GUIDELINES FOR MAKING PRESENTATIONS DURING IEW

Share your country and culture with others by giving presentations to:

• Your classmates (history, government, social studies, political science, language classes, school clubs, etc.)
• Elementary or middle schools
• Local community organizations
• Senior citizens
• Neighborhood associations
• Places of worship

Some background on IEW to share during your presentation:

International Education Week, founded in 2000, is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the U.S. Department of Education. It is an important week observed all across the United States and in more than 100 countries overseas. IEW is celebrated in November each year during the week before the American holiday of Thanksgiving.

IEW provides an opportunity for exchange students from all over the world to teach their host communities about their cultures and highlights the benefits of international educational exchange programs.

The worldwide celebration of IEW offers a unique opportunity to reach out to people in every nation, to develop a broader understanding of world cultures and languages, and to reiterate the conviction that enduring friendships and partnerships created through international education and exchange are important for a secure future for all countries.

This celebration allows you to make a difference. You can tell others about your culture - your history, government, language, food, holidays, school system and traditions.

Visuals can help your presentation
• Show photos of your country, friends and family
• Bring a map or your national flag, or make a poster with facts about your country
• Share your favorite recipes, or bring in your favorite food
• Read your favorite story or fairytale, or recite a national poem
• Play your national anthem or song
• Prepare a video or PowerPoint presentation about your country or city

Things your presentation might include
An introduction
Examples:
• Introduce yourself in either your native language or another foreign language and in English.
• Give your name, where you are from and why you are here today (share a little bit about your experience as an exchange student).

A story about your home country
Examples:
• A day in the life of a typical teenager in your home (host) country
• What school is like in your home country
• What it is like to live with your host family - describe a day in the life
• Describe a holiday celebration in your home country and it's importance
• Describe a funny experience you had on your exchange - in school, with friends, with host family
• Describe the strangest thing you have found out about your host country
• Describe the biggest difference you have noticed between your home and your host country
• Describe how your exchange experience has impacted you, your host family and your own family. Did you change at all? Has it shaped your plans and goals for the future?

A focus on a certain topic(s)
Examples:

Government: Explain how your government is set up and functions. Discuss the similarities and differences between your government and the U.S. government.

History: Tell about your nation's history.

Culture: Discuss the different types of food, music, dances, traditions, etc. in your country. Bring in food samples, demonstrate dances/songs, or play traditional music from your country.

Language: Teach students a few simple phrases in your native language.

Important Social/Political/Religious Issues: Talk about some of the specific things that people in your country are interested in or concerned about. You can discuss family trends, economic issues, social/environmental problems, importance of religion, political changes, etc.

Special thanks to the Center for Cultural Interchange, Council on International Educational Exchange and Youth For Understanding USA for providing some of these guidelines.