LTS Training & Consulting NCE 2011 Activities to help learners communicate more effectively across...

LTS Training & Consulting

NCE 2011

Activities to help learners communicate more

effectively across cultures

Adrian Pilbeam

LTS training and consulting

Bath, UK


Some background about me Founder and director of LTS Training and Consulting in

Bath, UK35 years’ experience of language and intercultural trainingAuthor of many business English books, most recently

Working Across Cultures (Pearson Longman 2010)Worked extensively througout Europe, as well as the US

and AsiaLived in Portugal, Belgium, Spain and France


Aims for today

What is the aim of intercultural training?What are the characteristics of good intercultural training

activities?Some intercultural activities you can use with your studentsA brief overview of Working Across Cultures


What is the aim of intercultural training?

‘To give people the knowledge, attitudes and skills to communicate effectively

with cultures other than their own’

Robert Kohls


Good intercultural training activities….

raise awarenessgive new insightshelp people shift perspectivesengage with peoples’ emotionsgive people an ‘Aha moment’help develop new skillsare instructive and fun


Activity 1 – Hello activity

1. What are some of the positive aspects of communicating with people from other cultures?

2. What are some of the challenges of this kind of communication?

3. Think of some situations and contexts in which people need to communicate across cultures?


Some positive aspects Learning/reflecting on own culture, norms, valuesLearning about yourself – likes / dislikesAccept difference, enjoy itGives different points of view / perspectivesStrengthens own identityLearning from each otherChallenges your viewsDifferent ways to approach the same tasksPractical benefits – languages, customs


Some challenges Language and communication problems Different mind sets, customs, ways of workingDifferent sets of rules Different ways of perceiving and being

perceivedDifferent understanding of the same tasksCommunicating at a distance / in different

time zones


Contexts for communicating across cultures

Living, working or studying in a multicultural environment

Visiting other countries on holidayGoing on educational exchanges abroadLiving, working or studying abroadWorking internationallyDoing business in specific countries

LTS training and consulting10

Activity 2 - What is culture?

Language, non-verbal communication, behaviour

Food, dress, buildings, material thingsTraditions, history, customs, religionAttitudes, norms, beliefs, values,

assumptions


Iceberg of culture


Surface and deep culture - the iceberg of culture

Invisible

Visible

Words

Norms

Beliefs Assumptions

VALUES

Material things

Behaviour


Activity 3 - What do you see?


What do you see?


When communicating with other cultures

initial impressions can be misleading behaviour can be interpreted differently different rules often apply

“What is normal to us may not be normal in other cultures”


Activity 4 - What is normal?

1. What are some examples of ‘normal’ behaviour in Dutch culture?

2. What examples have you found of ‘normal’ behaviour in other cultures, but which you considered strange or very different?


Activity 5 – typical behaviour

Describe to each other a typical kind of behaviour in Dutch culture or in a different culture where you have lived or which you know well. Explain why this behaviour is important, and what the reaction would be if a foreigner behaves differently, e.g. ways of greeting (shake hands, kiss, hug, etc.), ways of requesting things


Activity 6 – cultural artefacts

Think of an artefact – an everyday object, big or small – from Dutch or another culture that you know well. Say how it illustrates some aspect of the culture of the country – its values, traditions, beliefs, customs, etc.


Activity 7 – sayings and proverbs

Think of some common sayings or proverbs which tell us something about the culture (values, attitudes, expected behaviour) of a country.


Let’s play it by ear

It’ll be alright on the night

We’ll just have to wing it

As a general rule of thumb …

Some British sayings


Dafür bin ich nicht zuständig

Dienst ist Dienst und Schnaps ist

Schnaps

Erst die Arbeit, dann das Vergnügen

Ohne Fleiss kein Preis

Some German sayings


Activity 8 – A stereotype is ….

A belief or idea (often unfair or untrue)

of what a particular type of person or

thing is like


Stereotypes Do you agree or disagree with the following

statements about stereotypes?

National stereotypes are dangerous because they may provoke prejudice

Stereotypes contain a certain amount of truth and are therefore useful

There is no such thing as national character so the idea of national stereotypes is wrong

Stereotypes are simply harmless sorts of jokes we tell about other nationalities


European stereotypes

Cooks, engineers, lovers, organisers, police

Heaven is a place where the _____ are British, the ____ French, the ____ are German, the _____ are Swiss and the _____ are Italian.

And Hell is where the ____ are British, the ____ are French, the _____ are German, the ____ are Swiss and the _____ are Italian.


Activity 9 – two verb activityWork in pairs or threes.

Tell each other how you travelled to Ede, what you did yesterday evening, what you will be doing this weekend, etc. Each time you use a verb you have to use a second verb or verb phrase immediately, with a similar meaning, e.g. Yesterday I drove / went by car to Bristol airport. Then I took a plane / flew to Schiphol


Working across cultures- Six main sections, 18 units

Working across cultures Doing business in foreign markets International mergers Living and working in a foreign country Working in international teams Training and development


Some discussion topics from Working across cultures

What are some of the problems that might arise when advertising products in different countries?

Can you think of some examples of products that have not transferred well to foreign markets?

What personal skills and qualities are important to work successfully with people from other cultures?

What cultural characteristics of Dutch managers do you think make them particularly suitable to help make an international merger successful?


Market Leader Specialist Titles

Accounting and Finance

Business law

Human Resources

Logistics management

Marketing

Working Across Cultures


To find out more www.dialogin.com www.sietar.nl Attend the five-day course

Developing intercultural training skills

at LTS in Bath with Comenius or

Grundtvig funding

www.lts-training.com/ICTTcourse.htm

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