Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Upon completion of this course students will be able to:

1. Identify and acknowledge cultural perspectives and values different from their own, respond in a variety of ways, and formulate and articulate ideas in written and spoken English about cultures of the United States and other countries.
2. Prepare for and accomplish advanced-level academic tasks using knowledge about language, culture, and context.
3. Take notes on and respond to a variety of longer texts and videos to demonstrate comprehension of academic topics related to course themes.
4. Identify communication barriers and misconceptions in cultural values and employ strategies to overcome them.

Course Activities and Design

Class time includes a combination of lecture, video, listening/note-taking, student speeches, small group and classroom discussion and course content review. Other activities, such as skits and group projects reinforce content and language topics. Homework includes preparation for all the above as well as background reading, video review, portfolio preparation, and study for quizzes and tests.

Outcome Assessment Strategies

The following assessment strategies may be used to determine a student’s competency in communication and comprehension related to course content:

1. Grade a minimum of one prepared public speech with a detailed outline 

2. Evaluate inclusion of course material in presentations, assignments and tests.

3. Evaluate students’ ability to communicate with native English speakers and complete a written survey

4. Assess a written journal responding to cultural issues

5. Assess a portfolio of course materials

Themes, Concepts, Issues and Skills

1. Cultural Themes and Values
2. Public Speaking and Discussion
3. Listening Comprehension
4. Critical Thinking Skills
5. Writing
6. Reading Strategies
7. Academic Study Skills
8. Pronunciation

Competencies and Skills

A. Cultural Themes and Values:

Relate course materials to the following themes and values:

1. Personal control over the environment
2. Time and its control
3. Individualism and privacy
4. Competition and free enterprise
5. Action and work orientation
6. Change
7. Equality
8. Self-help concept
9. Future orientation
10. Directness, openness, honesty
11. Materialism and acquisitiveness
12. Practicality and efficiency
13. Competition and free enterprise

B. Public Speaking and Discussion

1. Contribute to and show satisfactory evidence of benefiting from small group and one-on-one discussion or exchanges
   1. Participate by contributing and connecting ideas
   2. Perfect strategies to communicate in a variety of ways
2. Present information orally
   1. Give informative speeches
   2. Perform role-plays and skits

C. Listening Comprehension

1. Comprehend presented audiovisual materials and apply information to cultural themes
2. Outline main ideas and details of oral presentations and videos
3. Demonstrate listening skills by taking useful notes and asking clarifying questions that show evidence of critical thinking
4. Contribute to and show evidence of benefiting from small group and one-on-one discussion or exchanges

D. Critical Thinking Skills

1. Effectively analyze information regarding cultural values in course materials
2. Distinguish among facts, opinions and beliefs related to American culture
3. Demonstrate an ability to relate course materials to personal needs and experiences
4. Express ideas and opinions about cultural themes

E. Grammar and Writing

1. Demonstrate an ability to use advanced level sentence structure
2. Write level-appropriate journal entries regularly
3. Prepare detailed speech outlines and reports

F. Reading Strategies

1. Use a variety of resources to find information
2. Identify main ideas and secondary details in written material
3. Synthesize information from multiple sources as a basis for a response

G. Academic Study Skills

1. Read, understand and follow directions
2. Develop questions based on class materials
3. Use note-taking techniques including outlining
4. Work in groups to extract relevant cultural information
5. Organize course materials into a portfolio
6. Use a monolingual, adult ESL dictionary of American English and other references

H. Pronunciation

1. Consonants, Vowels, Sentence and Syllable Stress
   1. Recognize and consistently use word endings
   2. Use correct vowel/ consonant pronunciation
   3. Continue to practice sentence and syllable stress
   4. Review problematic English consonants and vowel