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American Culture Courses
American Culture track courses offer language instruction using the context of the study of American culture, history, society, and community.
Language skills addressed include: listening, fluency development, oral intelligibility, reading, grammar, writing, and vocabulary development.
Special activities and travel support classroom study in our on-campus program.
- English through the News (Listening/Speaking, Level 4, 5)
- American Culture for International Students 4 (Listening/Speaking, Level 4)
- English through Stories (Listening/Speaking, Level 5)
- English through American History (Reading/Writing, Level 5)
- American Culture for International Students 5 (Listening/Speaking, Level 5)
- Read It! Watch It! Books and Their Film Versions (Reading/Writing, Levels 5)
- English through the 1960s (Listening/Speaking, Level 6)
- English through Drama (Listening/Speaking, Level 6)
- English through Film: Viewing and Producing (Listening/Speaking, Level 6)
- Music Listening: The Basics (Listening/Speaking, Level 6)
- Songs That Say Something (Listening/Speaking, Level 6)
- E-Gaming: Play the Games, Learn the Language (Listening/Speaking, Level 6)
English through the News
Listening/Speaking, Level 4
This course uses radio and television news broadcasts to develop students’ listening comprehension of rapid native speech and complex discourse. Students will work on their spoken English skills through class discussions of current events. Oral intelligibility work focuses on pronunciation, suprasegmentals, and fluency.
American Culture for International Scholars 4
Listening/Speaking, Level 4
For many students, American culture, although familiar, may not be completely understood. The “why” of many American customs and values may seem a mystery.
For example, students may wonder, “Why do Americans give a tip when at a restaurant?” or “What are common marriage customs in the US?” or “Why is individualism such a prominent value in American culture?”
By examining the historical and cultural background of the United States, this course will help students come to a better understanding of US customs and prepare themselves for encounters they may have during their stay within the U.S.
It will also challenge them to interact more with Americans, reflect on culture in general, and express their own thoughts about cultural differences. Thus, students will emerge from the class, not only with improved language skills, but also a greater ability to navigate the US culture.
English through Stories
Listening/Speaking, Level 5
This class seeks to improve listening comprehension through guided listening to stories told by North American storytellers.
The stories are based on both universal and American cultural themes.
At the same time, students will develop their speaking skills as they practice pronunciation and oral grammar, and they will improve their fluency as they discuss stories that they hear and tell stories of their own.
English through American History
Reading/Writing, Level 5
This class is focused on the improvement of students’ reading, writing, and grammar skills through the study of the culture and history of United States of America from its founding to the Civil War, and from the late 1800s until the present day.
This class will alternate between these two periods from session to session. It will give an overview of the significant events in American history that have shaped political, cultural, and social trends since the country’s founding.
At the end of this class, students will have increased their abilities to understand American culture while demonstrating the required proficiency in English through the desired learning outcomes.
American Culture for International Scholars 5
Listening/Speaking, Level 5
For many students, American culture, although familiar, may not be completely understood. The “why” of many American customs and values may seem a mystery.
For example, students may wonder, “Why do Americans give a tip when at a restaurant?” or “What are common marriage customs in the US?” or “Why is individualism such a prominent value in American culture?”
By examining the historical and cultural background of the United States, this course will help students come to a better understanding of US customs and prepare themselves for encounters they may have during their stay within the U.S.
It will also challenge them to interact more with Americans, reflect on culture in general, and express their own thoughts about cultural differences.
Thus, students will emerge from the class, not only with improved language skills, but also a greater ability to navigate the US culture.
Read It! Watch It! Books and Their Film Versions
Reading/Writing, Level 5
This course focuses on developing students’ reading and writing skills by exploring the differences and similarities that exist between written expression (such as short stories, poems, and novels) and visual expression (such as films).
Students will read a text, view its film version, and compare the two versions through writing exercises such as compositions, book and film reviews, and other creative writing activities.
English through the 1960s (Parts 1 and 2)
Listening/Speaking, Level 6
This course focuses on developing students’ listening and speaking skills in the context of issues and events that occurred in the United States in the 1960s.
Class work includes a wide variety of activities such as films, recordings, guest speakers, class activities and projects.
Oral intelligibility instruction focuses on suprasegmentals (intonation, stress, rhythm, linking, volume, gestures) and fluency development.
English through Drama
Listening/Speaking, Level 6
Improve your listening, speaking and vocabulary while telling stories, presenting skits and playing drama games.
This class will use drama to help you develop your listening/speaking skills with a special emphasis placed on improving presentation skills.
Using short stories, excerpts from plays, and original skits along with improvisation (unrehearsed) activities, students will work together to improve their skills and plan and present a final performance. If possible, we will attend a local live performance.
No drama experience is necessary, only a desire to get up out of your chair and create!
English through Film: Viewing and Producing
Listening/Speaking, Level 6
This is an advanced level English language course which focuses on developing cognitive academic language proficiency. It is suitable for language learners who want to prepare for academic study in American universities.
The course teaches technical video production skills using the University’s video cameras, microphones and computers, while focusing on the development of academic listening, note-taking, speaking and research skills.
The pronunciation portion of the class emphasizes understanding native reductions, rhythm and intonation, and focus words.
Music Listening: The Basics
Listening/Speaking, Level 6
Music Listening: The Basics is an advanced level English language course which focuses on developing academic reading, listening, and speaking skills.
The course content of a typical university breadth requirement music class will be explored. This course is suitable for advanced students who are preparing for academic study at American universities.
It is also suitable for advanced non-academic track students who want to learn more about the topic of music listening while improving reading, listening and speaking skills.
Authentic university lectures (online) and a typical textbook for a freshman university class will be utilized.
Songs That Say Something
Listening/Speaking, Level 6
Songs That Say Something is an advanced level English language course which focuses on developing the skill of listening for details (lyrics); discussion skills (discussing the meaning of lyrical poetry); pronunciation suitable to public reading, presenting, and or performing; vocabulary; understanding of figurative language; and deeper understanding of American culture.
It is suitable for language learners who want to prepare for academic study in American universities or for those who merely desire to develop advanced level skills in a musical environment.
The pronunciation portion of the class emphasizes understanding native reductions and producing intelligible phonemes, proper syllable and clausal stress, and linkage.
E-Gaming: Play the Games, Learn the Language
Listening/Speaking, Level 6
This is a course focused on using collaborative language to play team video games in English and also design a proposal for an educational game.
Students will practice collaborative language, advanced grammar, and pronunciation in concert with an investigation of gaming history, business, and its role in education.