4.6 Intercultural understanding

Life orientation

Grade 9

Good health and social development

Module 28

Intercultural understanding

Activity:

Critical investigation into matters concerning diversity in south africa; encouraging intercultural understanding

[lo 2.4]

The Culture Card Game:

Learners work on their own and make a pack of playing cards that depicts his or her culture. The cards should preferably be made on sturdy paper or manila cardboard of 6 cm by 9 cm, and can be illustrated by means of drawings or collages of pictures and letters. They should be numbered: 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace and Joker.

Hint : It is a good idea to cover the cards with Contact so that they will be more attractive and durable. Make a container for them. To make them look more like the real thing the back of each card could be covered with gift wrap or other attractive paper. Creative learners could even make their own design for the backs of the cards, and photocopy it. It is important to remember that the backs of the cards must all look alike.

The cards should depict the following aspects of the learner’s culture:

2 . Favourite pastime

3. Favourite film(s) and books or magazine(s)

4. Favourite music group / soloist

5. Ancestors, and origins

6. Preferred kind(s) of sport or sport

7. Traditional foods of your cultured group

8. Favourite public figure

9. Role model

10. The traditional dress of the cultural group

Jack Wedding ceremony and customs of the cultural group

Queen Home language or languages

King Religious preference

Ace Who are you?

Joker Characteristics that are peculiar to the learner and the cultural group.

How the game is played:

Learners work in pairs. Shuffle the cards well. Play “snap” with your team mate. In other words, the players take turns to put out one card at a time. As soon as two of a kind appear, it is a “Snap” situation. The first player to shout “Snap!” has to explain his or her “culture card”, once the player has explained the card is put aside. The person who has the most “snap” cards is the winner. Write down how many winning cards the winner has gained in the game.

Now choose new pairs and play the game again. At the end of the period the totals are added up and the player with the highest score is the overall winner in the class.

Hint: In order to gain the maximum learning experience learners should choose partners who differ most culturally from themselves.

Assessment