Greetings!: Culture and Speaking Skills for Intermediate Students of English

by Meredith Westfall

Knowing which kind of occasion demands which kind of greeting card requires knowledge about American culture. Greetings! is unique in teaching about card-giving occasions and in not showcasing holidays, which may be specific to one culture. In Greetings! ESL students will learn about American culture and the many different types of greeting cards by studying personal milestones-- events that are personal so that people from different cultures can relate to and understand the experiences.
Each unit presents one topic and then engages students with related activities such as writing captions for greeting cards, finding solutions to various problems, and discussing questions about each topic. Students are given ample opportunity to share personal information and to present their opinions. In addition, students will practice functional language, including that inherent to inviting, sympathizing, apologizing, and expressing gratitude.
Among the topics addressed are the births of babies, sending congratulations, party invitations, get-well wishes, birthdays, weddings, house-warmings, retirement, and funerals.

107 pages, Paperback

First published November 15, 1998