Week 1: Writing across Cultures

Before we discuss writing in English, it is important to understand that writing in another language is more than just writing with a different grammar and vocabulary. There are a number of cultural factors that affect how people write in different languages. Today we will discuss cultural differences between the United States and how these differences affect academic writing in these cultures.


First, in groups of 3 or 4, discuss these questions:

1. When you first arrived in the USA, did some of the ways that American work and speak with each other seem different than your own country. 
2. Did you speak in a certain way or do a certain action that was understood differently by Americans? Give some examples.
3. What other cultural differences have you noticed since you arrived in the USA?

Next, we are going to read some short paragraphs of students' perspectives on how writing in their culture differs from writing in the USA. Read your paragraph and discuss with your group what it says (do not just read it!). How is your culture similar or different from the culture you read about?