Culture Swap

Culture Swap: Adventures in the U.S.A. and Japan

 Welcome to the home page of “Culture Swap”, a free animated video series for EFL learners.  More details will be added as they become available.

Register here

Why did we create this video series?

We asked first-year students at Hiroshima Shudo University to identify the areas of English (categories from the Eiken Can-Do list) in which they lack confidence, and we created the series to address these areas in an e-learning format.  Please note that it is entirely possible to use the videos without focusing on the can-do items.  It is our intention that teachers adapt the series by focusing on the content areas that they plan to teach in their classes: pronunciation, grammar, pragmatics, culture, etc.  We hope that in the future, any supplementary materials created by teachers can be shared freely among users of the series.

Features of the series:

-natural English: casual phrases, normal speed, unaffected pronunciation

-one or more can-do items targeted in each episode

Plot:

Ayumi, a Japanese student interested in the U.S., decides to participate in a homestay program in New Jersey.  Meanwhile, Robert, an American student interested in Japan, decides to go to Japan for a short-term study abroad program.  We follow their adventures as they experience a new culture and a few surprises.

Main Characters:

• Ayumi Yamashita – Japanese university student.  Jun’s classmate.  Goes to New Jersey, U.S.A. to participate in a homestay program.  Likes dumb jokes?

• Jun Takeda – Japanese university student.  Ayumi’s classmate.  Befriends Robert and introduces him to life in Japan.

• Britney Jones – American university student.  Robert’s sister.  Shows Ayumi around and helps her adjust to life in the U.S.  Doesn’t seem very interested in Japan.

• Robert Jones – American university student.  Britney’s brother.  Loves Japanese culture, goes to Japan for a study abroad program.  Might be in for a bit of a shock…

Culture Swap Demo Movie:

Story:

The story proceeds in a parallel fashion in both Japan and the U.S.  Episodes taking place in Japan are in blue, and episodes in the U.S. are in red.  Each episode is 2-4 minutes long.

• Episode 1: The Spark

• Ayumi discusses an American homestay program with Jun, and Robert talks with Britney about a study abroad program in Japan.

• Episode 2: Soft landing

• Robert arrives at the airport in Japan and Ayumi arrives at the airport in the U.S.  Their new life in a foreign country is about to begin.

• Episode 3: The Big...

• Ayumi and Britney head off to New York City.  Can Britney figure out Ayumi’s sense of humor?!

• Episode 4: Saved by the bell

• Robert joins Jun’s university English class, and is slightly taken aback by the attitude of his Japanese classmates.

• Episode 5: Welcome, Honorable Customer

• Ayumi and Britney go shopping in New York, and chat about some differences between American and Japanese culture.  Is Britney starting to get interested in Japan?

• Episode 6: Lost!

• Robert gets a chance to explore the university campus on his own.  He bumps into Jun’s friend Mika and they go to a café together.  But when Jun walks in…

• Episode 7: Turning Japanese

• Britney and Robert get a chance to video chat over the Internet and find out about the recent happenings in each other’s life.  And there’s something different about Robert…

• Episode 8: Get the message

• Britney is out so Ayumi has to answer the phone.  When she picks up, it’s Britney’s friend Zoe.  Can Ayumi take the message?

• Episode 9: To slurp or not to slurp

• Jun and Robert are at the university cafeteria eating ramen together and chatting about movies.  So what really is the best way to eat ramen?

• Episode 10: Newsflash

• Britney and Ayumi are sitting in a coffee shop having a chat.  When Britney sees the newspaper that Ayumi brought over from Japan, they start talking about the news.  Will Britney be able to remember the name of the Japanese prime minister?

• Episode 11: Jun vs. Robot

• Jun and Robert head off to the tennis courts to play a game of tennis with some friends.  Jun gets angry at a cell phone.  And there’s something a little weird with Robert…

• Episode 12: Jewannago?

• When Ayumi is unable to understand an English phrase that Britney uses, the two begin to teach each other more about their native languages.

• Episode 13: Pot luck plans

• Robert’s time in Japan is coming to an end.  To say farewell, Jun and Robert make preparations for a pot luck party.

• Episode 14: Cheers!

• The day of the party.  When all of the guests arrive, Robert is in for not only one surprise but two!

• Episode 15: What a week!

• It’s been a fun-filled week for Ayumi, Britney, Robert and Jun, and a lot of wonderful memories have been made.  Where will their next adventure take place?

Project Members:

• Shinya Ozawa (Hiroshima Shudo University)

• Mitsuko Takei (Hiroshima Shudo University)

• Timothy Curtis (Hiroshima Shudo University)

• James Ronald (Hiroshima Shudo University)

This project was funded by the following grants:

•      「循環的な改善により行う初年次教育において活用できるeラーニング教材の開発」（科学研究費補助金基盤研究 (C). 研究代表者. 2012-2014年度, 24531222）

•     「修道力を涵養するeラーニング・コミュニティーの形成-アクション・リサーチに基づいた教育力向上の試み-」（広島修道大学学術交流センター重点領域研究. 研究代表者. 2011-2013年度）