How much truth is there in national stereotypes? - Some funny activities to overcome prejudice

Stereotypes are generalizations about groups of people, they can be positive or negative, they can be based on some truth  or completely invented. Clichés about national stereotypes can be great fun, but they mustn’t become prejudice! In this post I will try to talk about some stereotypes in a funny way. By laughing about the most common national stereotypes, you can understand the futility of some prejudices and the great value of diversity! I think that discussing about some national stereotypes could be very useful  to understand not only other cultures, but even our own! In fact, looking at us through the eyes of someone else might make us think!
At any rate, to really understand a culture you have to experinece it first hand!

"To travel is to discover that 

everyone is wrong about foreign countries."

Aldous Huxley

SOME ACTIVITIES

1

First of all, let's have a look at some of the most common national stereotypes:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/NationalStereotypes

Some printables:

http://www.eslprintables.com/Vocabulary_worksheets

/Culture_and_traditions/Stereotypes/

What is your opinion, after having surfed the above sites? Do you know any other stereotypes about your country or about a foreign nation? Do you think that travelling could help better understand another culture? Why?

2

Now, let's listen to this song. 

"Englishman in New York" by Sting

Can you recognize any stereotypes in the song? Which adjectives or nouns are used to describe a British man? Are there any adjectives that refer to American people? Can you understand any differences between English and Americans? 

3

Now watch the following video from the BBC and listen to what the British think about their own country's stereotypes. 

How would you describe British people? What do you know about the British? Have you ever been to the United Kingdom?

4

Take a look at the following presentation. I have tried to compare British culture to my own culture summarizing the most popular stereotypes about these two countries. I have surfed the Net to take the pulse of the situation (I considered both the Italian and the British point of view) and I found some interesting and funny opinions (and videos)! 

Sometimes it's good to laugh at some particular aspect, characteristic or attitude but, remember: we should never disrespect anyone!

Now  prepare a presentation about some other cultures, using videos, links, songs, people's opinions or whatever you like! Remember to use irony always respecting others!

World Day for Cultural Diversity - May, 21

May, 21 is World Day for Cultural Diversity. 

Let' s see some activities we can do to celebrate this day.

First of all, you can surf the following sites to get more information about this celebration.

UN website:

http://www.un.org/en/events/culturaldiversityday/index.shtml

UNESCO site:

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/events/prizes-and-celebrations/celebrations/international-days/world-day-for-cultural-diversity-for-dialogue-and-development/

Do one thing for Diversity and Inclusion:
http://www.unaoc.org/what-we-do/campaigns/do-one-thing-for-diversity-and-inclusion/

A video from Unesco 

1) Let's start talking about multicultural Britain

While studying English language, we study British culture, as well. 

We know that Britain is a multicultural society. Let's see why.

Have a look at this interesting short immigration timeline by BBC:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/uk/2002/race/short_history_of_immigration.stm#1800s

Multicultural Britain by Loescher

Multicultural London by Jonsie Reid

After watching the above videos, answer the questions:

1. What's the famous market near the London Bridge station? Why is it one of the most popular London markets? What can you find there?
2. Where is Brick Lane? What is it locally known as? Why?
3. Is there a "Chinatown" in London as in New York?
4. At the end of the first video some Londoners are interviewed. What do they say about living in a multicultural city?
5. Take a look at the above immigration timeline by BBC. The text ends with these words

"Fifty years after the start of mass immigration to the UK, questions are still being asked about whether or not the UK can become a multi-ethnic society at ease with itself - or whether there is still a long road to be travelled."

         What does it mean? Which are the pros and cons of a multicultural society in your opinion?

2) And now let's talk about a great man who fought for the rights of black people

 M. L. King's speech "I have a dream" 

For the whole speech (with audio, hyperlinks and notes):

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm

Watch the video and read the above speech text, then answer the following questions:

1. When and where was this famous speech held?
2. Who is the "great American" who signed the Emancipation Proclamation? What do you know about  him?
3. What is the Declaration of Independence?
4. What does M. L. King mean when he says: "Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred."?
5. What does M. L. King dream?

M. L. King biography:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/people/martin_luther_king.shtml

Read the above biography and answer the questions:

1. What is Rosa Parks famous for?
2. After her death King became a leading figure in organizing an event. What did he do?
3. What did M. L. King establish in 1957?
4. How many people attended the Lincoln Memorial during the famous "I have a dream" speech?
5. Which prize was King awarded in 1964?

3) Let's try to define stereotypes

... with some humour!

Answer these questions, first:

1. What are stereotypes? 
2. Do you think you stereotype people?
3. Have you ever been victim of  prejudice?
4. Which are some typical stereotypes about your country?
5. Do these stereotypes annoy you or do you laugh at them?

Now click on this post (from The Travelling Teachers) about some typical British and Italian stereotypes ... and have fun!

http://thetravellingteachers.blogspot.it/2013/09/stereotypes-and-prejudice-travelteaches.html

4) And now some videos and songs 

for young learners

A song for young learners to encourage friendship and inclusion

What does it mean to be global?

Intercultural Communication Adventure

An interesting website about multicultural music. A lot of songs (music and lyrics) about diversity and differences:

http://www.songsforteaching.com/diversitymulticulturalism.htm

Stereotypes and prejudice

"Travel teaches toleration"

Benjamin Disraeli

"Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends."

Maya Angelou

"To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries."

Aldous Huxley

 "All travel has its advantages. If the passenger visits better countries, he may learn to improve his own. And if fortune carries him to worse, he may learn to enjoy it."

Samuel Johnson

"When overseas you learn more about your own country, than you do the place you're visiting." 

Clint Borgen

"The more I traveled the more I realized that fear makes strangers of people who should be friends."

Shirley MacLaine

Typical Italian and British stereotypes:

The following is a PowerPoint slides show to talk about stereotypes in a simple and funny way with our students.

(from a PowerPoint presentation by Roberta Martino)

 

 

  

 

  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And you? Have you ever been victim of prejudice? Tell us something about the typical stereotypes of your country.