Language EnhancementSeptember 21, 2012

1. Warm-up: reading, small group discussion (& student photos) – 20 mins.

2. Pronunciation exercise: tongue twister (绕口令 ) – 5 mins.

3. Last Week’s Article: Canadian multiculturalism vs. German “multkulti” – idioms, vocabulary, discussion – 20 mins.

Break (Please hand in your homework summaries)

4. Video: “Proud Fathers” – 10 mins.

5. Activity: “You might be a Chinese-Canadian…” – 10 mins.

6. Talking about Western and Eastern Values – 20 mins.

7. Homework: Excerpts from “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother” (我在美国做妈妈 : 耶鲁法学院教授育儿经 )

New design for Canadian $100 bill, began circulation In November 2011

“Some have concerns that the researcher appears to be Asian… Some believe that it presents a stereotype of Asians excelling in technology and/or the sciences. Others feel that an Asian should not be the only ethnicity represented on the banknotes. Other ethnicities should also be shown.”

(from 2009 report by The Strategic Counsel, commissioned by the Bank of Canada)

Pronunciation Practice

“Sh” and “S”

Tongue-twister (绕口令 ):

1. She sells seashells by the seashore.

2. I saw Susie sitting in a shoeshine shop.

Last Week’s Reading: Canadian multiculturalism vs. German “multkulti”

Toronto Star, November 7, 2010Vahan Kololian

Chairman, The Mosaic Institute

• Idioms and vocabulary• Discussion

• “think of myself/yourself/themselves as…” (1)• “the bottom line” (7)• “pat on the back” (8)• “granted…” (13) • “all figured out” (17)• “iron out all the wrinkles” (17)

Idioms and Figures of Speech

• “think of myself/yourself/themselves as…” (1)

“Many people think of themselves as more patient than they really are.”

• “the bottom line” (7) – profit or loss; the final result; the deciding factor;

“Some companies do not care about their workers, they only care about the bottom line.”

Idioms and Figures of Speech

• “give (someone) a pat on the back” (8)

“He’s feeling a little bit discouraged. He needs a pat on the back about the work he’s doing.”

• “Granted,…but…” (13) – conceding a point“Granted, DVD players are expensive, but…”

“I agree that DVD players are expensive, but…”

“You are right that DVD payers are expensive, but…”

“I admit that DVD players are expensive, but…

Idioms and Figures of Speech

• “all figured out” (17) – completely understood or planned

“When you choose your major for university, you don’t have to have life all figured out.”

• “iron out all the wrinkles” (17)

“The service at her new restaurant isn’t very good. She needs time to iron out all the wrinkles.”

Idioms and Figures of Speech

Break

Video: “Proud Fathers”

1. In pairs or small groups, explain what is happening in this video.

2. What does this video reveal about what (Chinese)-Canadians value (看重 ,重视 )?

“You might be a Chinese-Canadian if…”

“你可能是一个加拿大华裔…”

Take the quiz! Work in pairs or small groups.

Give yourself 1 mark for every statement that you answer “true” for yourself.

What do these questions reveal about what Chinese-Canadians value (看重 ,重视 )?

Western and Eastern Values?

“Getting to the point”: Direct or indirect?

Individualistic or communal?

At a party

Time orientation: punctual or flexible?

Showing anger or unhappiness

Standing in line

Sense of self, self-regard

Dealing with a problem

The Leader: Facilitator or Authority?

The child in the familyAfrican proverb: “It takes a village to raise a child.”

Face (面子 )Saving face, to save face (留面子 )

Losing face, to lose face (丢面子 )

“The manager lost face when the company president criticized him in front of all the other employees.”

“Although not all of his proposals were accepted, he managed to save some face when the committee approved his main idea.”

Homework: • Download (下载 ) the

article from the course website

• Read the excerpts from Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother (Amy Chua, Penguin Press, 2011)

• Practice reading aloud.• Write a summary of

the main points (minimum 250 words, maximum 400 words)

Excerpt #1:

“Self-Esteem”

Excerpt #2:

“The Virtuous Circle”