Conversation Class Lesson Summary

Language Resident Name: Ruirui Zhang

Day and Date: Wednesday, April 8th,2020

Language and Level (intermediate or advanced class): Intermediate

Class theme/topics discussed: Gift-giving culture in China

Goal of the class: 

  • To introduce the gift-giving culture to students.

How did you structure the class? 

  • Warm up: When you visit your friends, will you bring something to your friends or not? What will you usually bring?

Activity 1: Use break-out room to divide the class into pairs and make students talk in pairs according to the first page of PowerPoint. Student were told to download PowerPoint from Sakai in advance.

Activity 2: What gifts do Chinese bring with them when visiting friends? Please say out those items according to PowerPoint. Make comparisons between China’s gift-giving culture and America’s.

Activity 3:Take a look at the following pictures (Page 10 on the PowerPoint)and guess why these items are listed into taboo. Is there any taboo gifts which means bad luck when Americans give each other gifts.

What technology, media or props did you use? (internet resources, playmobiles, handouts, etc.)

  • PowerPoint Presentation
  • Zoom

What worked well in this class? What did not work?

 This topic worked very well .Comparison is a good way to better introduce Chinese culture to students. In this way, students could make easier connection between China’s and American culture. We can always find some similarities between them.

How could this class be improved/ modified?

We spent too much time in talking about “normal” gifts in China. Therefore, we didn’t have time to talk about gifts taboo and we have to move this part to next class. I should control time appropriately.

If you have a more detailed lesson plan, please attach it below (OK to use target language for that).  Please attach any handouts as well.

Gift-giving