Cultural Interactions

To build proficiency, it's all about targeting students' attitudes toward the target language. Are they fearful to use it? Do they view the class as a barrier to their goals? Is there a cultural emphasis on passing tests versus real communication? Do they view themselves or the teacher as responsible for their language learning? It is important that we, as teachers, provide opportunities - or point students in the right direction - to use the language in motivating, personalized, and meaningful ways. Try implementing into your course several authentic cultural interactions between your students and speakers of the target language. Here are some ideas.

Set up an academic cultural exchange, like they are doing at Kirkwood Community College:

Partner with local hospitals, schools, business, or non-profit organizations (read what Coe College and Cornell College are doing with their world language students)
Attend student-run campus events
Attend a local celebrity talk or visit
Interview a vendor at a farmer's market
Interview students on campus
Ask your department to create a list of community events to give to students
Go to a garage sale
Order at an authentic restaurant
Set a "Passport" activity in which students have to travel to specific places in the community and get their "passports" signed off as they go
Take a museum tour
Attend a job or internship fair
Volunteer at a retirement home or animal shelter (career related)
Take fieldtrips into the community: museums, schools, parks, company tours
Set up service learning activities
Invite guest speakers to your classroom
Organize informal social events with food
Collaborate with other departments
Join school clubs, sports, or groups
Reach out to local volunteers, student employees, or other groups to set up conversation partners
Find "penpals" online for written or oral exchanges
Provide assignments in which students must interview someone
Have students observe classes they will take in the future
Online conversations with native speakers using TalkAbroad.com
Have students speak the target language with friends, family, or roommates at home, when possible

Notes:

*These activities may not work for novice or beginning speakers.

*Communication should happen in the target language, when possible, during the activities. Integrate them into your tentative course schedule weekly or biweekly before your class/semester beings. Keep them low-stakes, but mandatory, when possible. For accountability, base your assessments and activities on the cultural interaction. Or, try the honor system, having students log their times/activities, or having them reflect/discuss/report out in class. Include activities that target listening, speaking, reading, and writing. If your curriculum has "no room" for these cultural interactions, remember that (a) they build overall proficiency and, thus, may hold high priority and (b) you can connect these interactions to your course outcomes.

*Watch the video below titled Why don't Chinese students speak English? (see below for video)

Other Ideas to Develop Proficiency:

Change phones, email, and social media accounts into the target language
Listen to podcasts
Oxford picture dictionary
Predict what someone will say
Create labels and lists in the target language and post them around the house
Self-talk (i.e. while driving, walking, etc.)
Epic! app
Kahoot! app
Watch TED Talks
Have students practice leading up to any interaction using ACTFL's Conversation Builder Tool