Learning objectives:
• Categorize visible and
invisible aspects of
culture.
• Explain the
relationship between
visible and invisible
culture.
• Identify at least three
features of your own
culture, how they
have shaped you and
reflect on a culture
other than your own.
What is visible
and invisible
culture?
• Every individual is unique.
• There are things that individuals have in
common with each other.
Example: beliefs, customs and
traditions.
• These shared features make up a
culture (the beliefs and values shared
by a group of people).
• These features influence what we say
and do.
• Because we live and breath our culture
from the day we are born, that we are
unable to see its characteristics.
What is Culture?
What
distinguishes
your culture?
Visible and Invisible Culture
Visible culture: The aspects of culture that we can observe or see.
• The things we do in our daily life, the way we great each other,
our dress and eating habits.
• They differ from one country to another.
Invisible culture: The aspects of culture that influence how people
behave such as values and beliefs.
• They are not immediately obvious to the naked eye but can only
be understood by observing how people behave to know how
they think, what they feel or believe is good or bad.
Culture combines the visible and the invisible
• Culture can be compared to an iceberg.
• An iceberg has a part which can be seen above the water, and a
larger part, and invisible section below the water line.
• The part of culture that is visible is only a small part of a much
bigger whole.
• There are many aspects of culture that are hidden.
Checkpoint: The items that appear below are all features of culture. Decide which belong
above the surface of the water (visible culture) and which should be below (invisible culture)
• School subjects
• Idea of beauty
• Facial expressions
• Table manners
• How to behave in public
• How to raise children
• Art
• Government structure
• Addressing your
teachers and parents
• Meeting deadlines
• Hand gestures
• Importance of time
• Concept of leadership
• Style of dress
• Notion of respect
• There is a direct relationship between visible and invisible cultures.
• Visible behaviors are influenced by beneath-the-surface values.
Example: what we say or do in the presence of others is the result of
our idea of how we should behave in public.
Action Task: Now think about your own culture. In groups, draw an
iceberg showing the features of visible and invisible culture in the UAE.
Decide which features are ‘above’ or ‘below’ by discussing the
following questions:
• How and why do you dress the way you do?
• How and why do you celebrate certain holidays?
• What is the polite thing to do when you meet someone for the first
time?
• What influences the way you think and act?
Same but Different
• Many of the differences are a result of invisible cultures, beliefs and
ways of living.
• This what makes cultures vary from one group to another.
• We tend to over-generalize because someone is different or that they
come from another culture that they will behave in a certain way.
• This is called stereotyping: a fixed and overgeneralized idea, of a
particular type of person or thing.
Grading Rubric for Written Assignments
Levels of Assessment
Research Task –Due
25 March 2021
By using research and exploration strategy,
write a report about a culture that differ
from your own. In what way is it different?
In what way is it the same? What do you
find interesting about this culture?
Do not copy paste. Write it in your own
words.
Criteria
Inadequate=1
(Below Standard)
Adequate=2
(Meets Standard)
Above Average=3
(Exceeds Standard)
Exemplary=4
(Far Exceeds Standard)
Organization
Writing lacks logical organization. It
shows somecoherence, but ideas lack
unity. Serious errors.
Writing is coherent and logically
organized. Some points remain
misplaced andstray from the topic.
Transitions evident but notused
throughout essay.
Writing is coherent and logically
organized with transitions used
between ideas and paragraphs to
createcoherence. Overall unity of ideas
is present.
Writing shows high degree of attentionto
logic and reasoning of points. Unity
clearly leads the reader to the conclusion
and stirs thought regarding the topic.
Level of Content
Shows some thinking and reasoning
but most ideas areunderdeveloped
and unoriginal.
Content indicates thinking and
reasoning applied withoriginal
thought on a few ideas.
Content indicates original thinking
and develops ideaswith sufficient
and firm evidence.
Content indicates synthesis of ideas, indepth analysis and evidences original
thought and support for the topic.
Development
Main points lack detailed
development. Ideas are vague with
little evidence ofcritical thinking.
Main points are present withlimited
detail and development. Some critical
thinking is present.
Main points well developed with
quality supporting details and quantity.
Critical thinking is weaved into points
Main points well developed with high
quality and quantity support. Reveals
high degree of critical thinking.
Spelling, punctuation, and
grammatical errors create
distraction, making readingdifficult,
fragments, commasplices, run-ons
evident.
Errors are frequent.
Most spelling, punctuation, and grammar
correct allowingreader to progress though
essay. Some errors remain.
Essay has few spelling, punctuation,
and grammaticalerrors allowing
reader to follow ideas clearly. Very
few fragments or run-ons.
Essay is free of distracting spelling,
punctuation, and grammatical errors;
absent of fragments, comma splices,
and run-ons.
Mostly in elementary formwith
little or no variety in sentence
structure, diction,rhetorical
devices or emphasis.
Approaches college level usage of some
variety in sentence patterns, diction, and
rhetorical devices.
Attains college level style;tone is
appropriate and rhetorical devices
used to enhance content;
sentencevariety used effectively.
Shows outstanding style going beyond
usual college level; rhetorical devices
and tone used effectively; creative useof
sentence structure and coordination
Fails to follow format and
assignment requirements; incorrect
margins, spacing and indentation;
neatness ofessay needs attention.
Meets format and assignment
requirements; generally correct margins,
spacing, andindentations; essay is neat
butmay have some assembly errors.
Meets format and assignment
requirements; margins, spacing, and
indentations arecorrect; essay is neat
and correctly assembled.
Meets all formal and assignment
requirements and evidences attention to
detail; all margins, spacing and
indentations are correct; essay is neat and
correctly assembled with professional
look.
Gramm
ar &
Mechan
ics
Style
Format
UAE: A Melting Pot of Cultures
• The UAE is a melting pot of cultures, creeds and nationalities.
• The UAE is a fusion nation-values of the Middle East mix with
those of the rest of the world.
• Most people come to the UAE for work and so don’t interact
with people outside of their workplace or after working hours.
• Some see language as a barrier to get to know people of other
cultures.
• Some communities are closed to outsiders.
• That is why many tend to create smaller versions of their own
cultures to live in and don’t integrate with the local population.
Why do you think that some people are not interested in other
people’s cultures?
Creed: A system of religious
beliefs.
Fusion Nation: A country
where many different
nationalities and ethnic
communities live side by side.
Integrate: Combine one thing
with another to form a whole.
The Future of the UAE’s Culture