Learning From the Media and The Arts

In every country, a great deal about the culture is revealed by the media, which includes the following:

• Books / Poetry
• Newspapers
• Magazines
• Radio
• Television
• Movies/Theater
• Songs and music

Your ability to use the media to learn about the culture depends on how well you speak and read the language, but even if your local language skills are minimal, you have some options:

I. BOOKS / POETRY

1. Try to find English translations of the most famous works of the best known authors in your country. You may be able to find a translation locally, or ask your family back home to look for one.

2. If no translations are available, ask an informant to tell you about some of the great works of literature in his or her country, including the plot and important themes of these works.

3. Go to the local bookstore (ideally with an informant) and look over the selection. What books are the most popular? Which subjects have the most books devoted to them? What subjects aren't covered or are barely covered?

II. NEWSPAPERS

1. Is the country have an English language paper? If so, read it regularly for insight into numerous aspects of the country and culture.

2. If no local English language paper exists, look with an informant at other newspapers and see which stories get the most space and what is relegated to the inside. What different sections are does the newspaper have, and who is the intended audience for each one?

III. MAGAZINES

1. Read any local English language magazines you can find.

2. If none exist, sit down with an informant and "read" a host country magazine from time to time to find out what topics are discussed and what is said.

3. On your own, study the advertisements and pictures in magazines.

4. Go to the magazine section of your local newsstand or bookstore and see what kinds of magazines are there. Which topics or areas of interest have the most magazines devoted to them? What topics are missing?

IV. RADIO

1. Listen to any locally or regionally produced programs in English.

2. Listen to the radio with an informant. Select different types of programs-news broadcasts, public affairs programs, dramas, interviews, etc.-and ask your informant to relate the content. Ask him or her which are the most popular programs and why. Ask who listens to the radio and when they listen.

V. TELEVISION

1. Watch locally or regionally produced television, whether you understand the language or not. (It's an excellent way to improve your language skills.) What kind of shows are the most common? What kinds of stories, people, events are depicted?

2. Watch TV with an informant and ask questions about what you're seeing. In dramas, how can you tell who are the good guys and the bad guys?

3. If American shows are shown in country, watch them with host country people and notice their reactions. Ask them why they like these shows.

VI. MOVIES & THEATER PRODUCTION

1. Go to any locally or regionally made movies or theater production and notice the stories and themes. Notice audience reactions. Which scenes do they enjoy the most? Which scenes get the biggest reactions from them? What qualities do the heroes or the villains have? Who makes up the audience?

2. Go to American or other foreign-made films and notice audience reactions. Ask people why they come to these films. Ask them which films they like better: American/western-made or locally made. Why?

VII. SONGS & MUSIC

1. Listen to local or regionally produced songs with an informant and ask him or her to tell you what the lyrics are about. What kind of music and songs are the most popular?

2. Listen to American or foreign music with your informant and ask what he or she thinks of it. Who are the most popular local and foreign singers? Why? Is American music popular? Which artists?

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