Level:Intermediate
Definition: A stereotype is a
“standardized mental picture that is held in common by members of a group and that represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude or uncritical judgement.”Part One
With a partner, look at the words below and make sure you understand their meaning.
friendly decisive honest rude sophisticated
creative hard-working greedy outspoken lazy
energetic intelligent nationalistic self-indulgent athletic
shy conservative outgoing
When you think of Australians, what four adjectives do you most associate with them? Choose quickly as you have a time limit of 1 minute. Next decide what four adjectives you least associate with them. Discuss your ideas with your group. Do people agree? Try to explain where your ideas came from..movies? TV? books? newspapers? history? personal experience? Your email partners are going to do this activity too. How do you think Australians perceive the Japanese? Try to anticipate what adjectives they will choose.
Part Two
Complete the stereotypes quiz
and send it your email partner. When you receive your email partner's completed copy, collate the class's results and report on the data. Write a summary of the data and send it to your email partner. Comment on what surprised you about the data and ask your email partner for his/her opinion.Follow up activity
Do the vocabulary quiz
This intermediate worksheet and stereotypes survey was adapted from a presentation given by Ishbel Galloway at TESOL 95. Galloway, I. (1995) What's normal?:Examining cultural stereotypes via e-mail. In Mark Warschauer (Ed.) Virtual Connections: On-line activities & projects for networking language learners (pp.94-95). Honolulu, HI: Second Language Teaching and Curriculum Center, University of Hawaii.