Building Cultural Bridges through Writing and Discussion

Abstract

Ewha Womans University offers the "International Exchange and Study Abroad Program" for undergraduate and graduate students. According to Ewha’s Office of Global Affairs (OGA), this program has been established for students who are interested in international access to more than 760 institutions in 57 countries. The OGA (2012), founded in 1985 as the International Education Institute (IEI), has been encouraging student participation in study abroad programs to promote a globalized educational system for the Ewha community. However, with such a supportive program inside the university, there are no courses provided to help students to prepare in advance. Thus, I plan to design a Writing and Discussion textbook called “Building Cultural Bridges through Writing and Discussion” to prepare Ewha students for college-level work related to what they are planning to study in an English language environment. This course book is intended for intermediate level students based on the ACTFL scale and will be designed to develop their critical thinking skills, as well as to understand and evaluate cultural issues through readings and media. Ultimately, a great emphasis will be put on students’ abilities to express their ideas in an organized and persuasive manner, both orally and in writing.