Young learners - especially teenage learners - are at the point in their life when they are developing their own ideas about the world around them, especially the world beyond their immediate surroundings. Learning from their elders, media and teachers, young adults pick up a lot of stereotypes about other nations. Helping them come to terms with stereotypes, and recognize that stereotypes do contain some truth, but also can not be applied across the board, is central to this lesson. The lesson also helps them improve their descriptive adjective vocabulary while they discuss perceived differences between nations through stereotypes.
Aim: Discussion of stereotypes, explaining, improving character adjective vocabulary
Activity: Discussion and comparison of National Stereotypes
Level: Intermediate to advanced
Outline:
- Write the word 'Stereotype' on the board and ask students what the word means. If students are unsure, help them by asking them to finish the phrase, "All Americans..." or something similar.
- Once students have understood the concept of what a stereotype is, ask them to mention a few of the stereotypes about their own country.
- Include a few provocative stereotypes of your own at this point in order to get students thinking about the negative or shallow aspects of thinking in stereotypes. Example: American food is fast food. OR Americans love guns.
- Ask students to divide into pairs and choose two of the listed adjectives to describe each nationality. Tell them that they will need to explain their reasons for the adjectives provided.
- Go through the sheets asking different students to explain their reasoning for the adjectives they have chosen. Ask other students whether they agree or disagree to promote conversation.
- Once you have finished your discussion of stereotypes, ask students why stereotyping can be often be bad and which stereotypes of their own country or region they do not like. Ask them to explain why.
- As homework, have students write a short composition comparing their own region or country to another one. Ask them to include various stereotypes, as well as examples from their own experience that either confirm or refute the stereotypes they mention.
Stereotypes
Choose two adjectives that you think describe the nationalities listed below. Choose two countries of your own to describe.
American
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British
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French
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Japanese
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