How to Use the Culture Bump App
Put students into small groups.
Have them look only at their own country. If their country is not on the app, have them look at a country that is similar to theirs or describe the behavior for each of the ten categories.
Have them look at each of the 10 categories and decide if the behaviors are accurate for their country (or region). (They can make notes on any changes.)
Shuffle the students into different groups to share their answers.
In these same groups, have them choose the multi-country comparison option on the app.
And select at least three to four new countries plus their own country. Then have them compare the behaviors in each of the four separate categories among all the countries.
Maximize App’s Benefits With Optional Ideas
Based on the time available and the needs of the students, you can use the following additional ideas either on the same day or throughout the semester.
- Ideas For Teaching American (or Other) Cultures
This is a chance for you to teach about other cultures. You can do this by:
- Adding nuances to the American (or other country) Behavior List
(e.g. Not all professors like students to eat or drink in class. How do they “let” the students know they don’t like it? How might the behavior be different in different regions of their own country?)
- Facilitate a discussion on why we have differences
Pointing out that we humans encounter the same situations around the world but react differently to the situation. Ask the students why they think we react differently.
- Using list as springboard for your classroom expectations
Add in an explanation for why you expect that behavior Why do we do the things we do in our classrooms? Why do other cultures do the things that they do in their classrooms?
More Student Interaction Ideas
After they share in their small groups,
- Reflecting on their home country's behaviors
Have the students describe how they “feel” when they do each of the behaviors that they do.
- Interviewing Other Students about Cultural Backgrounds
Have the students review the "How to use the Culture Bump App as a Cross-Cultural Conversation Icebreaker“ link on the app. Then, if possible, have the students interview other students who come from different grade levels or different backgrounds. (Works great as homework or getting groups of students out on campus to talk with other students.)
Student Community Building Ideas
After they share in their mixed groups,
- Building a Classroom Culture
Have students to work together to create a list of behaviors that they would like to have to help them learn better in the class.
Ideas For Adding ESL Components
- Checking Vocabulary/ Vocabulary Builder
Have 2 or 3 students act out something from another country. Their classmates can then guess which country they are demonstrating. Use this as an opportunity to generate a list of vocabulary words for each action.
- Writing
Use the culture lists to inspire comparison and contrast writing or descriptive writing.