SIAS INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

School of Foreign Languages

Course Syllabus
Course: Cross Cultural Communication
Semester: Fall 2014
Instructor: David J. Pedosiuk, M.Litt
Class Website:
www.cccclassnotes.weebly.com

Class Email:
siasdave@hotmail.com

Personal Website: TBA
Personal Email: davelaughs@gmail.com
[]:
Facebook []:
David Pedosiuk
QQ: 443976051
Room #: C308
: 15639925055 ,

Course Description:
The goal of this course is to help students raise their level of cultural understanding, which is
conducive to the development of relationships with persons from other cultures. The
course will examine the many ways that cultural variables influence interpersonal
communication by way of studying cross-cultural theory and relevant case studies. The
focus will primarily be on the differences between Chinese and Western cultures.

1. General Curriculum Objectives: The student will
a. Better understand himself or herself as a cultural person.
b. Understand the shared meaning approach to communication.
c. Understand some of the more important cultural variables that can lead to
miscommunication, such as language, paralanguage, behavioral norms, relationships,
values, and worldview.
d. Have an enhanced worldview that perceives culture to play an essential part within
todays Global Village.

2. Specific Objectives: The student will be able to
a. Identify specific culturally based misunderstandings in case studies and be able to
suggest improved ways of communication.
b. Recite the C.U.L.T.U.R.E. & C.U.L.T.U.R.E. S.H.O.C.K. acronyms.
c. Recall important key concepts and definitions as stated in the class textbook or lecture.
d. Work more efficiently within cross-cultural relationships and group settings.
e. Provide culturally sensitive assessment solutions that utilize correct theoretical
terminology.
f. Collect data of other foreign cultures through acquired research methods discussed in
class.
g. Develop clear and concise PowerPoint media effective for presentations.



3. Requirements:
a. Attendance is required for all class periods. An unexcused absence will result in a
deduction of 2 points from the final grade; an excused absence will result in a
deduction of 1 point from the final grade (an official excuse note must be provided).
Any student missing 1/3 or more of the class hours will be disqualified according to
university policy.
b. Classroom behavior: No electronic devices (phones, mp3s, etc.) permitted. Students
are expected to be attentive during instruction and engaged during skill development
activities.
c. Students must read assigned portions of the textbook.
d. Assessment:
1. Homework Questions & Case Studies 5%
2. Attendance 10%
3. Class Participation, Pop Quizzes, In-Class Assignments 20%
4. Semester Project 25%
5. Final Exam (Chapters 1-16) 40%
Total 100%

e. Assessments defined:

1. Homework Questions & Case Studies: Students will be required to complete all
assigned homework on time. The answers to all case studies and questions from
the student must use clear logic and complete sentences.
2.*Class Participation: Students are expected to participate actively in all class
activities. Tardiness or sleeping in ones seat will receive a deduction from the final
score.
*Pop Quizzes/ In-Class Assignments: Students are required to come prepared to
each class having completed the assigned reading before class begins. Various
assignments and pop quizzes will be conducted throughout the semester, some of
which will be counted towards the final score.
3. Culture Research and Presentation Project: Students will work in groups to research
and prepare an assigned culture project throughout the semester. The project will
combine research skills, material learned in class and from the reading, and
interactive multimedia presentation skills.
4. Final Exam: This examination will cover the content from the book and lectures for
the whole semester. The student should study from the book as well as class
lecture notes in preparation for the exam.

4. Methods/Materials
a. Methods of Instruction
1. Lecture
2. PowerPoint
3. Group discussion/ lab work

b. Materials:
1. The Course textbook is Doing Culture by Linell Davis, publisher
Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, Beijing.
2. Class lecture notes.

5. Class Schedule:


Schedule Notes:
* September 8 is Mid-Autumn Festival, No Classes.
**October 1-7 is a National Holiday. No Classes.
*** Thursday, Nov. 27 is American Thanksgiving. Classes are optional.
*** Week 17, (24
th
& 25
th
) Christmas holiday
**** Final Exams will not be administered on Thursday due to the New Years holiday.


6. Other information
a. Other policies: All students are expected to do all of their own work. The
universitys plagiarism and cheating policies are in effect.
b. Each student is expected to submit assigned work on time. In the case of an
absence, arrangements can be made for a classmate to help in delivery. If a
student misses a class, the student is expected to ask classmates what material was
covered in class and what homework was assigned. The student should prepare
the homework to turn in on time in the following class.
Week Course Topics / Assessments Date
1
Introduction to the Course / Chapter 1 Think Globally
Chapter 1 Think Globally
Sept 1 5
2
No class (Mid Autumn Festival)
Sept 8-12 *
3
Chapter 2 Becoming Aware / Chapter 3 Making Generalizations
Chapter 4 Using Codes to Communicate
Sept 15-19
4
Chapter 3 / Chapter 4 Using Codes to Communicate
/Chapter 4 Using Codes to Communicate
Chapter 5 Starting to Talk
Sept 22-27
5 No class (National Holiday) Sept 29-Oct 3 **
6
Chapter 4 / Chapter 5 Starting to Talk
Chapter 6 Building Relationships
Oct 6 11
7 Chapter 6 & 7 Perceiving Culturally Oct 13 17
8 Chapter 7 & 8 Perceiving Culturally/ Moving to the Rhythms of Culture Oct 20 24
9 Chapter 9 & 10 Building Culture into Landscape/ Thinking Culturally Oct 27 Oct 31
10
Chapter 11 Comparing Cultural Values
Nov 3 7
11
Chapter 12 Taking Cultural Values to Work / Case Studies
Chapter 13 Working in Groups
Nov 10 14
12
Chapter 14 Managing in Organizations
Chapter 15 Persuading Across Cultures
Nov 17 21
13
Chapter 16 Adapting to a New Culture
Nov 24 28 ***
14
Semester Project Presentations & Review
Dec 1 5
15
Semester Project Presentations & Review
Dec 8 12
16
Semester Project Presentations & Review
Dec 15 19
17 CCC Special Class
Dec 22 26 ***

18 Final Examination Dec 29 Jan 2