This document provides an introduction and overview of the organization of a textbook for an English class. It discusses that the book contains 5 chapters organized by theme, with readings on each theme ranging from 1-15 pages. It notes that the readings come from various sources and will be used to support thesis statements. It also describes the "Green Section" which provides guidance on writing essays and incorporating outside sources. It states that students can expect 1 hour of homework per class hour each week, consisting of vocabulary assignments and journal entries to be submitted digitally. It provides an example of a vocabulary exercise and explains the journal entry format. Finally, it previews the first assigned readings and vocabulary exercises.

1. Introduction to Book &
Assignments

2. Book Organization
• NOT your ordinary textbook.
• Book Has:
– 5 Chapters
– Green Reference Section

3. Chapters
• Organized By Theme
• Each has 8 readings ranging from less than 1 page
to 15+ pages that relate to the theme in some
way. (don’t panic – we won’t read every reading
in the chapters!!!)
• The readings come from other textbooks,
nonfiction books written by experts, journal
articles, newspapers and magazines.
• Our challenge this year will be to use the readings
to help guide and support our thesis statements
for our essays as we learn how to incorporate
outside sources into our writing.

4. Green Section
• Contains a review of the following:
– Parts of an essay
– Planning, organizing, writing, proofreading and editing
(all the steps in the writing process)
– A guide on how to write using outside sources (ideas
you get from our readings, online research, other
books, etc.)
– As we work through our first essay we will visit each
section as a guide – after that, I strongly suggest you
refer back to this section when writing for this class.

5. Homework Assignments
• This purpose of this class is to improve your
reading and writing skills dramatically in a short
period of time. As a result, this is a homework
intensive course.
• You can expect to have an average of one hour of
homework per every hour we spend in class each
week.
• We are in class 5 hours each week, so you should
expect to spend roughly 5 hours outside of class
working on assignments for this class.

6. Homework Assignments
• You have 2 types of homework assignments for
this class – vocabulary assignments and journal
entries.
• You will have a vocabulary assignment for MOST
readings you are assigned.
• You have six assigned journal entries.
• ALL vocabulary and journal assignments MUST be
submitted via Dropbox.
• The due dates for ALL assignments can be found
in the calendar in your syllabus.

7. Vocabulary
• After the readings in the WHITE portions of
each chapter there are several sets of
questions and exercises, including a few that
deal with expanding our academic vocabulary.
• There are NOT vocab exercises for the
readings in the GRAY sections of each chapter.
• Example:
– Take a look at p. 4-5 – this is the start of the first
reading you will be assigned.

8. Example
• Before each reading are some pre-reading
activities. Don’t worry about this – skip it!
• Immediately under the title for each reading is
a short paragraph describing who the author
is and where the reading came from – this is
important information you NEED to read.
• Next is the reading itself (obviously you need
to read that).

9. Example
• Look on p. 13-17
• After the reading are several sections that
start with gray highlighted titles that contain
writing prompts, discussion questions, etc.
• What we need to find are the VOCABULARY
sections. There will usually be 2 or 3 per
reading.
• Completing these is what will make up your
grade for your vocabulary assignments.

10. Example
• There are 2 vocabulary sections for the first reading (p.
15 & 16)
• The first give you practice with negative prefixes, the
second is vocabulary in context (there is a vocabulary
in context section for every reading – the other
vocabulary exercises vary depending on the reading)
• You MUST complete ALL vocabulary sections for each
reading to receive the completion points for that
reading.
• I STRONGLY advise you complete the vocabulary
sections BEFORE reading the assigned reading. It will
greatly help you understand the reading.

11. Example
• Vocabulary assignments must be typed in Word.
• Type your name on the first line.
• Type the title of the reading on the second line.
• Type the title of the vocabulary assignment on
the next line.
• Type your answers only (you do NOT need to type
the instructions, etc.)
• Save your work as Vocabulary-Title of Reading

12. Example
• The example vocabulary exercise word
document can be found on our learning web
page.

13. Journal Entry Assignments
• You have 6 journal entry assignments.
• Each entry should be 300-400 words.
• For MOST journal entries, you will have a
choice of writing prompts that cover different
readings (so if you don’t understand one of
the reading very well, you can write your
journal entry on the other prompt)
• See handout for journal assignments.

14. Journal Entry Format
• Journal Entries must be typed in Word and
uploaded to Dropbox.
• First Line = Name
• Second Line = Which option you selected
• Save as: Journal Entry #
• Points will be deducted for grammar, spelling and
punctuation errors. Please be sure to proofread
your work before submitting.
• Please DOUBLE SPACE your work.

15. Example
• The example journal entry can be found on
our learning web page.

16. Readings
• For MOST classes you will be expected to read 1
or 2 of the readings BEFORE class.
• If you do not read the assigned reading(s) before
class you will be unable to understand or
participate in that class.
• As a result, you will be a distraction.
• I do NOT allow distractions in my classroom, so if
you come to class unprepared you WILL be asked
to leave and you WILL be counted absent.

17. First Assignments
• For WEDNESDAY:
– Read Althen’s “American Values and Assumptions”
– Complete the vocabulary exercises that go along with
the reading and upload to Dropbox.
• For Next Monday:
– Read Tang’s “Polite but Thirsty”
– There is NO vocabulary exercise for this reading.
– Read Levine’s “Time Talks, With an Accent”
– Complete the vocabulary exercises that go along with
the reading and upload to Dropbox.

18. Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1

19. What the Chapter is About:
• This chapter explores cultural differences in
values, beliefs and behaviors and the
intercultural problems that sometimes result
from this differences. You will consider how
people from diverse cultures regard time,
express themselves verbally and nonverbally,
and interact successfully.

20. Self Reflection
• Sit and reflect on the following question for 5
minutes.
– What are the most important social and cultural
values influencing your own beliefs and
behaviors?
• Be prepared to share your thoughts!

21. Class Debate
• Do you think think are more similarities or
more differences among people around the
work in the way they think, behave and
communicate?

22. Small Group Discussion
• Number off to 3 (hint: DON’T count to 4!)
• Find your group
• Discuss your assigned question.
• You will share your answers with the class.

23. Small Group Discussion
• Group #1: What are the major obstacles to
intercultural communication? How can they be
reduced? (think about concepts of time, personal
space, appropriate conversation topics, etc.)
• Group #2: If you live in another culture for an
extended period of time, should you embrace the
proverb “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”?
• Group #3: do you think that when you live in a
new culture your values, opinions or behavior
change in any way?

24. Agree or Disagree?
• Read the statement on the overhead.
• Decide if you agree or disagree with the
statement.
• Hold up the blue card for agree or the pink
card for disagree.
• Be prepared to share the reasons for your
answer.

25. • It’s usually better to do things by yourself than
to accept help from other people.

26. • Not everyone’s opinions are equally valid and
worthy of consideration.

27. • People do not have control over their own
destinies.

28. • Nature should be controlled and used in the
service of human beings.

29. • When young people are 18 years old, they
should be encouraged to move away from
home.

30. • Competition is a strong value in my culture.

31. • If someone does something that bothers you,
you should express your feelings openly and
directly to the person.

32. • When living in a foreign country, you should
try to assimilate by embracing the nation’s
customs and practices.

33. • People in my culture are quite informal in
their personal and professional relationships.

34. • It’s better to focus on the future than to think
too much about your culture’s past – it’s
customs, traditions, and heritage.

35. “American Values and
Assumptions”
By Gary Althen

36. Preview the Reading
• Previewing each reading can help give you a
better idea of the reading topic, organization,
and other important information that can help
you to better understand the reading.

37. Preview Step #1
• Read the italicized paragraph under the author’s
name to learn about the author and where and
when the reading is from.
• Who is Althen?
• Where did this reading come from?
• When was it written?
• What guesses can we make from this information
and the reading title about what the reading will
be about?

38. Preview Step #2
• Skim the reading – Look for bold section titles
(subheadings) and read them.
• If there are no subheadings, skim the first
sentence of each paragraph.
• What subheadings are in this reading?
• What do these subheadings tell us about the
reading?

39. Preview Step #3
• Look at the bottom of each page. Sometimes
there is a line with numbered notes under it.
These notes are about vocabulary (people,
places, things) in the reading that you may not
be familiar with and that probably aren’t in a
dictionary.
• Skim through the notes so you are familiar
with the vocabulary BEFORE you come across
it in the reading.

40. Preview Step #4
• Read the first paragraph or two.
• The first or second paragraph often contains
the author’s thesis, or at least will give you a
better understanding of the main idea and
purpose for the reading.
• After reading the first two paragraphs, what
do you think the rest of Althen’s writing will
focus on?

41. After Previewing:
• I STRONGLY suggest that after you finish
previewing each reading that you take the
time to complete the vocabulary assignments
BEFORE reading the reading.
• That said, I can’t make you do this, and the
final choice is up to you.

42. Remainder of Class:
• You have the remainder of this class to begin
working on the vocabulary assignments for
Althen, and/or to begin reading the article.
• This does NOT mean you may leave early.
• Use this time wisely to avoid having so much
homework to complete before class on
Wednesday.

43. Analyzing Readings
• Readings all have a main idea or thesis.
Sometimes this main idea is stated,
sometimes it is implied.
• The main idea or thesis tells you the point the
author is trying to made in the reading.
• Althen’s main idea is implied in his second
paragraph.
• What is it?

44. Analyzing Readings
• The author’s thesis or main idea is supported
by major and minor supporting details.
• These are explanations, examples, facts,
reasons, numbers, etc. that show why the
author’s main idea is correct.

45. Analyzing Readings
• There are two types of supporting details:
– Major Details
• Directly support the author’s main idea or thesis
– Minor Details
• Help to fully explain the major details

46. Analyzing Readings
• Each of Althen’s subheadings has a main idea
along with major detail (topic sentence) and
minor details to support it.

47. Analyzing Readings
• We will look at the first subheading and find
the main idea and major and minor details
together.
• Then you’ll work in small groups to analyze
the remaining subheadings.
• When we’re done, we’ll be able to put
together a complete set of notes in the form
of an outline for the reading.

48. Individualism
Main Idea: (hint: paragraph #1)
Supporting Details:

49. Groups
• There are 8 other subheadings.
• Each group will analyze 2.
• Therefore, we need 4 groups.
• Group 1: Competition & Time
• Group 2: Privacy & Directness & Assertiveness
• Group 3: Equality & the Future, Change &
Progress
• Group 4: Informality & Achievement, Action,
Work & Materialism

50. Discussing the Reading
• What main idea is Althen trying to
communicate? How does the main idea relate
to other ideas in the reading?

51. Discussing the Reading
• Some of the values and assumptions Althen
discusses in the reading overlap with each
other. Some of these complement each other
(fit together) and some seem to contradict
each other (don’t go together).
• Find an example of cultural values that seem
to fit together and ones that contradict each
other.

52. Discussing the Reading
• Can you tell how Althen feels about the issues
he discusses (does he like or dislike these
values, or can you not tell what his opinion
is)? How objective do you consider his writing
to be?

53. Reflecting on the Reading
• On your own, spend the next 20 minutes writing a
response to the following question:
• Are the U.S. values that Althen discusses similar to or
different from those in the culture with which you are
most familiar? Explain. Focus on 3 or 4 of the values
mentioned in the reading.
• Be prepared to share.
• SAVE your reflection – it will help you plan your first
essay!!!

54. Previewing the Next Readings:
For Monday, you will read Tang’s “Polite but
Thirsty” on p. 36-39 AND Levine’s “Time Talks
With an Accent p. 27-35
Remember to complete the vocab exercises for
Levine. There is no vocab for Tang!

55. Preview Step #1
• Read the italicized paragraph under the author’s
name to learn about the author and where and
when the reading is from.
• Who is the author?
• Where did this reading come from?
• When was it written?
• What guesses can we make from this information
and the reading title about what the reading will
be about?

56. Preview Step #2
• Skim the reading – Look for bold section titles
(subheadings) and read them.
• If there are no subheadings, skim the first
sentence of each paragraph.
• What subheadings are in this reading?
• What do the subheadings or first sentences
tell us about the reading?

57. Preview Step #3
• Look at the bottom of each page. Sometimes
there is a line with numbered notes under it.
These notes are about vocabulary (people,
places, things) in the reading that you may not
be familiar with and that probably aren’t in a
dictionary.
• Skim through the notes so you are familiar
with the vocabulary BEFORE you come across
it in the reading.

58. Preview Step #4
• Read the first paragraph or two.
• The first or second paragraph often contains
the author’s thesis, or at least will give you a
better understanding of the main idea and
purpose for the reading.
• After reading the first two paragraphs, what
do you think the rest of the reading will focus
on?

59. Remainder of Class:
• You have the remainder of this class to begin
working on Tang & Levine.
• This does NOT mean you may leave early.
• Use this time wisely to avoid having so much
homework to complete.

60. Note Taking Practice
• Split into 2 groups.
• Group 1 will write a complete set of notes for Tang
using the handout.
• Group 2 will write a complete set of notes for Levine
using the handout.
• Each group will give a short (@ 5 min. long) talk about
the main ideas and support found in their reading.
• I’ll post each group’s notes to our learning web page so
everyone has a set to refer to when we start working
on our essay, so it’s in your best interest to put a good
amount of effort into your work.

61. “Time Talks, With an Accent”
By Robert Levine

62. Discussing Levine
• What feelings does Levine experience while
encountering cultural differences in
perceptions of time? Have you experienced
any of these feelings when confronted with a
different orientation to time?

63. Discussing Levine
• How does Levine define “social time”?
• What are its components?

64. Discussing Levine
• According to Levine, why is adjusting to a
foreign concept of time so difficult?

65. Discussing Levine
• What does Levine mean when he says that the
rules of punctuality are “inseparably
intertwined with cultural values” (par. 14)? In
which ways does a society’s concept of time
reflect cultural values?

66. Making Connections
• What did Althen say about time as an
American cultural trait?
• How does Levine’s essay complement Althen’s
writing about time?

67. “Polite but Thirsty”
By Yaping Tang

68. Discussing Tang
• What is the significance of the title, “Polite but
Thirsty”?

69. Discussing Tang
• The reading identifies five (5) differences
between American and Chinese culture that
cause culture shock. What are these
differences?

70. Discussing Tang
• Look at the chart on p. 38. The chart explains
the five stages of culture shock. Think about
your initial adjustment to living in Houston.
Can you identify an example of a time when
you went through any of these periods of
culture shock?

71. Making Connections
• How do Tang’s five differences help to
illustrate the cultural values Althen discusses?
• Do any of Tang’s differences deal with time? If
so, how do they fit in with Levine?

72. Making Connections
• All three authors either state directly or imply
ways to minimize cultural misunderstanding.
Are there any suggestions that are common to
all three of the authors?

73. Reflecting on the Readings
• Spend 20 minutes writing on the following:
• Think about the values inherent to (held by) your own
culture that you identified in your reflection from the
last class.
• What ways can you think of to help minimize cultural
understandings for an American visiting your country?
• KEEP your reflections! They will help with planning
your first essay!

74. Journal Entry #1
• Option #1: (Based on Tang)
• Summarize the reading. Discuss the experience you
have had adjusting to life in Houston, including any
culture shock you encountered. How does your
experience compare and/or contrast to Tang’s?
• Option #2: (Based on Levine)
• Summarize the reading. Discuss a difficulty or
misunderstanding you’ve experienced as a result of
cultural differences in perceptions of time. How does
your experience compare and/or contrast to Levine’s?

75. Journal Entry #1
• Be sure you address EVERY part of the entry
prompt in your answer.
• Part #1: Summarize
• Part #2: Discuss
• Part #3: Compare & Contrast

76. Summarize the Reading
• A summary is a SHORT (1 paragraph for our
readings) restatement, in your own words, of
the main ideas of a reading passage.
• Use your notes to help you condense the
information in the reading down.

77. Summarize the Reading
• DO NOT copy statements from the original
reading. Summaries MUST be YOUR OWN
WORDS!
• ONLY include the author’s main ideas. Don’t
try to include every supporting detail.

78. Example Summary - Althen
• In “American Values and Assumptions,” Gary
Althen contends that cultural variations exist in
values and assumptions relating to human
nature, social relationships, activity, time and
people’s relation to nature. He maintains this can
cause problems when individuals from different
parts of the work interact. In an effort to help
minimize intercultural tension and
misunderstanding for visitors to the United
States, he identifies and discusses the
predominant cultural values and assumptions of
the country, particularly individualism.

79. Discuss
• Option #1: (Based on Tang)
• Discuss the experience you have had adjusting to
life in Houston, including any culture shock you
encountered.
• Option #2: (Based on Levine)
• Discuss a difficulty or misunderstanding you’ve
experienced as a result of cultural differences in
perceptions of time.

80. Discuss
• Discuss = explain or give a narrative of.
• Be sure to include details (like examples)

81. Compare & Contrast
• Option #1: (Based on Tang)
• How does your experience compare and/or
contrast to Tang’s?
• Option #2: (Based on Levine)
• How does your experience compare and/or
contrast to Levine’s?

82. Compare & Contrast
• Compare – show the similarities between
• Contrast – show the differences between
• Look at the discuss part of your answer.
• Compare it to your notes about the reading.
• Find ways in which your experience is similar
or different to Levine or Tang.

83. Essay #1

84. Essay Topic
• You have been asked to be an advisor for
American teachers who are working with
students from your country. Write a 500-600
word essay entitled:
• ___________ Ways: a Guide for American
Teachers.
• Discuss the values, assumptions, and customs
that American teachers need to understand in
order to avoid cross-cultural conflicts with their
students.

85. What type of essay is this?
• In L3 & L4, you wrote essays that focused on
one method of organization.
– Division & classification
– Cause/Effect
– Compare/Contrast
– Narrative
– Argument
– Etc.

86. What Type of Essay is This?
• In this class, our focus is to COMBINE multiple
methods of organization in each essay to best
address the writing prompt.
• That means that different parts or even
different paragraphs of your essay may follow
different methods of organization.

87. Examples
• Several examples of paragraphs for this essay
follow.
• Identify what method of organization each
uses.

88. Example #1
• Colombians place a premium on punctuality in the
classroom. Students are expected to arrive on time to
class because this will allow them to learn the lesson
and topic through a complete lecture. In addition, it is
a polite way to show the instructor interest in his or
her class. If a student shows enough interest, the
teacher will be kind when the student who is
occasionally late has a question. However, if a student
usually arrives late, he misses important tips to follow
the class discussion. Moreover, it will be harder for
him to fit in easily because of the information he does
not have. Punctuality in Colombia, as in the United
States, plays an important role for students to make
progress.

89. Example #2
• Punctuality for social events is not considered to be very valuable
for Panamanians. They have tehir own hour, which they call
“Panamanian hour.” This means that they arrive about one hour
late for unimportant social meetings and appointments. While they
are always on time to work, school, and anything they consider
important, they take their time in their social life. This custom is
passed from generation to generation because children learn it
from their parents. When Panamanians arrange to meet, the time
that they choose needs to be one hour or more earlier than the
time when they actually meet. For example, if they have a school
meeting for a project, and they want to meet their Panamanian
classmates at 1:00 p.m., they have to tell their classmates that the
meeting is at 12:00 p.m. Then, they might hear from one of them,
“Panamanian hour, right?” Unlike Americans, who tend to be
punctual for almost all meetings, Panamanians do not pay attention
if somebody is late since they do not value time as “a resource that,
like water or coal, can be used well or poorly” (Althen 10).

90. Example #3
• I quickly learned the value of time in the U.S. after I started
working for an American Company. I used to manage my
time like a Korean. When I worked in Korea, I had a lot of
business meetings. I was usually waiting for clients from 30
minutes to 1 hour because it is common in Korea to wait for
a meeting to begin. However, my American boss was not
happy with me when I arrived 10 minutes late for a staff
meeting. He told me to arrive on time in the future, or I
might lose my job. After that experience, I understood that
“Korean time” does not show concern for other people’s
schedule, but with Americans “time is money,” so
employees cannot be late. This situation is also likely to
occur with Korean students if they do not understand the
premium that American teachers place of punctuality in a
classroom. In addition, teachers should be aware of the
Korean attitude toward directness and informality.

91. Essay Guidelines
• Your essay should have AT LEAST 5
paragraphs, be double spaced, in 12 pt. Times
New Roman font; include a title and the
identification of the writer, course, instructor,
and date in the upper left corner. You are
expected to use Althen, Levine, and Tang as
sources. You MAY NOT use any outside
sources other than these.

92. Audience, Purpose & Tone
• Audience: American Teachers
• Purpose: Help them avoid cultural
misunderstandings with students from your
culture.
• Tone: Objective, third-person point of view
(ex. = Althen)

93. Grammar Focus
• Use present tense correctly to express
generalizations about cultural traits.
• Use a variety of sentence types: simple,
compound, complex.
• Edit out on your own your subject-verb
agreement and word form errors during
proofreading.

94. Vocabulary Focus
• Correctly use any word form of the following words & phrases:
• Adjust
• Consider
• Typical
• Undesirable
• are/are not inclined to
• Place a premium on
• value
• conflict
• Culture shock
• have/has a positive (or negative connotation

95. Outside Source Focus
• Begin integrating quotations and summaries
from the readings into your essays.
• Simply cite sources including the author’s last
name and the page # the information came
from.
• (Notice: this focus doesn’t include “correct”.
Since this is our first time citing sources, I fully
expect mistakes to be made. The important
thing is we learn from the mistakes we make.)

96. Citing Sources
• Althen, Tang, and Levine are your sources to
explain to your reader what American cultural
values are in contrast to (and thus may cause
trouble for) your cultural values.
• Use direct quotations and summaries of different
passages from the readings as supporting details
in your essay.
• When you summarize or quote an outside source,
you need to let your reader know where it came
from.

97. Citing Sources
• If you include the Author’s name in the sentence,
just put the page # from the reading that the
information you used is found on.
• Example:
• Gary Althen states that individualism is the most
important American cultural trait (5).
• Competition is another important trait, so much
so that Althen argues that “Competitiveness
pervades the society” (7).

98. Citing Sources
• If you do not include the author’s name in the sentence,
then put the author’s last name AND the page number in
parentheses at the end of the sentence.
• Examples:
• Competitiveness is an important American cultural trait, so
much so that “Competitiveness pervades the society”
(Althen 7).
• American culture is much less formal than many other
cultures. This can be seen in American’s clothes, body
language, phrases of expression, and body language
(Althen 9).

99. Practice
• Write a sentence containing a quote or a
paraphrase from EACH reading (3 total) that
includes the author’s name. Cite the page
number at the end of the sentence.
• Write a sentence containing a quote or a
paraphrase from EACH reading (3 total) that
DOES NOT include the author’s name. Cite both
the author’s name and the page number at the
end of the sentence.
• When done, come up and show me your work.

100. Remainder of Class
• You have the remainder of class to work on the
prewriting for your essay.
• You MUST outline your essay before writing it.
• Use the handout provided as a guide for planning
and outlining your essay.
• ALL steps in the writing process (your outline,
drafts, peer editing worksheets about your essay,
etc.) MUST be submitted along with your final
draft.
• You MAY NOT leave early.
• Use this time to cut down on the amount of
homework you will have!

101. REMINDER:
• Journal Entry #1 will be graded TOMORROW!
Please be sure you have it uploaded to
Dropbox by 1:30 p.m. tomorrow.
• You MUST bring a COMPLETE, TYPED, PRINTED
(not on an electronic device) to our next class
or you will NOT be able to participate. If you
can’t participate you will be asked to leave
and counted absent.