Using Professional Presentations to Improve Cross-Cultural Communication

Abstract

In this article, I explain how I used my interdisciplinary expertise in a TESOL classroom. The class consisted of 24 high-intermediate students ages 25 to 35, with a 65/35% male-to-female ratio. Of the students, 75% were Spanish speaking, while the remainder consisted of Farsi, Arabic, Hindi, Russian, Mandarin, Korean, and German speakers. The class met at a Bay Area adult school 4 nights a week with an optional Saturday class. To achieve authentic cross-cultural communication, I used cooperative learning (CL) and computer-assisted language learning (CALL). The results showed that students gained cross-cultural awareness, improved computer skills, and developed authentic speaking skills.