The Culture Iceberg: Unpacking Invisible Rules

Section role: supports the 'Unpacking the Invisible Rules' section while the teacher formalizes concepts, connects student guesses to cultural theories, and visualizes the 'Culture Iceberg' to explain the difference between visible and invisible cultural norms. Slides: (1) Title — 'The Culture Iceberg: Understanding Invisible Rules'; (2) Revisiting Our Mysteries — bullets: Lucas and the tip in the US, Ana and punctuality in Germany; (3) Key Vocabulary — bullets: definition of 'etiquette', 'punctuality', 'customs'; (4) The Culture Iceberg Model — bullets: visual representation, explanation of visible elements (food, clothes) vs. invisible elements (values, norms, beliefs); (5) High-Context vs. Low-Context Cultures — bullets: definitions, examples (Brazil as high-context, US as low-context), impact on communication; (6) Connecting Concepts — bullets: how the American Cultural Norms video relates to the iceberg and context; (7) Cultural Understanding — image of diverse people interacting. Closing slide: 'Why are these invisible rules so important?' — sets up the reflective discussion for the next section. This material is part of a English foreign-language class for students in Brazil learning English. Regardless of the material's language, the key terms and examples being taught must be written in English, not in the students' native language.

Lara da Teachy