A Critical Look

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A Critical Look at Cross-cultural Practices
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Overview
Warm-up Activity experience survey
Scenario ? Eric in Taiwan
Scenario ? Aggressive Allen
Scenario ? Receiving a Japanese Client
Interesting facts
Foreigner's impressions of Taiwan
Vocabulary Focus
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Warm-up Activity Experience Survey

• Ask your classmates
• ? Have you ever been overseas?
• ? Do you have any interesting stories
• about culture clashes or culture shock?
• The first five students who can collect
• more than three stories will get special
• rewards.

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Scenario ? Eric in Taiwan
In Taiwan, is it OK to point out the mistakes a
teacher makes in front of the whole class? Is it
considered misbehavior?
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Chinese Culture
What values do we cherish in Chinese culture?
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Discussion Face-saving or not?
You would like to get in T University. However,
you failed the preliminary test while one of your
classmates, Andy, passed. Now, your friend came
to you and asked you about this embarrassing
fact.
What would you say ?
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Common Answers ??????
Words to save your face
T University is not what I what. I have a
different goal.
Ive heard that Andy has been preparing since
grade ten.
Its T Universitys loss not to recruit me as
their student.
Oh. I didnt prepare at all. Its no big deal to
me.
Ive heard that something was going on in the
recruitment process. So its OK not to get in.
What matters is the experience. After all,
nothing ventured, nothing gained. At least Ive
tried.
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Scenario? Aggressive Allen
A lot of books encourage students to talk to
foreigners on the street to practice their
English. However, there are American taboos you
should pay attention to.
American taboos Religion, race, health
condition, marriage, age, etc.
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Advice for getting American language exchange
partners or friends
Q How to find a language exchange partner? A
The website to visit Tealit. Com
http//www.tealit.com/index.php?languagetw
Partner?
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Advice for getting American language exchange
partners or friends
Q Could I see my partner as a teacher and ask
him every detail about how to learn English
and grammar? A Maybe not. In this way,
you may make your partner feel you only want
free language lessons instead of making
friends with him. It would be better if you
share something in your life and show him
around Taiwan instead of going in detail about
learning English or staying in a coffee shop.
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Scenario ? Receiving a Japanese Client
A. Question on your personal experience
Have you ever been to Japan? What are the
people there like?
B. Scenario ? Receiving a Japanese
Client (T-1-7)
Take a look at the clip and pay attention to the
politeness issue.
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Important Values in Japanese Culture

• Politeness
• Respect
• Punctuality

Hai !

• Dedication to ones company
• Hierarchy
• Good service

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Interesting Facts ??????
Who Should Pay?
In Taiwan, its natural for men to pay for the
date to show their being gentlemen. Also, its
considered a common practice for the man to pay
for the FIRST date even when they are not yet in
a relationship. If the man refuses to pay, the
woman may think the man doesnt like her at all.
However, in western countries, if a female
invites a man for a dinner, the man may expect
the woman to pay for the date.
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Interesting Facts ??????

• International students

Asian students are mostly polite and obedient,
giving the instructor more respect. When voicing
their opinions, they will consider the act of
turn-taking. However, European students such as
Russian students may be aggressive, tending to
dominate the class by talking a lot in response
to a teachers question. Also, they may show
strong disagreement in a direct and harsh way.

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Foreigners Impressions of Taiwan

typhoons
humidity

convenience
good snacks
scooters
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Vocabulary Focus