Links to websites with information on cultural differences, intercultural communication, pronunciation, and etc.
 
Cultural Sensitivity, Diversity, and Knowledge
 
Universals of Culture
By Martha A. Lane
What is culture?
What are some things that every culture has?
 
Universals of culture are elements of culture that can be found in EVERY culture on earth.  Two examples are language and art.  How many more universals can you name?  Check your list against one of these websites:
 
http://www.teachtheteachers.org/projects/PWalker2/culture.htm
 
http://www.cfsd.k12.az.us/~vvwww/TucsonCityTour/Tucsonhtmls/UofCdef.html
 
Cultural do’s and don’ts for Thailand, Canada, Australia, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Scotland, Belgium, France, Norway, Japan, and more.
http://www.careermosaicindia.com/JS/CRC/CA/CA_arch.htm
 
Some do's and don'ts for Thailand
http://www.hasekamp.net/dodont.htm
 
"The Web's leading resource for International Business Etiquette and Manners" Etiquette, manners, and cross cultural, or intercultural communication have become critical elements required for all International and Global Business executives, managers, and employees. As international, multinational, transnational, multi domestic, and global business continues to expand and bring people closer, the most important element of successful business outcomes may be the appreciation and respect for regional, country, and cultural differences - known as cultural diversity.
 
Countries:
 
Africa, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, France, Germany, Great Britain, Guatemala, Hong Kong,
India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama, Russia, Saudi Arabia,
Spain, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, United States, Venezuela,
 
Each country’s page on this site has the following format:
Introduction, Fun Facts, Geert Hofstede Analysis, Appearance, Behavior, Communication, Resources and the Ask Question button.
 
http://www.cyborlink.com/besite/Default.asp
 
 
 
Teaching English - Cultural Differences
 
http://esl.about.com/od/esleflteachingtechnique/a/culture_dif.htm?terms=cultural+difference
 
Valuing Diversity, Cultural sensitivity, communication skills, and knowledge of the culturally different in schools.
http://www.ericdigests.org/1992-3/diversity.htm
 
Teaching Pronunciation
By Martha A. Lane
 
Why do you say it like that?
Now comes an area in which we can have a lot of fun.  There are 14 to 18 different vowel sounds in English, depending upon the part of the country, the year, etc.
 
No two people in a workshop usually say everything the same way.  One reason is that you often carry the pronunciation with you that you acquired when you were about six years old.  So some of you may be from WORSHINGTON and others of you may always PAWK your CAW.
 
Our approach to pronunciation is simplistic, but very practical.  We do not use the international phonetic alphabet.  We do not ask you to use diagrams of the positions of the lips, tongue, and teeth for each sound you teach.
 
We teach general sounds, not all the little distinctions that could be made.  For example, we teach the short sound of O as the sound in OFF, ON, and OLIVE.  That is approximately the same sound as you hear in PAW.  The results:  our students will be understood by most people most of the time.
 
There are a lot of good Internet sites to further explore the sounds of English.  There are also lots of sites that poke fun at our language, while pointing out its difficulties.  Take a look at WHY ENGLISH IS SO HARD at http://www.mapping.com/englishhard.html
 
Why English Is So Hard
 
Heteronyms, homographs, and homophones: words that are spelled alike but have different pronunciations or meanings.

• We must polish the Polish furniture.
• He could lead if he would get the lead out.
• The farm was used to produce produce.
• The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
• After dessert, the soldier decided to desert his post in the desert.
• No time like the present to present the present.
• A bass and a trout were painted on the head of the bass drum.
• When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
• I did not object to the object.
• The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
• The bandage was wound around the wound.
• There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
• They were too close to the door to close it.
• The buck does funny things when the does are present.
• They sent a sewer down to stitch the tear in the sewer line.
• To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
• The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
• After a number of injections my jaw got number.
• Upon seeing the tear in my clothes I shed a tear.
• I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
• How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
• I live next to the stadium where bands play live. (thanks M. Durham)
• A minute is a minute part of a day. (Thanks M. Durham)
• The clothes were too close to the closet door to close it. (Thanks M. McKay)

The homographs of "-ough" would confuse anybody:

• A rough-coated, dough-faced, thoughtful ploughman strode through the streets of Scarborough; after falling into a slough, he coughed and hiccoughed.