Teaching English is more than grammar; teaching English means teaching culture as well! Engage your students in cultural activities with ideas for incorporating celebrations in your everyday English classes. Lesson ideas span different curricular areas and depths of questioning, so students of all levels and abilities are included. This webinar for English language teachers was hosted by the Regional English Language Office at the US Embassy in Peru. ► About the speakers: ▪▪ Trent Hagar is the current English Language Fellow in Managua, Nicaragua. He serves as a teacher trainer, faculty advisor, and curriculum and program development specialist in this role. He has taught English to language learners of all ages and levels for the past 16 years in the United States, Japan, China, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Nicaragua. Dr. Hagar has an undergraduate degree in Applied Learning & Development, a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics, and a Ph.D. in English. His research interests include global competence, reflective teaching, and cultural linguistics. ▪▪ Kati Casto currently serves as the US Department of State-sponsored English Language Fellow in El Salvador. In this role, Kati trains English teachers through professional development activities, workshops, observation cycles and mentorship. She works to improve curriculum effectiveness and student success with teachers and institutions all over El Salvador. Before moving abroad, Kati taught English to Speakers of Other Languages in Baltimore, Maryland to students of all ages and abilities. She received her Master's degree in Education from Johns Hopkins University in 2013. Her primary interests include global citizenship, creating communities of shared learning, and sociopolitical issues in English teaching. ► Find the webinar here: https://youtu.be/fqHTPwbRtl0 ► 2018 Diversity Calendar: https://goo.gl/hsEFNq ► Blooms Taxonomy for Teachers: https://goo.gl/1BDsJv ► Subscribe here for new RELO webinars: http://eepurl.com/gZS7r ★ Follow us on social media! ★ ▪▪ RELO Andes : FACEBOOK - http://www.facebook.com/reloandes : TWITTER - http://www.twitter.com/reloandes ▪▪ US Embassy in Peru : FACEBOOK - http://www.facebook.com/Peru.usembassy : TWITTER - http://www.twitter.com/usembassyperu : INSTAGRAM - http://www.instagram.com/usembassyperu : YOUTUBE - http://www.youtube.com/user/USEMBASSYPERU

1. English Language Fellows
Kati Casto - El Salvador
Trenton Hagar, Ph.D. - Nicaragua
Cultural Celebrations
in the English Classroom

2. Your Esteemed Presenters

3. Objectives
1. Teachers will gain lesson ideas for incorporating cultural
celebrations into their classes using 3 steps.
2. Teachers will make cross-curricular connections
regarding cultural activities.
3. Teachers will use Bloom’s Taxonomy to form questions.

4. Poll
Who is with us today?
a) early years teacher
b) primary teacher
c) secondary teacher
d) university or adult teacher

5. Raise your Hand
Have you taught “traditional”
holidays or cultural celebrations
in your classroom?

6. 3 Steps to
Considering
Cultural
Celebrations

7. Step 1:
Research obvious cultural celebrations

8. Step 1.5:
Research overlooked cultural celebrations

9. WebTips!
http://www.un.org/en/sections/observances/in
ternational-days/
https://www.diversitybestpractices.com/2018-
diversity-holidays

11. Step 2:
Make cross-curricular connections

12. List as many
subject areas
as you can.

13. Cross-Curricular Subject Areas
● Writing
● Math
● History
● Drama
● Literature
● Art
● Physical Education
● Politics
● Reading
● Health
● Science
● Philosophy
● Poetry
● Finance
● Engineering
● Careers
● Technology
● Advocacy
● Public Speaking
● Social Studies
● Law
● Music
● Economics
● Business
● Religion
● Psychology
● Medicine
● STEM

14. Math
Students will work together
to add colored cereal to
create a rainbow.

15. Creative
Writing
Students will express
reasons why they are lucky
in complete sentences using
a graphic organizer.

16. Step 3:
Write leveled
questions

20. Math
Questions
• How many red fruit loops does your
rainbow have?
• What is the average number of fruit
loops for each color of your rainbow?
• How does your rainbow compare to
another group’s rainbow?

21. Creative Writing
Questions
• In your opinion, which of your reasons is
the best answer? Why?
• How would you justify your reasons to a
partner?
• Exchange shamrocks with a partner. What
conclusions can you draw about this person
based on their answers?

22. Poll
Do you believe it is your
responsibility to teach students
about diverse cultures and their
celebrations?
a)yes b) no c) not sure

23. “Language and culture are the
frameworks through which
humans experience, communicate,
and understand reality.”
Lev Vygotsky

24. Looking Ahead to April
Step 1

25. Raise your hand
if you know what is
celebrated on April 7th.

26. Looking Ahead to April
Step 1.5

28. April 7th: World Health Day
● Global health awareness day
● Sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO)
● Themes change yearly
● 2017: Depression
● 2018: Universal Health Coverage

29. Cross-Curricular Subject Areas
● Writing
● Math
● History
● Drama
● Literature
● Art
● Physical Education
● Politics
● Reading
● Health
● Science
● Philosophy
● Poetry
● Finance
● Engineering
● Careers
● Technology
● Advocacy
● Public Speaking
● Social Studies
● Law
● Music
● Economics
● Business
● Religion
● Psychology
● Medicine
● STEM

30. Which cross-curricular
connections could you make
about World Health Day?

31. Looking Ahead to April
Step 3
Physical Education:
Students will create a workout
routine and describe the
steps.
Leveled Questions:
1.
2.
3.

32. Looking Ahead to April
Step 3
Physical Education:
Students will create a workout
routine and describe the
steps.
Leveled Questions:
1. Can you list three physical
activities?
2. What is cardiovascular
activity? What’s its function?
3. How would you test the
effectiveness of your workout
routine?

33. List the 3
steps we
learned
today!

34. Don’t forget the steps!
1. Research obvious cultural celebrations.
1.5 Research overlooked cultural celebrations.
1. Make cross-curricular connections.
2. Write leveled questions.

35. Thank you!
blah blah

36. Questions?

37. Kati Casto
El Salvador
katicasto@gmail.com
@ ELF El Salvador
Trenton Hagar
Nicaragua
trenthagar@gmail.com
@ ELFellowNicaragua