UNIVERSIDAD CATÓLICA DE LA SANTÍSIMA CONCEPCIÓN, CHILE

FACULTAD DE EDUCACIÓN

A Comparison of Chilean and United States Cultures

Professor David Gutmann, (JD, MA TESL), DGutmann@ucsc.cl

1. DATOS GENERALES.
CÓDIGO :
CRÉDITOS : 06
TIPO DE CURSO : TEORICO PRACTICO
NÚMERO DE MÓDULOS : 02
UBICACIÓN EN EL PLAN DE ESTUDIO : PRIMER SEMESTRE
CARÁCTER : MINIMO
REQUISITOS : NINGUNO
AÑO : 2008

ll. Description

This class is designed for those students who wish to increase their cultural awareness of the United
States and to improve their English conversation abilities by listening, speaking, and participating in
the class through a comparison of the Chilean and the United States cultures. Students’ fluency,
accuracy, grammar, and pronunciation in English will improve only through practice, so be prepared
to speak and share with others, and come prepared to have some fun while you’re at it!

III. Objectives

Competencias del perfil de

3.1 General egreso a que apunta esta
asignatura
i.) Students will improve their English conversation B7, C5, C11
abilities through the discussion and comparison of
Chilean and United States cultures.

ii.) Increase cultural awareness of Chile and the A3, A6, C6, D2, D6, D7
United States through critical analysis, thereby
improving the students’ ability to understand,
relate to, and appropriately use today’s English in
the US and around the world.

Competencias del perfil de

3.2 Specifically egreso a que apunta esta
asignatura
 i.) Students will improve their English fluency, B7, C5, C7,
accuracy, grammar, and pronunciation
ii.) They’ll gain an improved confidence and C2, C6, C8, C12, D2, D6, D7
proficiency in their English conversation abilities
as they increase their awareness and knowledge of
United States culture and how it relates to Chilean
culture.
iii.) Make extensive use of the internet and the A4, C9,
resources it provides to connect to the US culture
and its English language forms.

IV.Contents

4.1 - Vocabulary Word Focus: occupation, education, interests, hobbies, birthplace, hometown,
Grammar Focus: Questions using Who, What, When, Where, Why, Which, and How
Cultural Learning Objective: Understand and recognize the differences between Chilean and
American customs of greetings and good-byes.

4.2 - Vocabulary Word Focus: Words, phrases, and expressions to describe places, locations, and
geographical directions, such as “north of,” “in the East,” “next to,” and “close by.”
Grammar Focus: Use of prepositions, asking questions, and use of the simple present form. (e.g. -
Where is Venezuela? It’s southeast of the United States and northeast of Chile.)
Cultural Learning Objective: Learn how to describe where the countries of the world are located in
relation to Chile and the US and what languages they speak in those countries.

4.3 - Vocabulary Word Focus: technology, agriculture, currency, life expectancy, natural resources,
environmental, population, greater than, less than, as big as
Grammar Focus: Use of comparatives and superlatives. Use of adjectives.
Cultural Learning Objective: To learn basic facts about Chile and the United States in an effort to
draw comparisons and contrasts between the countries’ sizes, resources, and realities.

4.4 -Vocabulary Word Focus: journalism, editorial, opinions, sensationalism, accurate, reporting,
newsworthy
Grammar Focus: Active and Passive voice
Cultural Learning Objective: To take a look at the differences in the style of news reporting and
political viewpoints of journalists from Chilean and American newspapers.

4.5 - Vocabulary Word Focus: caricature, sketch, drawing, comic, animation, silly versus funny,
humorous
Grammar Focus: adjectives and adverbs to describe the comics
Cultural Learning Objective: A sense of humor can be very different from one country and culture to
the next; discuss the differences between Chilean and American humor and comics.
4.6 - Vocabulary Word Focus: accommodations, hitchhike, tent, reservations, economical, cheap,
splurge
Grammar Focus: Future verb tense, conditional
Cultural Learning Objective: Learn the various reasons for those who tend to go camping in the
United States from those who typically go camping in Chile.

4.7 - Vocabulary Word Focus: ideal, mainstream, selfless, devoting, commitments, unwinding,
cramming for a test
Grammar Focus: comparatives and superlatives
Cultural Learning Objective: Learn about the differences between typical Chilean and American
family values, activities, relationships, independence, and ideals.

4.8 - Vocabulary Word Focus: ecotourism, sustainable/responsible tourism, adventure, nature-

based, & green travel, overuse
Grammar Focus: Use of future verb tense and adverbs of certainty (certainly, probably, definitely,
perhaps, maybe).
Cultural Learning Objective: Learn about the different environmental concerns of Chileans for their
national parks, environment, and natural resources compared with that of Americans for their own
ecology.

4.9 Vocabulary Word Focus: culinary, kitchen, gastronomic, delicious, from scratch, I’m full vs. I’m
satisfied, a pinch of, tablespoon vs. teaspoon, spicy vs. hot, chili the soup
Grammar Focus: Use of the simple present and modals
Cultural Learning Objective: Gain an understanding of the different staple foods, meal times, and
diversity of menu in the U.S. compared with Chile, and discuss the reasons for that.

V. Methodology

• By preparing for the discussion of the class in advance, the students will be ready and able to
participate in the conversations and topics of each class, adding to the learning value for all
the students.
• Discussion with other students in small and large groups
• Open discussion in class with the professor and the other students.
• Concentration on specific vocabulary, grammar, and discourse
• Discussion of a specific cultural theme, comparing and contrasting the Chilean and United
States cultures.

VI. Evaluation

• Participatory conversation in class 40%

• Other participation in class activities 25%
 • Evidence of other required outside research 15%
• Completion of homework assignments 20%

VII. Attendance Requirements

Students must attend at least 85% of the classes, although attendance is recommended for all
classes.

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