Thanks for a great workshop!

With participants from Morocco, Lebanon, UAE, USA, Saudi Arabia, of course Egypt and others, this workshop attempted to review procedures and resources for getting students in touch with other cultures through class email exchanges and blogs.

Share Your Own Ideas and Experiences

To all participants of the AUC Skills Conference-

If you have any experiences with your students using email exchanges or blogs, share your class' experience here!

Post a comment and share your ideas!

Tips and Resources

How can we let our students participate in an email exchange without a computer lab?
Access:
• Internet cafes
• Public libraries
• Ask friends to help
• Student volunteers
• Traditional post
In class:
• Pen and paper
• You type responses
• Student volunteers
• Scan handwritten messages
• Overheads
• Students read in groups
• Students read out loud
• Student to student responses
• Poster boards

Points to consider:
• Structured, but flexible
• Authentic
• Uncensored, but polite
• Student-centered
• Mutual interest

How can I find a partner class?
• Know what you want
• Be specific
• Market your students

Some resources:

http://www.malhatlantica.pt/teresadeca/school/spiritofxmas.htm

An excellent example of classroom email exchanges between 6th grade Portuguese students and American 5th graders.

http://www.epals.com

A great resource to find a partner class in the US or other countries and to post your own class profile.

http://www.atueli.blogspot.com

An instructor at Arkansas Tech University English Language Institute uses a blog to manage classroom assignments. Explore the possibilities.

http://www.blogger.com

Where to make your blog for free- and not much more complicated than opening an email account!

Possible topics for classroom email exchanges

Relationships
-Name three adjectives that describe a “typical,” or usual, family in your country. Explain.
-What are common activities that you do with all members of your family? How often do you do this?
-How old are people usually when they get married in your country? Do you think this is a good age?
-What are the most important qualities in a spouse (husband or wife)?
-What are the most important qualities you look for in a close friend?
-Should friends keep secrets? Explain.
-Name one person in your life who you look up to (admire) and say why.
-What qualities do you like most about yourself?
-When you have a personal problem or face a difficult situation, who do you talk to and how do you handle it?
-Describe your best friend and explain how you met him or her.

Media
-What kinds of music do you like to listen to? Describe one of your favorite artists.
-Describe one of the last movies you have seen. Did you like it? Why or why not?
-If you could make your own movie, what would it be about?
-How often do you watch TV? Which shows do like or dislike and why?
-Do you think TV shows and movies that take place in your country represent the reality? Give examples to illustrate your answer.
-Do you often surf the Internet? What do you think is the most useful thing about the Internet and why?
-Do you pay attention to the news? Do you prefer to hear about local news or global news? Explain.
-Where do you get your news? What do you like about the reporting of this news source or sources? What you change?
-What is the most popular radio station where you live and what kind of music does it play?
-Give the link to one good Web site about a topic you are interested in and describe what you like about the Web site.

Food
-What times do you usually eat your meals? What do people commonly eat at those times?
-Does your family always eat meals together? Describe what a guest for dinner at your house would experience?
-Are there certain foods that you only eat at certain celebrations or at particular times during the year? Give examples.
-Do you often eat in restaurants? Why or why not? Describe one you like.
-Are people concerned about being overweight where you live?
-Do you think food should be genetically altered if it meant feeding more people?
-What’s your favorite food from your country? Can you explain how to make it or send a recipe?
-Do you like the idea of fast food? Why or why not?
-What’s your favorite dessert?
-What do you think people drink the most in your country?

Global Matters
-What do you think is the biggest problem facing the world today? Provide reasons for your answer.
-What realistic suggestions could you make to solve the problem you mentioned in question number one?
-What steps has your country taken to fight pollution? Are you satisfied with this?
-Do you believe scientists should experiment with the cloning of animals? Explain.
-Do you believe that space exploration is worth the cost, or do you think that money should be spent here on Earth? Justify your response.
-How does your country deal with people who have handicaps? Is this fair?
-Do people volunteer where you live? What do they volunteer for? If not, why not?
-What are young women typically concerned with in your country?
-Do you believe racism exists in your country today? Explain.
-What is one misconception that you think exists about people from your country that you would like to clarify?

Going Abroad
-Do you know anyone who has immigrated to another country? How do you imagine is their experience?
-Do you know anyone who has immigrated to your country? Where are they from and how do you imagine was their experience?
-Do you think a foreigner spending time in your country can adapt easily to life there? Explain.
-What do you think are some advantages and disadvantages to studying abroad?
-What is the most common reason foreigners come to your country?
-How important do you think it is to speak more than one language? Explain.
-If you were going to live in another country, would you rather live with people from that country or with other people from your own country? Explain.
-What do you imagine foreigners coming to your country for the first time find the most surprising about life there?
-What is a quality you admire in another culture? Why?
-What is something you are proud of in your own culture? Explain.

Day to Day Life
-What is your favorite part of the day and why?
-Describe a typical day at school. How is the atmosphere?
-What do you like to do with your free time?
-Tell about a time when a friend or family member really surprised you.
-Can students in your country work while they are in school? Why/not? Do you think they should or shouldn’t?
-What is something you hope to accomplish before the end of this year?
-Describe the weather and the landscape of where you live.
-Talk about each member of your family.
-If you were going to be stuck on a desert island, what one thing would you want with you and why?
-If you had an extra hour to spend every day, how would you spend it?

Holidays and Celebrations
-Choose an important holiday in your in your country and explain how you celebrate it.
-During which occasions is it appropriate to give a gift?
-What do you think makes a good gift?
-How do you celebrate weddings in your country?
-How do people in your country celebrate the birth of a child?
-Are birthdays in your culture important? Are there certain ages that are more “important” than others?
-Does your country have a “national” day? What do you do special that day and what does it signify?
-If you could create a new holiday in your country, what would it celebrate and why?
-Are there special TV shows on during different holidays? Are there special songs or kinds of music?
-Does everyone in your country always celebrate the same holiday? Explain.

Tourism
-Talk about a famous tourist destination or attraction in your country. Try to convince someone to visit there.
-If you could travel anywhere in the world as a tourist, where would you travel and why?
-During a vacation, would you prefer to relax or to be busy sightseeing?
-If you had to travel a long distance, would you prefer to go quickly by plane or take your time and go by bus or train? Explain your response.
-If you could give one piece of advice to someone visiting your country for the first time, what would it be?
-If you were planning a budget for a vacation, would you rather spend more money on staying in a better hotel or eating in better restaurants? Explain.
-If you were leaving to visit a new destination and could invite one person to go with you, who would it be and why?
-If you had only a little film in your camera, would you rather take pictures of famous landmarks or of new people you met?
-What do you think makes an ideal souvenir? Explain.
-How many people make the perfect size group for visiting a new place? Do you prefer large groups, small groups, one friend or going alone? Explain.

Animals
-If you could be any animal, which animal would you be and why?
-Do you have any pets? What animal makes the best pet?
-Do you think zoos are useful education for people or are they cruelty to animals?
-What animals can you see where you live?
-If you could travel anywhere in the world to see one animal in its natural habitat, where would go and which animal would you look for? Why?
-Say (in English) one proverb from your culture that mentions an animal and explain the meaning.
-Does your country have any national symbols or famous landmarks represented by animals? Explain the significance.
-Talk about a favorite song, poem or book about an animal.
-Should man protect endangered animals or is that the natural course of life?
-Describe something fascinating you learned about animals.

Using Technology for Your Classroom without Technology in Your Classroom

Welcome to a blog to follow up our workshop at the

American University in Cairo Skills Conference 2007!