British Culture and Society

British Culture and Society – Lesson PlansFirst Semester 2010-2011By way of introducing this course of study for all juniors majoring in English. Although the book is titled CONTEMPORARY BRITISH CULTURE AND SOCIETY (Revised Edition), still it provides only 2000 statistics (or from late 1990s) for major social issues in Britain. With a textbook all students are required to know and understand the text before coming to each session in class. Unfortunately, maybe true in English classes, students are reluctant to participate in active class discussions. Learning is a two-way communication, interaction between a teacher and students with regard to anything related to British culture and society and/or anything in their reading that will stimulate their thinking and enhance their understanding and appreciation of their own Chinese culture. The twin purposes of this course: “…studying another culture also enables you to see your own through different eyes, giving you many fresh insights into habits and customs which you had previously taken for granted.”And also, “as a student of the English language, you should also be able to recognize and use a wider range of vocabulary and idioms connected with British life and to communicate clearly what you have learned about Britain, in both speech and writing.”A special note: I have deliberately avoided using powerpoint in my teaching as most students (based on my observations in other classes) seem so preoccupied copying every word from it neglecting to pay attention to the text and what a teacher is trying to teach. Instead as I teach I would write important key words with the computer to emphasize what I really want them to learn and understand. This way I use a fresh approach to each lesson without relying solely on the same powerpoint from semester to semester. Therefore the main teaching points (from the text) are the same, but the details will be different each time I teach the lesson, with illustrations drawn from contemporary events around the world.Chapter 1 – IntroductionTeaching Objective: Introducing the purpose of this course, brief sketch of Britain and key questions about a society.Teaching Requirement: Text and Supplementary reading and GlossaryTeaching Methodology: Read key sections. Discussion. Review. Q & ATeaching Points:∙Purpose of this course∙Britain: geography, population, ethnic groups, class∙What is it that makes one society distinct from anotherChapter 2 – Family and Personal Relationships (1)Teaching Objective: Introduce a variety of families in Britain today. Why marry? Teaching Requirement: Text and Supplementary Reading and GlossaryTeaching Methodology: Read key sections. Discussion. Review. Working in pairs p 31On: What are the reasons for marriage in China? And List 4 reasons each for success and failure in marriage in China. Followed by class discussion.Teaching Points:∙Imagine of a typical British family∙Youth and dating∙Marriage: reasons, and marriage ceremony∙Cohabitation∙Marriage and divorce: reasons for success and failureChapter 3 – Family and Personal Relationships (2)Teaching Objective: Look further at relationships within the home, roles of husbands and wives and who makes the decisions, and old age.Teaching Requirement: Text and Supplementary Reading on Case Studies of Old Age and Characteristics of the family p 51ffTeaching Methodology: Read key sections. Discussion. Review. Working in pairs – List reasons for Generation Gap in China today.Teaching Points:∙Husbands and wives∙Division of household tasks∙Decision making∙Parents and children∙Old ageChapter 4 – EducationTeaching Objective: A brief survey of the development of free universal education and the main institutions in which British people are formally educated.Teaching Requirement: Text and Supplementary Reading on Education for Citizenship p 68ff, and Who needs school? P 70ffTeaching Methodology: Read key sections. Discussion. ReviewTeaching Points:∙Change and reform in schools∙Schools today∙Institutions of higher education∙Further education and training: vocational trainingChapter 5- WorkTeaching Objective: What is work and what kinds of jobs people do in Britain, their working conditions and their attitudes towards them, including opportunities for young people and women and unions and management.Teaching Requirement: Text and Supplementary Reading on The Personal Meaning of Unemployment p 91ffTeaching Methodology: Read key sections: Discussion. Review. Role play on an Interview for a job and later students on how the interviewers and candidate might have done better p 89ffTeaching Points:∙What is work?∙Pattern of employment∙Getting a job∙Unions and management∙Gender and ethnicityChapter 6 – LeisureTeaching Objective:What do people with their free time, both inside and outside the home as opportunities for leisure have increased, and how gender and class and age affect this.Teaching Requirement: Text and Supplementary Reading on The Traditional British Sunday and Cricket p 108ff.Teaching Methodology: Read key sections. Discussion. Review. Conduct a survey of classmates on leisure time activities and compare them with young people in Britain. P 107Teaching Points:∙What is leisure?∙Leisure at home∙Leisure outside the home∙Youth and sportsChapter 8 – Crime & the PoliceTeaching Objective: We look at crime in Britain and the role of the police, how it is organized and the kind of functions it performs, and how safe British people feel. Teaching Requirement: Text and Supplementary Reading on Real Lives (juvenile criminals) and Where young people will draw the line p 143-147Teaching Methodology: Read key sections. Discussion. Review.Teaching Points:∙What is crime?∙Crime in Britain today∙Victims and offenders∙The causes of crime∙Sociological interpretation of juvenile crime∙Victim support∙The police – the role of police, powers and limitations∙Public faith in the policeChapter 9 – Justice and the LawTeaching Objective: We look at the structure and basic principles of the legal system in Britain, dealing with both criminal and civil law, including the legal profession and structure of the courts.Teaching Requirement: Text and Supplementary Reading on Public loses its faith p 161 Teaching Methodology: Read key sections. Discussion. Review. Work in pairs, followed by class discussion on Your opinion of lawyers, judges, sentencing, the jury system and the police p 160Teaching Points:∙Basic principles of English law: the rule of law, natural law and natural justice ∙Structure of the courts∙Legal advice and assistance∙Inside the courts – basic principle of judicial independence∙The jury∙Outside court – barristers and solicitors∙Problems raised by the legal system in BritainChapter 10 – BeliefsTeaching Objective: We examine some of the belief systems and values held by groups of people in Britain, religious or secular.Teaching Requirement: Text and Supplementary Reading on The church of England p 174ffTeaching Methodology: Read key sections. Discussion. Review. Which of the Ten Commandments are similar to the generally held moral values in China?Teaching Points:∙Beliefs and religion∙The ecological movement: religious and secular∙The Christian religion in Britain, history, church of England, protestant church and recent trends∙Other religions∙How religious are the British?∙Beliefs, including the Ten Commandments∙Moral issues – abortionChapter 11 – WelfareTeaching Objective: We look at the history of welfare provision in Britain, two different definitions of poverty, and the impact of the Thatcher years and the present situation. Teaching Requirement: Text and Supplementary Reading on Welfare in Britain, the present p 192Teaching Methodology: Read key sections. Discussion. Review. Study Table on advantages and disadvantages of a welfare state p 192Teaching Points:∙Poverty and the development of the Welfare State∙What is a Welfare State?∙Changing attitudes – Thatcher’s years∙Welfare in Britain, the present∙Social Security, Health and HousingChapter 12 – Domestic EconomyTeaching Objective: An overview of the natural resources and infrastructure and how the economy actually operates, including how people spend their money on, ways the consumers are protected and effects of credit card revolution.Teaching Requirem ent: Text and Supplementary Reading on Supply/demand theory and Consumer Sovereignty p 212Teaching Methodology: Read key sections. Discussion. Review. Spending Patterns amongst Chinese university students and compare this with that of British students p 210 Teaching Points:∙Natural resources and infrastructure∙Finance∙The mixed economy∙The role of the government – where it gets its money∙The consumer∙Convenience versus temptation – the credit card and debt problemChapter 13 – System of GovernmentTeaching Objective: We look at how Britain is government, nationally and locally, including how people enter parliament and the functions and responsibilities of MPs Teaching Requirement: Text and Supplementary Reading on Constitutional Monarchy 226ffTeaching Methodology: Read key sections. Discussion. Review.Teaching Points:∙The structure of central government∙The executive∙The legislative∙Local governmentChapter 15 and 16 – The Media and the PressTeaching Objective: In these 2 chapters we look at some aspects of the mass media in Britain, who owns and controls it, the variety available and what British people think about it.Teaching Requirement: TextTeaching Methodology: Read key sections. Discussion. ReviewTeaching Points:∙BBC and basic structure∙Radio∙Television∙Current Trends∙The impact of new technology∙IssuesThe Press∙Press barons to media moguls∙Types of newspapers∙Readership∙Influences on the press and press freedom∙Issues – freedom of the pressChapter 18 - Foreign TradeTeaching Objective: We look at Britain’s foreign trade relationships – what changes there have been in what Britain buys and wells, and with whom the British do business. Teaching Requirement: Text and Supplementary Reading on Philips cuts put British jobs at risk.Teaching Methodology: Reading Text. Discussion. Review.Teaching Points:∙From imperial power to European partner∙Imports and exports∙The international role of the city of London∙MultinationalsChapter 17 – Britain and the worldTeaching Objective: We look at some of the changes and continuities in Britain’s relations with the rest of the World, from the days of Empire, to the growing importance of Europe, and the special relationship with the USATeaching Requirement: Text and Supplementary Reading on The Falklands War p 285ff Teaching Methodology: Read key sections. Discussion. Review.Teaching Points:∙The changing world∙From imperial power to commonwealth member∙Relations with Europe∙The European union∙The special relationship with USA∙Defense。