What is It’s Your World?
It’s Your World is an interactive lesson in intercultural communication designed for American students. It helps students understand how our culture affects our ideas, behaviors, values, and the way we see the world and one another. Teachers have praised the presentation as a valuable and eye-opening experience for all students, irrespective of whether or not they choose to go abroad on an AFS Exchange Program.
What’s Involved?
It’s Your World utilizes overheads, shared personal experiences, and interactive games. The cultural aspects are illustrated by short video clips that students have a chance to analyze using the skills being taught in the lesson. Class participation is used to demonstrate various cultural traits. The presentation can be adapted to fit many types of subject matter, time frames, grade levels, and settings.
What’s Included?
• Global Quiz (fun and informative)
• Definition of Culture
• Individuals as Cultural Beings
• Interactive Cultural Role Playing
• Definition and Exercise Addressing Stereotypes and Generalizations
• Cultural Continuum
• The Cultural Iceberg
• Cultural Detective Video Exercise
• Optional Homework Assignment
Who Gives the Presentation and When?
The lesson is conducted by AFS Staff, Volunteers, Returnees, and others who have experience in providing effective presentations to students.
The presentation can be given during the school day to a single class, or to a larger group of students. Presentations can also take place after school or in the evenings as part of a school or community club, event, or activity.
To have an “It’s Your World” presentation in your school please contact your regional AFS office.
National Service Center: 212-299-9000
East Regional Service Center: 410-539-5997
Central States/Great Lakes Service Center: 651-647-6337
West Regional Service Center: 503-241-1578
