Knowing About a Birthday Celebration

What is the cultural information students need to acquire?

Students Learn:

Birthday celebrations are meant to honor a person.

They can be planned with the honoree's knowledge or made to surprise the one who is having the birthday.

There are common elements to a birthday celebration; a cake, candles, a song, gifts, jokes, cards and invitations.

There are different types of birthday celebrations depending on the honoree's age.

Knowing About

Content: provide access to cultural information

What we say (Happy Birthday!) . What we do (make a cake, provide a gift, sing “Happy Birthday” to the recipient.).

Plan a birthday party or read about a birthday party.

Write an invitation for a friend. Plan the day of the party considering the honoree's age, gender, and situation.

Search for cards, presents, and jokes on the web.

Language function: describingActivities: gathering informationOutcomes: cultural knowledge

Teacher Role: source/resource/elicitor

Knowing AboutTeacher Role: source/resource/elicitor

Teacher supports discussion about aging.

Teacher ask students to describe how birthdays in their culture are acknowledged and celebrated.

(Group discussion and individual writing)

Teacher ask students to consider a person they would honor with a birthday celebration.

Teacher provides resources for discovery and brings in regalia.

Content: self

Language function: respondingActivities: reflection

Outcomes: self awareness/personal confidence

Knowing how to participate in a birthday celebration

What are the cultural behaviors and language that students need to develop?

Students Experience:

Learn the words and tune of a common birthday song.Student's sing the birthday song.

Students count and light the candles on a birthday cake.

Students choose an age appropriate gift and card.Everyone shouts “surprise” or “Happy Birthday!”

together.

Knowing HowContent: cultural practices

In groups, students sing Happy Birthday to one individual.Count and light candles on a birthday cake.

(beginners-draw the correct amount of candles on a picture of a cake.)

Choose an age appropriate gift and card from the web or a magazine.

In groups, talk about how to throw a surprise birthday party.

Language function: participating

Activities: developing skillsOutcomes: cultural behaviorsTeacher Role: model/coach

Knowing HowTeacher Role: model/coach

Introduce the topic of birthdays.

Teacher provides the music and encourages students to sing.

Teacher ask students to consider feelings after singing the song.

Teacher acts as party consultant while students discuss in groups ways of throwing a surprise party.

(Teacher provides language to talk about feelings one might have if surprised on their birthday; fear, amazement, tears, shock, etc.)

Content: self

Language function: respondingActivities: reflection

Outcomes: self awareness/personal confidence

Knowing why people celebrate birthdays and do the things they do at

birthday celebrations

Key Cultural Perspectives Students Need to Discover:

Students explore how a birthday is celebrated in their culture of origin, and how this is the same or different than in the TL culture;

kinds of foods prepared, gift giving, significance of age

Students explore jokes about birthdays and age in their own culture comparing them with the target language culture.

Students explore the difference between a child's birthday celebration and an adult's birthday celebration.

Knowing Why

Content: cultural perspectives

List several reasons why a birthday party might be meaningful to the people involved.

Talk about possible reasons for making jokes about age.

In what ways does the learner's culture acknowledge age and the passing of years/time? Do you celebrate youth or old age in your culture?

Language function: interpretActivities: discovering explanationsOutcomes: cultural understandingTeacher Role: guide/co-researcher

Knowing Why

Teacher Role: guide/co-researcher

Teacher provides resources for learning; list of websites, places to find greeting cards. Teacher asks students to consider the kinds of

presents and the expense.

Teacher can talk about language used to express feelings.

Content: selfLanguage function: responding

Activities: reflectionOutcomes: self awareness/personal confidence

Knowing oneself through personal responses to learning about birthday

celebrationsWhat are Students' Personal Responses?

Students reflect upon their feelings about growing older.

Students reflect on their attitudes towards birthday celebrations, considering their feelings about

celebrations.

Students reflect on the aspects of the birthday celebration and consider how they would feel if a

surprise party was given in their honor.

Knowing Oneself

Content: self

Consider the average life expectancy of people in both cultures.

Consider your attitude towards aging.(Group discussion)

Talk and write about how you would feel if a surprise party was given in your honor.

(Group and individual tasks)

Language function: respondingActivities: reflection

Outcomes: self awareness/personal confidenceTeacher Role: listener/witness/co-learner

Knowing OneselfTeacher Role: listener/witness/co-learner

Teacher notes student's responses.

Teacher helps with writing task.

Teacher helps students use language of feeling; “I'm so surprised!”, “I can't believe it!”, “Thank you.”

(Group work-Discuss how you would feel if a surprise party is given in your honor.)

Content: self

Language function: respondingActivities: reflection

Outcomes: self awareness/personal confidence