Creating Learning Partners: A facilitator’s guide for training effective adult literacy tutors

Variation

This activity could be combined with Activity C, Meeting ESL Learners if you are going to use the same person for the interviews. The interviews would be combined and then the follow-up steps would be used with the culture shock items last.

Another variation

If you have a chance in a previous session, you could also ask tutors to generate questions for the visiting learner so that they have the opportunity to explore questions that come from a place of their own curiosity. Share their questions with the guest prior to the visit, giving your guest the option not to answer any questions that make her feel uncomfortable.

Option 1 Interview with ESL learner, discussion using handout
Why choose this option? The concept of culture shock will be more memorable if tutors can meet someone who has experienced it. Materials and equipment An ESL learner who has experienced culture shock and feels comfortable talking about it or a tutor who has had a similar experience while living in another country Handout 11.5: Coping with Culture Shock Flip chart and markers Preparation Familiarize yourself with culture shock and its implications for learning. Read the explanation of culture shock at the beginning of Activity E. Copy handout. Contact possible ESL learners for the interview. The learner you choose should have already experienced culture shock, be comfortable sharing his or her experience and be fluent enough in English to share feelings and be open to the idea of being interviewed. If you cannot find an ESL learner with the above qualifications, ask a tutor who has lived for at least a year in another country where he experienced culture shock. Choose a few of the following questions to guide the interview and adapt them to suit your guest, or add your own questions. Give the learner the chance to practise answering the questions either with you or his or her tutor. How did you feel when you first came to Canada? How did you feel later on? What was frustrating for you in the beginning? In what ways is Canadian culture different from the culture in (country)? What was the hardest part of Canadian culture to get used to? Did you have trouble with being tired or sick in that first year in Canada? What helped you adjust to living in Canada? STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS Tell tutors that this activity will help them learn about culture shock. To engage tutors in thinking about the meaning and significance of culture shock, you could begin by asking them to generate a definition. Track their responses on the flip chart. Compare their ideas with the definition you have or with the following definition: Culture shock is the feeling of disorientation or confusion that happens when people move to a very unfamiliar place. If your tutors are having trouble starting, you could open up the discussion by mentioning experiences like the shock of moving from the city to the country, going to your husband’s home for Christmas for the first time and so on.

Option 1 Interview with ESL learner, discussion using handout

Why choose this option?

The concept of culture shock will be more memorable if tutors can meet someone who has experienced it.

Materials and equipment

An ESL learner who has experienced culture shock and feels comfortable talking about it or a tutor who has had a similar experience while living in another country
Handout 11.5: Coping with Culture Shock
Flip chart and markers

Preparation

Familiarize yourself with culture shock and its implications for learning. Read the explanation of culture shock at the beginning of Activity E.

Copy handout.

Contact possible ESL learners for the interview. The learner you choose should have already experienced culture shock, be comfortable sharing his or her experience and be fluent enough in English to share feelings and be open to the idea of being interviewed.

If you cannot find an ESL learner with the above qualifications, ask a tutor who has lived for at least a year in another country where he experienced culture shock.

Choose a few of the following questions to guide the interview and adapt them to suit your guest, or add your own questions. Give the learner the chance to practise answering the questions either with you or his or her tutor.

How did you feel when you first came to Canada?
How did you feel later on?
What was frustrating for you in the beginning?
In what ways is Canadian culture different from the culture in (country)?
What was the hardest part of Canadian culture to get used to?
Did you have trouble with being tired or sick in that first year in Canada?
What helped you adjust to living in Canada?

STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS

Tell tutors that this activity will help them learn about culture shock.
To engage tutors in thinking about the meaning and significance of culture shock, you could begin by asking them to generate a definition. Track their responses on the flip chart.
Compare their ideas with the definition you have or with the following definition: Culture shock is the feeling of disorientation or confusion that happens when people move to a very unfamiliar place.
If your tutors are having trouble starting, you could open up the discussion by mentioning experiences like the shock of moving from the city to the country, going to your husband’s home for Christmas for the first time and so on.