B1 conversation lesson

Stereotypes
Introduction:

Ask the students what they understand by the term 'stereotype'.

1. A simplified and fixed image of all members of a culture or group (based on race,
religion, ethnicity, age, gender, national origins)
2. Generalizations about people that are based on limited, sometimes inaccurate,
information (from such sources as television, cartoons or comic books, minimal
contact with one or more members of the group, second-hand information)
3. Initial predictions about strangers based on incomplete information about their
culture, race, religion, or ethnicity
4. A single statement or attitude about a group of people that does not recognize the
complex, multidimensional nature of human beings
5. Broad categories about people that fail to differentiate among individuals, peoples,
and societies
6. Identification of easily observable characteristics of groups of people

T asks students: Do they believe in stereotypes?
T tells students that stereotypes are not necessarily related to culture. Can
you give other examples of stereotypes? E.g gender, cultural, racial, cultural.

T shows the student a stereotypical map of Europe/the world. T asks for feedback.
http://alphadesigner.com/mapping-stereotypes/
http://www.buzzfeed.com/patricksmith/alternative-maps-of-europe
http://www.buzzfeed.com/lukebailey/definitive-stereotype-map-of-europe
What are the stereotypes about their own nationalities? Etc.
As a warmer, ask students to draw the following table. Choose three countries that
the students are familiar with and asks them to write about their own country as well.
Now get the students to fill in their tables in 5 minutes, e.g.:

Germans: Bavaria, Lederhosen, beer, sausages and cabbage, cars, overweight
English: hooligans, fish and chips, tea, tattoos, alcohol
US Americans: overweight, big gas-guzzling cars, burgers and fries, patriotic, guns,
not very intelligent, dont care about the environment
T then pairs up students, so that they describe each nationality and explain their
reasons for their stereotypes.
T takes feedback and brainstorms some stereotypes on the board. T writes up the
key words suggested by the students to describe the most common stereotypes for
these nationalities. T asks students whether they agree with these stereotypes or
not.

Vocabulary:

punctual
tolerant
romantic
respectful
hard-working
emotional
outgoing
nationalistic
well-dressed
humorous
lazy
sophisticated
hospitable
talkative
sociable
serious
quiet
formal
aggressive
polite
rude
arrogant
ignorant
casual



T shows student the following video (California stereotype experiment)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pM_iG5N83do
T asks the students for feedback about the video and the stereotype it contains

Task 2:
T asks the students to write interview questions using the keywords and phrases that
are left on the board, e.g. Do you eat sausages and cabbage?
In pairs, students use their questions to interview each other. The rule is that they
must answer yes to all the questions and follow this with further information. For
example, even if they dont eat sausages and cabbage, they have to say that they do
and then why they do.













Discussion: [students discuss the following questions and statements in
groups]

Look at the sentences in the previous activity and decide with your partner
which ones can be classed as Cultural Characteristics and which ones can
be classed as National Stereotypes.
Do you think that some stereotypes are true?
When does a cultural characteristic become a national stereotype?
Have you ever heard a crazy stereotype about your country?
Can you give some examples of gender stereotypes? What effect do you
think these stereotypes have on the individuals and on society?
Why do you think people stereotype others?
Can stereotyping be harmful or offensive? How? Give some examples.
Can it be good or positive?