FAMILY INTERACTION JOURNAL
Contents
 Student Information Sheet
 Instruction Sheet & Task Sheet Template
 Time and Task Log
 Conversation Task Sheets
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Personal History
Leisure Time Activities
Foods
Holidays
Driver’s License
Dating Practices
Educational System
Television
Government/Current Events
 Project Task Sheets
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Ask for Directions
Invite for Coffee
Go to a Movie
Go Grocery Shopping
Learn Children’s Songs
Play a Game
Attend a Sporting Event
Visit a School
Go to Church
Watch a TV Program
Share a recipe
Attend a sporting event
STUDENT INFORMATION SHEET
STUDY-ABROAD RESEARCH PROJECT PARTICIPANT
NAME:
____________________________________________________________________
U.S. ADDRESS: ________________________________________________________________
EMAIL: __________________________
CMU DEGREE PROGRAM: ___________________ MAJOR: __________ MINOR:________
STUDY ABROAD COUNTRY: ___________________ PROGRAM:_____________________
DATES OF STUDY ABROAD: ___________________________________________________
TOTAL NUMBER OF WEEKS ABROAD: ________________
LAST SPANISH COURSE YOU TOOK ON CAMPUS BEFORE STUDY ABROAD:
______________________________________________________________________________
HOST FAMILY NAME: _________________________________________________________
HOST FAMILY COMPOSITION:
NAME
AGE
C.M.U. PROJECT CONTACT:
Dr. Susan Knight
318 Pearce Hall, Central Michigan University
Mt. Pleasant, MI 4885
Email: knigh1sm@cmich.edu
FAX: 989-774-2323
Home phone: (989) 772-0134
RELATIONSHIP
FAMILY INTERACTION JOURNAL
Instructions
Thank you for agreeing to keep a Family Interaction Journal during your study abroad experience.
You have been randomly selected to participate in this pilot project to investigate the interaction
between U.S. students abroad and their host families.
Your responsibilities are basically two-fold:
1.
Time and Task Log.
 Keep a daily log of your interaction with the family on the Time Task Log
 Email or FAX the basic weekly information on this sheet to the Research Director (Susan
Knight) at the end of each week. (You will be emailed a copy of the Time Task Log, so
that if you would prefer, you may send it as an email attachment each week.)
2.
Tasks.
 Spend time with your family each week discussing particular topics (“Conversation
Tasks”) and carrying out specific assignments (“Project Tasks.”).
 Please complete one Conversation Task and one Project Tasks each week. After you
have had the conversation with your family or carried out the “project”, complete the
Task Sheet (in English). The following pages give more specific directions regarding the
task sheets.
Your Family Interaction Journal should be returned to Dr. Susan Knight upon your return to the
U.S. Please mail to:
Mailing Address:
Dr. Susan Knight
318 Pearce Hall
Central Michigan University
Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859
Email Address:
knigh1sm@cmich.edu
FAX:
989-774-2525
FAMILY INTERACTION JOURNAL
TIME/TASK LOG
Document your interaction with the family each day. Jot down how much time you spent with
them and the topics you discussed. Record Monday’s date in the WEEK box.
For example:
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thur
Fri
Sat
Sun
Week
1. 6/7/04
45 min.
“Pers. History”
Mon
Week
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
60 min.
lunch talk
Tues
40 min.
lunch talk
Wed
90 min.
“Grocery
--
60 min.
table
with hw
Helped set
Shop”
Thur
30 min.
Fri
Sat
Got help
Sun
FAMILY INTERACTION JOURNAL
INSTRUCTION SHEET
CONVERSATION AND PROJECT TASKS
Suggestions:
Date: _____________________
Time: _____________________
Description:
Describe the content of your discussion regarding the topic. In this section, just provide what you talked
about and any interesting information you learned.
Evaluation of the interaction:
Comment on the quantity and quality of your interaction with the family. Did you have a good conversation?
Did you learn something new? Were you able to understand them? Were they able to understand you? What
problems did you encounter, if any. Overall, do you think the communication between you and the family was
enhanced by the task? Feel free to continue on the back of this page.
FAMILY INTERACTION JOURNAL
CONVERSATION TASK: Personal History/Getting to Know Each Other
Suggestions: Tell your host family about yourself. Include information about your own family, your
interests, likes, dislikes, etc. As in all of your interactions, be sure to ask your host family similar questions
about themselves.
Date: _____________________
Time: _____________________
Description:
Evaluation of the interaction:
FAMILY INTERACTION JOURNAL
CONVERSATION TASK: Foods
Suggestions: Talk to your host mother about “typical” dishes/food of the region. Ask for the recipe and if
possible, help her cook this recipe. Discuss popular dishes in the U.S. What ingredients would you find in a
Spanish kitchen-- cupboard or refrigerator—that you would not find in a typical U.S. kitchen?
Date: _____________________
Time: _____________________
Description:
Evaluation of the interaction:
FAMILY INTERACTION JOURNAL
CONVERSATION TASK: Holidays
Suggestions: Talk to your family about how your favorite holiday(s) is (are) celebrated in the U.S. As in
all of your interactions, be sure to ask your host family similar questions – what is his/her favorite holiday?
How is it celebrated? What are the differences/similarities in how we celebrate?
Date: _____________________
Time: _____________________
Description:
Evaluation of the interaction:
FAMILY INTERACTION JOURNAL
CONVERSATION TASK: Leisure Time Activities
Suggestions: Talk to your family about how you like to spend your free time. Do you play sports? Do you
like to read? Do you go to the movies? As in all of your interactions, be sure to ask your host family similar
questions about themselves and about the host culture.
Date: _____________________
Time: _____________________
Description:
Evaluation of the interaction:
FAMILY INTERACTION JOURNAL
CONVERSATION TASK: Dating Practices
Suggestions: Talk with your family about dating practices in the U.S. and in the host country. Compare
information such as the age of the first date, what boys and girls typically do on a date, where do they go, etc.
Date: _____________________
Time: _____________________
Description:
Evaluation of the interaction:
FAMILY INTERACTION JOURNAL
CONVERSATION TASK: Driver’s License
Suggestions: Talk with your family about when you got your driver’s license, the process, etc. Was it an
important time for you? Do you have a car? Do most people your age have a license and a car? Then, ask
them the about the host country. Is it the same?
Date: _____________________
Time: _____________________
Description:
Evaluation of the interaction:
FAMILY INTERACTION JOURNAL
CONVERSATION TASK: Educational Systems
Suggestions: Talk to your family about the educational system in the host country. What age do students
start school? Do most go to public or private schools? How many years are obligatory? Which courses are
required and which are electives? Do they have elementary, middle, and high schools? Talk to your family
about the similarities and differences with the U.S. system.
Date: _____________________
Time: _____________________
Description:
Evaluation of the interaction:
FAMILY INTERACTION JOURNAL
CONVERSATION TASK: Television
Suggestions: Look at a TV listing of daily programs. Talk with a person in your family about the kinds and
types of programs found on TV. Tell them what programs are similar or different in the U.S. Invite them to
watch a program with you and help you understand. Discuss the program/show with them.
Date: _____________________
Time: _____________________
Description:
Evaluation of the interaction:
FAMILY INTERACTION JOURNAL
CONVERSATION TASK: Government/Current Events
Suggestions: Talk to your family about the current events in their country. What is their perspective on the
current government? Tell them about the current events in the U.S. and your views on the political situation.
Date: _____________________
Time: _____________________
Description:
Evaluation of the interaction:
FAMILY INTERACTION JOURNAL
PROJECT TASK: Ask for Directions
Suggestions: Ask someone in your family for directions. Then, follow the directions and document how it
went! Did you have to write the directions down? Were they easy to follow?
Date: _____________________
Time: _____________________
Description:
Evaluation of the interaction:
FAMILY INTERACTION JOURNAL
PROJECT TASK: Invite for Coffee
Suggestions: Invite a family member to coffee (with a pastry or dessert??). Describe below how you
were able to “negotiate” the invitation as well as the conversation you had during your time out together.
Date: _____________________
Time: _____________________
Description:
Evaluation of the interaction:
FAMILY INTERACTION JOURNAL
PROJECT TASK: Go to a Movie
Suggestions: Invite a family member to a movie. Describe below your experience: how you were able to
“negotiate” the invitation, what movie you saw, and your discussion afterwards about the movie.
Date: _____________________
Time: _____________________
Description:
Evaluation of the interaction:
FAMILY INTERACTION JOURNAL
PROJECT TASK: Go Grocery Shopping
Suggestions: Go grocery shopping with a member of your family. Talk to your family about the similarities
and differences with a grocery-shopping trip in the U.S.
Date: _____________________
Time: _____________________
Description:
Evaluation of the interaction:
FAMILY INTERACTION JOURNAL
PROJECT TASK: Go to Church
Suggestions: Go to church with a member of your family. Tell him/her about your church at home and
how it is similar/different.
Date: _____________________
Time: _____________________
Description:
Evaluation of the interaction:
FAMILY INTERACTION JOURNAL
PROJECT TASK: Learn Children’s Songs
Suggestions: Ask someone in your family to teach you a children’s song.
Date: _____________________
Time: _____________________
Description:
Evaluation of the interaction:
FAMILY INTERACTION JOURNAL
PROJECT TASK: Play a Game
Suggestions: Talk to a member of your family about games they play—card games and board games.
Show them a game that you play and learn one of their games. Have them help you write down some of the
steps for the description section below.
Date: _____________________
Time: _____________________
Description:
Evaluation of the interaction:
FAMILY INTERACTION JOURNAL
PROJECT TASK: Visit a School
Suggestions: Ask a family member to take you to a local grade school or high school. Where is it
located? What does it look like? What is the layout? What are the rooms like? Did your family member go to
school here or did their children. Discuss with your family the similarities and differences with the school(s)
you attended.
Date: _____________________
Time: _____________________
Description:
Evaluation of the interaction:
FAMILY INTERACTION JOURNAL
PROJECT TASK: WATCH A TV PROGRAM
Suggestions: Look at a TV listing of daily programs. Talk with a person in your family
about the kinds and types of programs found on TV. Tell them what programs are similar
or different in the States. Invite them to watch a program with you and help you
understand. Discuss the program/show with them.
Date: _____________________
Time: _____________________
Description:
Evaluation of the interaction:
FAMILY INTERACTION JOURNAL
PROJECT TASK: SHARE RECIPES
Suggestions: Talk to your host mother about “typical” dishes/food of the region. Ask for
the recipe and if possible, help her cook this recipe. Discuss popular dishes in the States.
What ingredients would you find in a Spanish kitchen—cupboard or refrigerator—that you
would not find in a typical U.S. kitchen?
Date: _____________________
Time: _____________________
Description:
Evaluation of the interaction:
FAMILY INTERACTION JOURNAL
PROJECT TASK: Attend a Sporting Event
Suggestions: Attend a sporting event with a member of your family. Describe below what sport it was, the
time and day of the event, etc. Discuss with your family the similarities and differences with a similar event in
the U.S.
Date: _____________________
Time: _____________________
Description:
Evaluation of the interaction: