Brooks Patterns of Culture (from Language and Language Learning, 1964, by Nelson Brooks) The following list of to i!

s (by no means e"hausti#e) may be !onsidered as items for su!h $hors d%oeu#res& in the language !lassroom' 1. Greetings, Friendly Exchange, Farewells (ow do friends meet, !on#erse briefly, take their lea#e) *hat are the erennial to i!s of small talk) (ow are strangers introdu!ed) 2. The Morphology of Personal Exchange (ow are inter ersonal relationshi s su!h as differen!es in age, degree of intima!y, so!ial osition, and emotional tension refle!ted in the !hoi!e of a ro riate forms of ronouns and #erbs) 3. Le els of !peech +n what ways are age, ro#enan!e, so!ial status, a!ademi! a!hie#ement, degree of formality, inter ersonal relations, aestheti! !on!ern and ersonality refle!ted in the standard or traditional s ee!h) ". Patterns of Politeness *hat are the !ommonest formulae of oliteness and when should they be used) #. $espect , art from o#ert e" ressions of deferen!e and dis!i line, what ersonages and what !ultural themes, both ast and !ontem orary, are !hara!teristi!ally held in sin!ere res e!t) %. &ntonation Patterns , art from the sele!tion, order, and form of words themsel#es, what o#ertones of !aden!e, interrogation, !ommand, sur rise, deferen!e, and the like are borne e"!lusi#ely by the dynami!s of ronun!iation) (-or e"am le, the -ren!h $Vous nous en allez ce soir& may be ronoun!ed in su!h a way that it is !learly either a statement, a re.oinder, a /uestion, an order, or a senten!e read by a !hild from a book') '. (ontractions and )*ission *hat words or sound are normally teles!o ed into !ontra!tions (for e"am le, !an%t) or fre/uently dro ed altogether (for e"am le, the -ren!h ne in s oken s ee!h) +. Expleti es *hat words and intonation atterns are !ommonly used to enli#en one%s s ee!h by way of !ommentary u on one%s own feelings or a!tions, those of the erson addressed, or the nature or beha#iour of other elements in the immediate situation) ,. Types of Error in !peech and Their &*portance *hat error is the s eaker of 0nglish likely to make in the new language) *hat is the relati#e seriousness of these errors in the se" !ulture) (-or e"am le, in -ren!h, a mistake in the gender of a noun is dee ly disturbing, but the failure to make a ast arti!i le agree if noti!ed at all, is readily !ondoned')

0N 192 3ultural 3om onents in 0nglish Language Tea!hing

1-. .er/al Ta/oos *hat !ommon words or e" ressions in 0nglish ha#e dire!t e/ui#alents that are not tolerated in the new !ulture, and #i!e #ersa) 11. 0ritten and !po1en Lang2age ,side from ri!hness of #o!abulary and !om le"ity of stru!ture, what are the !ommonest areas of differen!e between s oken language and writing) 12. 32*/ers (ow are numbers ronoun!ed, s elled, re resented in arithmeti!al notation, written by hand, and formally rinted in ways that are e!uliar to the new !ulture) 13. Fol1lore *hat myths, stories, traditions, legends, !ustoms and beliefs are uni#ersally found among the !ommon eo le) 1". (hildhood literat2re *hat lyri!s, rhymes, songs and .ingles of distin!t aestheti! merit are learned by all young !hildren) 1#. 4iscipline *hat are the norms of dis!i line in the home, in s!hool, in ubli! la!es, in the military, in astimes and in !eremonies) 1%. Festi als *hat days of the !alendar year are offi!ially designated as national festi#als) *hat are the !entral themes of these o!!asions and what is the manner of their !elebration) 1'. 5olidays *hat is the usual rhythm of work days and days off) *hat do young eo le do with their days off) 1+. )/ser ance of !2nday (ow does 4unday differ from weekdays with regard to what an indi#idual does or does not do, may or may not do) 1,. Ga*es *hat are the most o ular games that are layed outdoors, indoors, by the young, by adults) 2-. M2sic *hat o ortunities are offered the indi#idual for training and ra!ti!e in #o!al and instrumental musi!) 21. Errands *hat are ty i!al errands that a young erson is likely to be asked to do, either at home or in s!hool)

0N 192 3ultural 3om onents in 0nglish Language Tea!hing

22. Pets *hat animals are habitually re!ei#ed into the home as ets) *hat is their role in the household) 23. Telephone *hat hrases and ro!edures are !on#entional in the use of the tele hone) *hat is the role of the ri#ate tele hone in the home) *here are ubli! tele hones to be found and how is the ser#i!e aid for) 2". (o*radeship (ow are friendshi s and ersonal atta!hments likely to be formed and what ro#isions are made for fostering !omradeshi through !lubs, so!ieties, and other grou organisations) 2#. Personal Possession *hat ob.e!ts are often found de!orating the bureau and walls of a young erson%s bedroom) *hat arti!les are likely to be dis!o#ered in a boy%s o!ket or a girl%s handbag) 2%. 6eeping 0ar* and (ool *hat !hanges in !lothing, heating #entilation, food and drink are made be!ause of #ariations in tem erature) 2'. (leanliness *hat is the relation between lumbing and ersonal !leanliness) *hat standards of ubli! hygiene and sanitation are generally obser#ed) 2+. (os*etics *hat are the s e!ial !onditions of age, se", a!ti#ity, and situation under whi!h make5u is ermitted, en!ouraged, or re/uired) 2,. To/acco and !*o1ing *ho smokes, what, and under what !ir!umstan!es) *hat are the re#ailing attitudes towards smoking) *here are toba!!o rodu!ts obtained) 3-. Medicine and 4octors *hat are the !ommon home remedies for minor ailments) *hat is the e/ui#alent of the ,meri!an drugstore) (ow does one obtain the ser#i!es of a hysi!ian) 31. (o*petitions +n what fields of a!ti#ity are ri6es awarded for su!!ess in o en !om etition) (ow im ortant is !om etition in s!hools, in the business world, in the rofessions) 32. 7ppoint*ents (ow are a ointments for business and leasure made) *hat are the usual meeting la!es) (ow im ortant is un!tuality) 33. &n itations and 4ates *hat in#itations are young eo le likely to e"tend and re!ei#e) *hat formalities are in#ol#ed) *hat is the !ounter art of $dating& in the 7nited 4tates)

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3". Traffic (ow does #ehi!ular traffi! affe!t the edestrian) *hat are the e/ui#alents of traffi! lights, road signs, !rosswalks, safety islands, arking meters, hit!hhiking) 3#. )wning, $epairing and 4ri ing (ars ,re young eo le interested in gasoline motors) ,re they knowledgeable about them) *hat is the role of the !ar in family life) *hat are the re/uirements for obtaining a li!en!e to dri#e) 3%. !cience (ow ahs modern s!ien!e affe!ted daily li#ing inner thought, !on#ersation, reading matter) 3'. Gadgets *hat me!hani!al de#i!es are !ommonly found in ersonal use, in the home, in stores and in tra#el) 3+. !ports *hat organised and rofessional s orts are the most o ular and the most generally resented for the ubli!) 3,. $adio and Tele ision Progra*s (ow general is the use of radio and tele#ision and what ty es of rograms are offered, es e!ially for young eo le) "-. 8oo1s *hat are the fa!ts of s e!ial interest !on!erning the rinting un!tuation, binding, selling and o ularity of books) "1. )ther $eading Matter +n addition to books, what ty es of reading matter, su!h as news a ers, weeklies, maga6ines and re#iews, are generally a#ailable and where !an they be bought or !onsulted) "2. 5o//ies +n what indi#idual hobbies are young eo le likely to engage) "3. Learning in !chool *hat !ourse of study is usual for an indi#idual of a gi#en age and a!ademi! orientation when !om ared with that of a student in similar !ir!umstan!es in the 7nited 4tates) "". 5o*ewor1 and Learning in the 5o*e *hat is the im ortan!e of homework in formal edu!ation) *hat is taught at home by older members of the family) "#. Pen*anship *hat styles of handwriting are generally taught and used) *hat kinds of writing tools are a#ailable at home, in s!hool, in ubli! la!es) *hat are the !on#entions !on!erning the writing of dates, the use of margins, the signing of names)

0N 192 3ultural 3om onents in 0nglish Language Tea!hing

"%. Letter 0riting and Mailing (ow do letters !ustomarily begin and end) (ow are en#elo es addressed) ,re there ty i!al kinds of ersonal stationary) *here are stam s bought) *here are mailbo"es found) "'. Fa*ily Meals *hat meals are usually ser#ed in families) *hat is the s e!ial !hara!ter of ea!h meal, the food eaten, the seating arrangement, the method of ser#ing dishes, the general !on#ersation) "+. Meals away fro* 5o*e *here does one eat when not at home) *hat are the e/ui#alents of our lun!hrooms, !afeterias, dining halls, lun!h !ounters, wayside inns, restaurants) ",. !oft 4rin1s and 7lcohol *hat ty es of non5al!oholi! be#erages are usually !onsumed by young eo le and adults) *hat is the attitude towards the use of beer, wine, and s irits) *hat al!oholi! drinks are in fre/uent use at home and in ubli!) #-. !nac1s and 8etween9*eal Eating , art from the normal trio of daily meals, what auses for eating of drinking are generally obser#ed) *hat is the !ustomary hour and usual fare) #1. (afes, 8ars and $esta2rants *hat ty es of !afes, bars and restaurants are found and how do they #ary in res e!tability) #2. :ards, Lawns and !idewal1s *hat are the e/ui#alents of ,meri!an ba!kyards, front lawns and sidewalks in residential and business areas) *hat is their im ortan!e in the a!ti#ities of young eo le) #3. Par1s and Playgro2nds *here are arks and laygrounds lo!ated and with that s e!ial features or e/ui ment are they likely to be ro#ided) #". Flowers and Gardens 8f what interest and im ortan!e are flower sho s, house lants, gardens for flowers and #egetables in town and in the !ountry) ##. Mo ies and Theatres *here are mo#ing i!ture houses and theatres to be found) *hat ro!edures are in#ol#ed in se!uring ti!kets and being seated) *hat !an be said of the /uality and o ular a eal of the entertainment) #%. $aces (irc2s, $odeo *hat outdoor e#ents are in #ogue that !orres ond to our auto or horse ra!es, !ir!uses and similar s e!ta!les)

0N 192 3ultural 3om onents in 0nglish Language Tea!hing

#'. M2se2*s, Exhi/itions and ;oos *hat ty es of museums, e"hibitions and animal dis lays are generally ro#ided and what is their role in the edu!ation of the young and the re!reation and en.oyment of adults) #+. Getting fro* Place to Place *hat fa!ilities for tra#el are ro#ided for short distan!es about town or from one !ity or art of the !ountry to another, by bus, rail or air lane) #,. (ontrasts in Town and (o2ntry Life *hat are some of the notable differen!es in dwellings, !lothing, manners, sho ing fa!ilities, ubli! utilities, when life in town is !om ared with life in the !ountry) %-. .acation and $esort 7reas *hat areas ha#e s e!ial !limate, s!enery or other natural features that make them attra!ti#e for #a!ation) %1. (a*ping and 5i1ing (ow o ular are summer !am s, !am ing, hiking and !y!ling tri s and what organisations are es e!ially interested in their romotion) %2. !a ings 7cco2nts and Thrift +n what ways do banks or other organisations ro#ide for the de osit of small amounts of money by indi#iduals) To what e"tent and in what ways are young eo le en!ouraged to ra!tise thrift) %3. )dd <o/s and Earning Power *hat kinds of !hores and odd .obs are young eo le e" e!ted or ermitted to do) +f these are aid for, how is the indi#idual reimbursed) To what e"tent are regular aying .obs made a#ailable to young ersons) %". (areers *hat !areers ha#e strong a eal for the young) (ow im ortant is arental e"am le and ad#i!e in the !hoi!e of a !areer) *hat finan!ial hel is likely to be forth!oming for those who !hoose a !areer demanding long re aration)

0N 192 3ultural 3om onents in 0nglish Language Tea!hing