SPEECH 1012- 03:

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

Tues. & Thur. 10:30-12:00 PM 

 

Prof. Derick Lyngholm                                            Office:            CC 107

E-mail: dlyngholm@blc.edu                         Office Hours: 9-10AM & 12-1 PM

Phone: 507-344-7384                                                                         & by appointment

           

Course Objectives and Description

 

• This course is designed to sharpen awareness of the degree to which our beliefs, behavior, and expectations reflect cultural conditioning rather than personal choices. 

 

• The course explores the variations in cultural value orientations regarding the individual, the family, society, nature, knowledge, and the supernatural. 

 

• Students are to build awareness of behaviors and attitudes, which communicate cultural insensitivity. 

 

• North American subcultures will be examined, with an emphasis on ways in which mass communication, government policy, social norms, and one's individual behaviors have contributed to discrimination, exclusion, and general insensitivity.

 

Students successfully completing the course should be able to:

1.      Demonstrate awareness of a wide range of cultural values. 

a.   discuss and give examples of cultural variations regarding individualism, family roles, and gender roles.

b.   discuss and give examples of cultural variations regarding human nature, the environment, and the supernatural.

  

2.      Demonstrate awareness of the ways in which specific groups within North America have been discounted, excluded, or attacked.

a.   give examples of government policy, which subjected specific groups to subhuman or second class status. 

b.   give examples of the way the media has excluded or denigrated specific groups

c.   discuss how they themselves have been the targets of some form of discrimination and how their own attitudes and concepts enable any of the "isms" within the broader culture. 

 

3.      Demonstrate knowledge of specific cultural variations in many categories of nonverbal communication. 

 

4.      Demonstrate knowledge of and an ability to perform communication skills that are inclusive and culturally sensitive.

a.   examine material (cartoons, literature, policies, videos, conversations) and point out and explain examples of wording, behavior, or assumptions which exclude and/or denigrate specific groups.

b.   display sensitivity, insight, and knowledge in preparing for and carrying out an interview with a person from a cultural orientation vastly different than their own.

 

Textbook

 

         Intercultural Competence, by Lustig and Koester, 6^th Edition.

 

Grading Procedures

 

         Intercultural Events Paper:                                150   points

         Chapter Lead w/ Partner                                    150   points

         Intercultural Interview                                       100   points

         4 Unit Tests (50 pts. each)                                 200   points    

         Group Project                                                     150   points                

         Attendance & Participation                                 50   points

         Final Exam                                                         200  points

         Total Points                                                       1000 points

 

         A= 1000- 900 pts.          90 %

         B= 899- 800 pts.            80%

         C= 799- 700 pts.            70%

         D= 699- 600 pts.            60 %

         F= 599 and Below

 

Attendance Policy

Attendance and participation in class are essential to making this class work. Your consistent and active participation in class are vital to your learning and to the learning of your classmates. Your attendance in class is expected. Absences will negatively affect your grade. If you miss more than 5 class sessions you will fail the course.

 

Make Up Policy

It is expected that all students will hand in papers, give presentations, and take test on assigned dates. If for any reason a student does not appear for an assignment and has not contacted the instructor prior to the class period, they will not be permitted to make up the assignment. You are responsible for obtaining any materials or assignments made while you were absent from class.

 

 

 

Academic Honesty

Academic honesty and integrity are integral to the academic process. Academic dishonesty includes– cheating, plagiarism, and collusion .It is expected that Bethany students will understand and adhere to the concept of academic integrity and to the standards of conduct prescribed by the college’s Academic Honor Code on pg. 6 of the student guidebook.

 

It is expected that students will assume responsibility for their work and that materials submitted in fulfillment of course, program, and college academic requirements must represent students’ own efforts. Any violations of plagiarism or cheating will result in no points for that given assignment. Subsequent acts of plagiarism may result in failure of the course.

 

Other Notes

• Out of respect for you classmates and the instructor, please turn off all cell phone and pagers during class time. Should your phone ring during class time, it will be our pleasure as a class to have you answer it for us or sing us a verse of your favorite song.

 

• Because the subject matter we are addressing can at times be very personal in nature, it is important that we conduct our selves in a respectful manner. You may hear viewpoints and opinions that you disagree with. Please treat these opinions and the individuals who hold them with respect. Also, be respectful when voicing your own points of views.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tentative Course Outline                                                     Lyngholm, Spring 2010

 

Date                       In-Class                                                                                 Assignment       

Jan. 12                   Introduction of course & getting acquainted

Jan. 14                   Ch. 1: Introduction to Intercultural Competence

 

Jan. 19                   Ch. 1: Introduction to Intercultural Competence

Jan. 21                   Ch. 2: Culture and Intercultural Communication

 

Jan. 26                   Ch. 2: Culture and Intercultural Communication

Jan. 28                   Group Activity

 

Feb. 2                     Ch. 3: Intercultural Communication Competence

Feb. 4                     Ch. 3: Intercultural Communication Competence

 

Feb. 9                     Ch. 4: Cultural Patterns and Comm.: Foundations     Test #1: Ch. 1, 2 & 3

Feb. 11                  Ch. 4: Cultural Patterns and Comm.: Foundations

 

Feb. 16                  Ch. 5: Cultural Patterns and Comm.: Taxonomies

Feb. 18                  Ch. 5: Cultural Patterns and Comm.: Taxonomies

 

Feb.23                   Ch. 6 Cultural Identity and Biases                                  Intercultural Interview Paper Due

Feb. 25                  Ch. 6 Cultural Identity and Biases 

                                               

Mar. 2                    Ch.6 Cultural Identity and Biases

Mar. 4                    Ch. 7: Verbal Intercultural Communication                 Test #2: Ch. 4, 5 & 6

                               

Mar. 9                    No Class- Spring Break

Mar. 11                  No Class- Spring Break

 

Mar. 16                  Ch. 7: Verbal Intercultural Communication

Mar. 18                  Ch. 8: Nonverbal Intercultural Communication

 

Mar. 23                  Ch. 8: Nonverbal Intercultural Communication

Mar. 25                  Ch. 9: The Effects of Code Usage in IC Comm.            

 

Mar. 30                  Ch. 9: The Effects of Code Usage in IC Comm.             Test #3: Ch. 7, 8 & 9

Apr. 1                     No Class- Easter Break

 

Apr. 6                     No Class- Easter Break

Apr. 8                     Ch. 10: IC Competence in IP Relationships                 

 

Apr. 13                   Ch. 10: IC Competence in IP Relationships                                 

Apr. 15                   Ch. 11: Episodes, Contexts, and IC Interactions

 

Apr. 20                   Ch. 11 & 12 Episodes & Contexts/ Potential

Apr. 22                   Ch. 12: The Potential for Intercultural Competence   Intercultural Events Paper Due

 

Apr. 27                   Group Work Day & Test                                                     Test #4: Ch. 10, 11 & 12

Apr. 29                   Group Work Day

 

May 4                     Final Presentations                                                            Group Project

May 6                     Final Presentations                                                            Group Project

 

May 10-13            Finals Week