ples of polychronic behavior.
riages. (See http://weddings.iloveindia. There are several self-tests to determine
com/features/arranged-marriages.html whether one tends towards a monochronic
for information on the topic and other or polychronic personality. (One test can
aspects of Indian culture.) be found at: www.innovint.com/downloads/
• Whale Rider is about a Maori girl mono_poly_test.php. The test can be adapted
in New Zealand and her conflicted for use as a lead-in to the topic. A possible
relationship with her grandfather and follow-up activity could be a discussion of the
culture. advantages and disadvantages of the two ways
• The Story of the Weeping Camel deals of organizing time.)
with a family of camel herders in
Mongolia. Individualism vs. collectivism
• Double Happiness is about a young In general, people or societies that gravitate
Chinese-Canadian woman who comes towards individualism value self-sufficiency
into conflict with her traditional family. and independence, while those who embrace
collectivism value group involvement when
Paraverbal and nonverbal communication it comes to making decisions or attaining
Paraverbal communication is how indi- goals. A number of contemporary filmmakers
viduals use different voice qualities to com- explore the topic of second-generation immi-
municate; it includes aspects such as volume, grants who are torn between the traditional
intonation, speed, and pitch. Nonverbal com- values and the collectivism of their parents
munication refers to the communicative use and the liberalism and individualism of the
of body language, including proxemics (the modern Western societies they live in.
distance between speakers), haptics (touch- • Bend It Like Beckham is about a teen-
ing), oculesics (eye contact), and kinesics (body age Pakistani girl who has grown up in
movement and gestures). Silent viewing is a Britain and wants to be a footballer.
4 2010 NUMBER 2 | E N G L I S H TE A C H I N G F O R U M
• Real Women Have Curves shows the actual viewing of the film more meaningful.
dilemmas a young Mexican girl experi- When discussing stereotypes as a previewing
ences when she has to decide between activity, students can describe how they view
the demands of her Mexican family and a person from a particular ethnic group or
her aspirations as a young American. minority. After viewing a film, students can
discuss the degree to which their stereotypes
High vs. low context styles coincide with the ones shown in the movie.
Basically, a high-context style describes a The possible origins of stereotypical notions
society or subculture consisting of members in the mass media and advertising also offer
who have long-term bonds and relation- an opportunity to analyze the source of bias.
ships and know the rules of society almost Bearing in mind the teaching aim and the
unconsciously. Very little is stated explicitly students’ language skills, it may be useful to
and much communication is indirect, which provide learners with an introduction to the
creates problems for an outsider. The Joy Luck film or a particular scene before they actually
Club, about Chinese immigrant families in watch it. Movie trailers can be used for this
the United States, has examples of the high- purpose; students first watch the trailer and
context style. speculate about the film’s details, such as the
A low-context style describes a society or protagonists, plot, and setting (Stempleski and
subculture that has many short-term connec- Tomalin 2001). Provided there is a broadband
tions and bonds, which necessitates explic- connection, trailers of most recent films can
it rules, accessible information, and more be downloaded from the Internet. A similar
straightforward communication (Beer 2003). activity is to display a film still, which is a
photograph of a movie scene that can be found
Formal and informal communication in a magazine or on the Internet and used as a
In many cases, different communicative prompt to make students speculate about the
situations require different degrees of formal- movie (Stempleski and Tomalin 2001).
ity. However, not all cultures have the same To focus attention on certain characteris-
social rules, and many films depict the embar- tics of spoken language, students listen to the
rassment or miscommunication that occurs sound without the picture and imagine what
when a person acts informal in a formal the scene is about. However, this activity can
setting, or vice versa. For example, in some be challenging for students who are not accus-
cultures humor is employed strategically in tomed to the features of authentic language,
formal situations to relieve tension, while in such as strong accents and dialects, unclear
other culture such behavior is taboo. Humor articulation, slang, colloquialisms, and idi-
is an important element of an American pre- omatic expressions. When the visual input is
sentation, while German presentations tend missing, the task becomes even more difficult.
to be more sober and factual. The film Gung It is often helpful to pre-teach difficult
Ho illustrates differences in formality by por- vocabulary before students actually watch a
traying an informal and humorous American- film. For example, the teacher can hand out a
style presentation that does not go down well list of words taken from a dialogue or describe
with Japanese businessmen. a scene and have the students guess about the
situation the vocabulary refers to.
Using films in the classroom
Depending on the teaching aims and objec- While-viewing activities
tives, the class might watch a complete film or While-viewing activities provide an oppor-
only parts of it, as one or two key scenes can tunity to deepen understanding of the film
be sufficient to illustrate a linguistic or cultural and conduct a comprehension check. One
point. The following pre-, while-, and post- idea from Taylor (2005) is for the teacher
viewing activities prepare students to discuss to play a scene with the sound off and the
films or individual scenes in the classroom. English subtitles on (subtitles can be in the
students’ first language if the level demands).
Pre-viewing activities The teacher then replays the scene with both
Pre-viewing activities elicit what students the subtitles and sound, and replays it a third
already know about a topic and make the time with the sound alone and no subtitles.
E N G L I S H TE A C H I N G F O R U M | NUMBER 2 2010 5
This technique is especially suitable for dra- Post-viewing activities are an important part
matic scenes, or when dialect or slang is spo- of language learning because students must use
ken, because it facilitates understanding and critical thinking abilities to synthesize informa-
makes students feel more confident. tion and present their own ideas and conclu-
If the focus is on listening or understand- sions. “Climax” is an activity designed for a
ing individual words and phrases, the teacher detailed review of the plot of a complete film.
can prepare a handout with expressions, some Students draw a main circle that represents the
of which are taken from the film with others crisis. They next work out the events that led
added that sound similar. While they watch to the crisis and write them in separate circles
the scene, the students have to identify the below the main circle, with arrows to show the
vocabulary that is actually used. cause-and-effect connections. For each circle,
Students can observe highly visual cultural the following questions are asked: Why? How?
details like body language, rituals, or festivals How come? Answering these questions leads
when watching a scene without the sound. To to other contributing events and factors. The
increase sociocultural awareness of food, festiv- process is repeated by adding circles and ques-
ities, and the appearance of people and places, tions until the cause-and-effect map has been
students write down the differences they rec- completed (Sherman 2003).
ognize between their own culture and the one An effective way to stimulate students’
they view in a movie sequence or scene. empathy towards characters whose behavior
may seem incomprehensible and even despi-
Post-viewing activities
cable is to ask the students to put themselves
Post-viewing activities allow students to
into the person’s shoes and write a diary
check their comprehension and use the new
entry from the character’s point of view. Each
language they have learned. In the activity
called “Fly on the Wall,” students reconstruct student then engages in a discussion with
a movie scene from memory, as if they are another student who is writing the diary of
unseen witnesses. After writing down their another character. During this role play each
accounts, they view the scene again to check student defends his or her character, which
their recall and have the opportunity to gives students insight into unfamiliar points
amend their rendition (Sherman 2003). To of view. The parent-child conflict in the film
strengthen their descriptive abilities, students Double Happiness is thought-provoking and
can analyze characters in a film and write offers various points of view, so it fits well
descriptive portraits of the characters’ appear- with this activity.
ance, education, profession, relationships, If the study of intercultural interactions
likes and dislikes, and other qualities. continues after the film session, a suitable
“Feeling Flow” (Sherman 2003) is an activ- follow-up activity is the “Critical Incident”
ity that registers a character’s emotions during technique, which is an analysis of an inter-
the crucial scene of a film, when a conflict cultural encounter where a misunderstanding
comes to a head. Using a graph, students plot or conflict has occurred. Students work in
the intensity of characters’ feelings throughout groups to analyze the encounter and deter-
this significant scene and label the events. mine the cause or causes of the conflict. For
One poignant scene in Real Women Have examples, see Stakhnevich (2002).
Curves is a confrontation between Ana and
An intercultural project involving film
her sister, which can be analyzed effectively
with the “Feeling Flow” activity. This project is suitable for upper-inter-
The “Relationship Diagram” is an apt mediate or advanced students. The intercul-
post-viewing activity for films that involve tural learning assignment is task-based and
complex relations. Students prepare a diagram combines language learning with various key
with the names of all the relevant characters in skills, including using the Internet, writing a
the film, their relationships, and their feelings summary, developing presentation skills, and
towards each other. This technique helps stu- working as a team.
dents reflect on the film and clarify relation- When choosing a film for the project,
ships before they discuss it in detail. The film the teacher has to make sure that the com-
Yasmin lends itself well to this activity. plexity of the topic and the film’s rating are
6 2010 NUMBER 2 | E N G L I S H TE A C H I N G F O R U M
suitable for the students’ ages. The required carefully. It is important to ascertain who
background knowledge for the analysis of the provided a particular website and whose point
film, such as nonverbal or paraverbal com- of view is reflected. For example, reviews on a
munication and relevant cultural categories, film distributor’s website might naturally tend
should be introduced and discussed before the to be enthusiastic and uncritical.
students watch the film. (See Kwintessential
[2009] for a brief overview of some intercul- Composing film summaries
tural dimensions.) Using their research and the two sets of
To begin, students in groups of three are questions in Appendix 1, the students com-
assigned to watch a film that deals with inter- pose their drafts of the film summary and
cultural aspects and to complete an assign- exchange their paper with another member of
ment. At the beginning of the project, it is the group for peer editing. After revising each
recommended that team members agree on other’s summaries, the students take turns
basic rules regarding their teamwork, respon- reading their work out loud to the group, and
sibilities, communication, and deadlines. The one member is put in charge of compiling a
teacher should be available as an adviser dur- final draft that the group will present to the
ing the project. class. (For a brief guide to writing a summary
The teacher gives the students one set that reproduces facts and ideas, uses one’s own
of questions regarding the film in general words, and keeps within the word limit, see:
and another set to analyze the film from an http://phc3252.tripod.com/id74.htm.) At the
intercultural point of view. (See Appendix 1 end of the composing process a short report
for lists of suggested general and intercultural on the students’ experiences of organizing
questions). Students watch the film and con- their teamwork can be included in the assign-
duct research to answer these questions and ment; these experiences will be particularly
produce a summary report that will eventually interesting if the team members come from
be presented in front of the whole class. different cultural backgrounds.
E N G L I S H TE A C H I N G F O R U M | NUMBER 2 2010 7
of the films mentioned in this article can be Larson, C. U. 2009. Persuasion: Reception and
watched on YouTube, and it is also worth responsibility.12th ed. Boston: Wadsworth.
Sherman, J. 2003. Using authentic video in the lan-
searching YouTube for vignettes related to
guage classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge Uni-
intercultural communication, body language, versity Press.
or culture shock. Stakhnevich, J. 2002. Using critical incidents to
Film is a rich resource for the language teach cross-cultural sensitivity. Internet TESL
learning classroom, especially at the advanced Journal 8 (3). http://iteslj.org/Lessons/Stakhn-
evich-Critical.html.
level, when students can appreciate and ben-
Stempleski, S., and B. Tomalin. 2001 Film. Oxford:
efit from the complex themes and resulting Oxford University Press.
discussions. Instructors who use film in the Summerfield, E. 1993. Crossing cultures through
classroom will find that the use of authentic film. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press.
language combined with thought-provoking Taylor, K. 2005. Using DVD and video in your
ESL class: Part two. http://eltnotebook.
drama broadens cultural competence and
blogspot.com/2007/01/using-dvd-and-video-
improves the learning of English.
in-your-esl-class_05.html.
References
Beer, J. E. 2003. Communicating across cul-
tures: High and low context. Culture at work.
www.culture-at-work.com/highlow.html.
Kramsch, C. 1995. The cultural component of lan-
guage teaching. Language, Culture and Curricu-
CHRISTINE ROELL is a lecturer of English and
lum 8 (2): 83–92. http://zif.spz.tu-darmstadt.
de/jg-01-2/beitrag/kramsch2.htm. Spanish at the Nordhausen University of
Kwintessential. 2009. Hofstede’s intercul- Applied Sciences in Germany. Her special
tural dimensions. London: Kwintessential. interests are intercultural communication,
www.kwintessential.co.uk/intercultural/dimen- teaching English for Special Purposes, and
sions.html. autonomous learning.
8 2010 NUMBER 2 | E N G L I S H TE A C H I N G F O R U M
Questions for Evaluating Films
Intercultural Training with Films • Christine Roell
E N G L I S H TE A C H I N G F O R U M | NUMBER 2 2010 9
A Selection of Films for
Intercultural Training
Intercultural Training with Films • Christine Roell
10 2010 NUMBER 2 | E N G L I S H TE A C H I N G F O R U M
Selection of Films for Intercultural Training (continued )
Intercultural Training with Films • Christine Roell
E N G L I S H TE A C H I N G F O R U M | NUMBER 2 2010 11
Selection of Films for Intercultural Training (continued )
Intercultural Training with Films • Christine Roell
Edward Fantastical story about Comedy Suspicion and fear 103 PG-13
Scissorhands a boy with scissors for of those who are
1991 hands and social satire different,
of how society deals discrimination
with his being different.
(United States, 1990s)
Freedom Writers Authentic story about Drama Race relations in 123 PG-13
2007 a novice high-school the United States
teacher who succeeds in
inspiring inner-city kids
belonging to different
ethnic groups and
gangs. (United States,
contemporary)
The Joy Luck Club Different stories explore Drama Chinese American 130 R
2002 the relationship between community,
four mothers born generational
in feudal China and conflict
their daughters, who
have grown up in the
United States. Based
on the novel by Amy
Tan. (United States,
contemporary)
12 2010 NUMBER 2 | E N G L I S H TE A C H I N G F O R U M
Selection of Films for Intercultural Training (continued )
Intercultural Training with Films • Christine Roell
The Prince and The Danish crown Comedy American values, 106 PG
Me prince enrolls at a stereotypes
2004 U.S. university and
falls in love with an
American student who
is determined to become
a doctor. (United
States/Denmark,
contemporary)
E N G L I S H TE A C H I N G F O R U M | NUMBER 2 2010 13
Selection of Films for Intercultural Training (continued )
Intercultural Training with Films • Christine Roell
Save the Last A white girl moves to a Drama/ Race relations 108 PG-13
Dance black ghetto in Chicago Romance and prejudices in
2001 after the death of her the United States
mother and falls in love
with a black hip-hop
dancer. (United States,
contemporary)
14 2010 NUMBER 2 | E N G L I S H TE A C H I N G F O R U M
Selection of Films for Intercultural Training (continued )
Intercultural Training with Films • Christine Roell
E N G L I S H TE A C H I N G F O R U M | NUMBER 2 2010 15