How to Use the Culture Bump App
Put students from the same or culturally similar backgrounds together.
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.
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.)
Then have students sit in culturally diverse groups.
Have them choose the multi-country comparison option on the app.
And select each of the countries represented in their group as well as the USA (or their host country).
Then have them compare the behaviors in each of the four separate categories.
And look at the behaviors in the USA (or their host country.)
Below: Students from different cultures practicing steps 4 through 8
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 Culture This is a chance for you to teach about American classroom culture. You can do this by:
- Adding nuances to the American 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?)
- Using list as springboard for your classroom expectations
And add in an explanation for why you expect that behavior.
Student Community Building Ideas
After they share in their diverse 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.
More Student Interaction Ideas
After they share in their diverse groups,
-Reflecting on their home country's behaviors
Have the students describe how they “feel” when they do each of the behaviors back in their home country.
Below: Students sharing about their own behaviors is authentic and interesting.
- Interviewing American Students about Culture
Have the students review the "How to use the Culture Bump App as a Cross-Cultural Conversation Icebreaker“ link on the app. Then have the students interview American-born students. (Works great as homework or getting groups of students out on campus to talk with other American students.)
Ideas For Adding ESL Components
- Checking Vocabulary/ Vocabulary Builder
Have students act out something from their culture’s list and have other students explain or guess what they are doing. Make sure they know/able to comfortably use the words for each action.
- Writing
Use the culture lists to inspire comparison and contrast writing or descriptive writing
App is research based.
For more information about how this app impacts an ESL classroom, check out the article, "Cultural Differences in the Classroom? There's an app for that".
(March 13, 2015)