• Học phần: Văn Hóa Anh Mỹ

• Số tín chỉ: 4
• Giảng viên: Phạm Thị Hai Trang
Võ Nguyễn Hồng Lam
• Lớp: 54 NNA 1, 2,3
Lesson 1: Sightseeing in UK
4 regions in UK
 UK

Scotland

North Ireland

England

Wales
England, Scotland & Wales
(Transcript of Video)
 London
• House of Parliament
• Big Ben
• Westminster abbey
• Churchill statue
• Household Cavalry
• Trafalgar square
• National gallery
• Piccadilly circus
• Tower of London
• St Paul’s cathedral
 Lesson 2

The Geography
and Climate of
Britain
 Physiographic features of
England, Scotland and Wales
 Physiographic features of England
• Total area: 130.410 km2
• Capital: London, the largest city in UK
• Main river: Thames, 346km, the second longest river in
UK
• Has excellent natural harbors: Newcastle upon Tyne, Hull,
London, Dover, Plymouth, Bristol, Liverpool
• Midlands and the North is mountainous in the North and
West (Midlands consists of Pennines (890-630metres) and
the Lake District (970-820m))
• Flatlands are in the East: the Fens (marshland)
• Lowland in the South has many moors, hills, dales, rivers
and canals
 Seaports of England

Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Dover

Liverpool

Plymouth Bristol
 Landscape
Mountain ranges: Pennines Lake District
 Flatland
Yorkshire dales Rolling hill: North Downs

North York Moors Moor

 Physiographic features of Scotland
• Total area (include islands): 78,790 km2, many of the
islands are inhabited
• Capital: Edinburgh
• Largest city: Glasgow
• Longest river: Tay (188km)
• Has irregular coastline with many inlets from the sea (Firth
of Clyde, Firth of Forth)
• Is a mountainous area (>1/2 is highland); has lakes and
lochs (Loch Lomond, Loch Ness)
• Is divided into 3 areas: Southern Uplands, Central
lowlands, Highlands
- The Southern uplands
are the fertile plains
and hills bordering
England.
- The central lowlands
runs from Edinburgh to
Glasgow and contains
industrial towns and
most of the population.
- Highlands are
mountains (Ben Nevis:
1344m, Britain’s
highest mountain)
 1 Peat 2 Heather

‘About three quarters of Scotland is made

up of bog, rock and heather and peat
soils’

3 Bog
1

Firth irregular coastline

3
‘Scotland has a very irregular coastline
with inlets from the sea called firths…
The Highlands contains narrow lakes or
Lochs….’

Loch
 Physiographic features of Wales
• Capital: Cardiff, the main seaport and shipbuilding
centre of Wales
• Total area; 20,760km2
• River Severn: 354km, Britain’s longest river
• Mount Snowdon: Wales’ highest mountain
• Bala lake: largest natural lake in Wales
• Has an irregular coastline with bays (cardigan
bay)
• Is almost entirely mountainous with 3 main
regions (Snowdonia, Cambrian, Brecon Beacons)
1
River Severn

Bala Lake
 Geography of Britain - Revision

Name the mountainous regions of

Britain?

1. Scotland Highland
2. Grampian
3. Southern upland
4. Lake District
5. Pennines
6. Cambrian Mountains
 The Geography of Britain
Britain is an island country that is surrounded by three seas: the
North Sea, the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea. Britain
separated from Ireland and Northern Ireland by the Irish Sea
and from France by the English Channel. The most
mountainous areas are in the north of Britain: the Highlands
and Southern Uplands of Scotland. The southern part of Britain
contains smaller mountain ranges such as the Pennines in
England and Cambrian Mountains in Wales and the rolling hills
of England such as the Downs. England also has most of the
flatland such as drained marshlands called the Fens and the
moors of Devon and Cornwall. The south part of Britain also
has the greatest number of rivers and canals while the northern
part has many narrow lakes called lochs and sea inlets called
firths.
 Climate
• The climate of the United Kingdom is
classified as a mid-latitude oceanic
climate with warm summers, cold winters
and constant rainfall throughout the year.
 900

oceanic
mid-latitude 450

00

mid-latitude 450

900
• very low sunshine hours throughout the
year
• England has a mild and moist climate,
annual temperature ranges between 11°C
and 9°C.
• July is the hottest month of the year, and
January, is the coldest month.
• Fogs, mists, and overcast skies are
frequent, particularly in the Pennines and
inland regions.
1 Fog

2 Overcast skies

3 Mist
• Rainfall is heaviest during October and average
rainfall is about 760 mm in most of England.
• England has slightly warmer maximum and
minimum temperatures throughout the year
compared with Scotland and Wales.
• The climate of Scotland is similar to the rest
Britain but has the coolest temperatures.
• Wales also has similar weather to England but has
slightly warmer temperatures
Geography Exercise 1 - Name each territory of the British Isles (darkened part) in the maps below.

Northern Ireland Scotland England

Wales Great Britain/Britain United Kingdom

Geography Exercise 2- Label this map of the British isles with the correct names or phrases from your textbook.

1 Atlantic Ocean

2 Shetlands Islands
3 Orkney Islands
4 Hebrides
5
North Sea
9 Belfast
Scotland 6
8 Northern Ireland
Edinburg 7

10 Isle of Man
13 Dublin Irish Sea 11

12 Ireland

14 Wales England 16
15 Cardiff
17 London
18 Celtic Sea
19 English Channel 20
Isle of Wight
Geography Exercise 3
-Name the mountainous regions of
Britain?

1. Scotland Highlan
2. Southern upland
3. Lake District
4. Pennines
5. Cambrian Mountains
 Physiographic features of
England, Scotland and Wales
 State if the following statements are true or false.
1. England has the most number of seaports in Britain.
2. The cliffs of Dover are white because they are made of chalk.
3. Scotland is smaller than England but much larger than Wales.
4. London is the largest city in the United Kingdom and Glasgow is
the second largest.
5. Most of the land in Scotland is unfertile.
6. The Pennine Chain, Scottish Highlands and Mount Snowdon are the
three main mountain regions of Britain.
7. Wales has three main mountainous areas.
 State if the following statements are true or false.

1. Britain has tropical monsoon climate

2. Sunshine hours in Britain are similar to Vietnam
3. Wales has a mild and moist climate.
4. You should come to Britain in the spring.
5. The rainy season in Britain lasts all year.
6. London is a little warmer than Edinburg but slightly colder
than Cardiff during winter.
 What are the similarities between the geography of Britain
and Vietnam?

There are more than 4 similarities as cited below but they are
some of the most essential
• 1. There highland areas in the North of both countries.
• 2. The south of each country has the most amount of flat
land: the Mekong Delta in Vietnam and the Fens and
moors of southern England.
• 3. Each country is surrounded by three seas. Vietnam
surrounded by the Gulf of Tonkin, South China Sea and
Gulf of Thailand. Britain surrounded by Irish Sea, North
Sea and Atlantic Ocean.
• 4. There is a network of canals in each country: in the Red
River Delta of Vietnam and in southern England.
 What are the differences between the geography of Britain
and Vietnam?

There are more than 6 differences as cited below but they are some of the
most essential
• 1. Vietnam has a larger land area (329,556 square kilometres) than
Britain (230.000 square kilometres).
• 2. Vietnam does not have peat soils or bogs such as in Scotland.
• 3. Vietnam does not have firths such as in Scotland.
• 4. Vietnam does not have rolling hills such as the English Downs.
• 5. Vietnam has much larger forested areas (30% of total land area)
while Britain has very little forest (12% of total land area).
• 6. Britain is an island state, Vietnam is not.
Lesson 3

Cities,
population &
countryside of
UK
 Major and interesting cities in
Interesting cities
UK
Major cities in UK • England
• England – York
– London – Oxford
– Birmingham – Leeds
– Liverpool
– Manchester – Brighton
• Scotland – Sunderland
– Edinburgh – Nottingham
• Wales – Sheffield
– Cardiff • Scotland
– Glasgow
• North Ireland – Aberdeen
– Belfast • Wales
– Swansea
 England
• Capital : London
• Major cities: London,
Birmingham, Manchester Manchester
• Interesting cities: York,
Oxford, Leeds, Liverpool, Birmingham
Brighton, Sunderland,
Nottingham, Sheffield London
• Population : 49 million (the
2001 population census)

Countryside: Lake District, The

Pennies, Dartmoor, North
Downs
 London
population 7milion people in 625 square miles

Tower Bridge
 London
• 625 square km
• 33 districts
• The capital of England and UK
• The center of government
• The center of financial, commercial,
distribution and communication
• The world center for art
Birmingham

• A manufacturing and commercial city

• A communication center in the West
midlands
• The second highest population in Britain
• Has some cultural activities such as
Birmingham Royal ballet and the City of
Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
 Manchester
• An important cultural and commercial
center
• A regional capital of the North-West
• A major center for higher education, the arts
and media industry
 Scotland
• The capital: Edinburgh
• Major city: Edinburgh
• Interesting City :
Glasgow, Aberdeen

• Population : 5 million (the

2001 population census of UK)
• Countryside : Highlands
 Edinburgh
• The historic and capital of Scotland
• A centre of law firms, banking, insurance
and culture
• Has distinctive architecture, Edinburgh
castle
• Has International Festival of Music and
drama
 Wales
• Capital: Cardiff
• Major city: Cardiff
• Interesting city : Swansea

Population: 3 million
Countryside: Snowdonia,
Cambrian, Brecon Beacon
 Cardiff
• The capital of Wales
• A major port for coal transport
• A shopping, commercial and industrial
centre
• Has international sporting stadiums
• Has many universities and colleges
• Cardiff Bay has many tourist centres
 Northern
Ireland
• The capital and major city : Belfast
• Population: 2 million
Population in Northern Ireland
 Belfast
• Capital of North Ireland
• Had a major shipbuilding, tabacco and linen
industry
• Famous for Victorian architecture

City hall
The architecture
 Belfast is famous for Victorian architecture

• refers to several architectural styles during the middle and late 19th
century of Queen Victoria 1837-1901.
• represents the British and French custom of naming architectural styles
for a reigning monarch.
 UK Population
• 59 millions in UK (2001); 61,113,225
(2011)
– 49 m in England (51,807,053 in 2011)
– 3 m in Wales
– 5 m in Scotland
– 2 m in Northern Ireland
 Population
• crowded cities & less populated rural areas
• In Scotland, the population is more in
lowland areas
• In Wales, it is eastern and South-Eastern
parts
• In England, the South-West grows fast
 Population change
• In Scotland
– The North-West, the North-East -> the South

• In England
– The North-East, West Midlands, North-West ->South-
East & East Midlands
– The South-East -> the South-West
=> Population change is due to the change in
industries ( heavy industries such as coal, steel &
shipbuilding ->light industries & services such as
textiles, publishing & tourism)
 South East England

South West and South East England

 Living in cities (towns)
• 80% of the British people live in towns or
cities
• Most town dwellers prefer to live in the
countryside
• City life is polluted, crowded
 Living in the countryside
• Many families from the city bought cottages in the country
to live permanently or use as a holiday home.
• Many villages have inhabitants as commuters.
• Pretty old cottages are for wealthy families
• Local people on low income live on the edge of the village.
• 40% of villages no longer have a permanent shop.
• 30% have no post office
• 13% have no bus service.
• People in the countryside grow agricultural crops (wheat &
barley) and do sheep and cattle farming
Barley
Revision exercises
1. 1. Aberdeen
2. 2. Glasgow
3. 3. Edinburgh
4. 4. Newcastle-upon-Tyne
5. 5. Sunderland
6. 6. Belfast
7. 7. Leeds
8. 8. Manchester
9. 9. Liverpool
10. 10. Birmingham
11. 11. Nottingham
12. 12. Swansea
13. 13. Cardiff
14. 14. Oxford
15. 15. London
16. 16. Sheffield
17. 17. Brighton
18. 18. York

1. Name the 6 Major cities of United Kingdom starting from the top of the map, ie, from Scotland.
2. Name the 12 interesting cities from the top of the map, ie,from Scotland.
1. Aberdeen
2. Glasgow
3. Edinburgh
4. Newcastle-upon-Tyne
5. Sunderland Major cities
6. Belfast Other cities
7. Leeds Financial centres
Arts and Tourism centers
8. Manchester
9. Liverpool
10. Birmingham
11. Nottingham
12. Swansea
13. Cardiff
14. Oxford
15. London
16. Sheffield
17. Brighton
18. York

The distribution of major cities, other cities, financial centres, arts and tourism centres across the
United Kingdom.
- England contains three of the six major cities and nine of the
twelve interesting cities of importance. In addition, six of the nine
financial centres are in England as well as five of the eight arts-
tourism centres. Most cities that are financial centres usually also
have arts-tourism centres (Manchester, Birmingham, Oxford and
London).

-The majority of these combined financial and tourism- arts

centres are in England.

Conclusion: It can be clearly seen that England is the state of

greatest economic and cultural importance in the United Kingdom
and its economic prosperity is closely linked with the artistic and
cultural life of the country.
 True or false?
• Swansea is in North Ireland.
• Aberdeen is in Scotland.
• Belfast is famous for Victorian architecture.
• The South west of England experienced fast growing population but
South East has been the fastest growing region.
• Commuters are people who live in the cities and go to work everyday.
• Most British people do not live in the countryside and do not want to
live there because it is far form work.
• Many villages do not have post office or bus service because their
quality are not good.
• Moors and dales are common type of countryside in England.
 Chapter 4

What is Britain?
Unity & Divisions of UK
1. Unification of the United Kingdom
By the sixteenth (1536)
century, Wales was fully
incorporated into
English administration
and law
By eighteen century
(1707), ancient
kingdoms of Scotland
was fully incorporated
into English
administration and law
Ireland achieved
independence in twentieth
century (1921), with the
exception of six northern
counties which remained part
of the United Kingdom.
England + Scotland + Wales = Great Britain

Great Britain + North Ireland = United Kingdom

2. Divisions
- People who live outside Britain think that all British are
the same and their society is made of one culture.
- They only know of a few famous people and places.

-Britain is made of the cultures of the English, Welsh,

Scottish and migrants to Britain.
2.1 Distinctions in Language/ speech

- 'received pronunciation' (RP)

- dialect of the national elite.

- Unmarked RP
- Marked RP
- the Scots accent(trustworthiness, competence and
friendliness)

Dialect = grammar + vocabulary + accent

2.2. Distinction in demography (‘core’
and a ‘periphery’)

-The population
concentrates in the
South. (better
climate, agricultural
land, proximity to
the European
mainland)

Map of the 'Core and Periphery' of Britain

+ The core area: inner and outer
core consists of areas in England
that are about 200 kilometers from
London. (Southampton,
Portsmouth, Brighton,
Northampton, Cambridge,
Canterbury and Dover.
+ The periphery: Wales, the
Midlands, the North of England
and Scotland.
2.3. Distinction in Life quality

- Wealth.

- Income
- Employment
- Health

- Education
Wealth

- South East & South

West England, London
and East Anglia have
the highest gross
domestic product in
Britain.

- South East England

accounts for 1/3 of
GDP of Britain.
Income

- Income: Men in South

East England earn the
most and work the
shortest week.

- The average earnings in

South East England were
14% above the national
average in the 1990’s.

- Wages in Northern Ireland,

Wales and the north of
England are 10 percent
below the national average.
Employment

- In 1996, the national

average for
unemployment was
7.5% while East Anglia
was 5.8% and
Northern Ireland was
11.3%.
- In 1995, Male
unemployment in
Glasgow Scotland had
risen to 25 %.

- In mid-1990’s 20% of
the population in Wales
relied on social
security
 Health

- Death rates are highest in Scotland followed by

north, north-west regions and lowest in south
east and East Anglia.

- Northern populations are more prone to heart

disease and cancer.

- People smoke and drink more heavily in the

North. Example, Scots spend about1/3 more than
the national average and women smokers
outnumber men smokers in the north-west.

-In mid-1990’s north west of England had the

highest rates of births outside marriage.
Education

- Fewer opportunities to enter higher education

in the Northern regions. Example, Stranraer, the
main town in south-west Scotland has no higher
education facility within 80 km.

- In mid-1990’s Yorkshire and Humberside

schools had the worst rate of absenteeism.

- In mid-1990’s the north of England had the worst

school examination results.

- In mid-1990’s the north west of England had the

lowest proportion of 16-year-olds in school.

-Almost 50% of all 16-year-old students in the north

leave school without further training.
Lesson 6: Food and drink
Meat and two veg (vegetables) Chicken tikka masala and rice.
 Traditional Foods of Britain
Match the words to the pictures using the description.

Bacon and eggs Cornish pasties Fish and chips Haggis Kippers
Marmalade Porridge Rice pudding Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding
Sausages and mash Scones Shepherd’s pie Smoked salmon
Sandwiches
 Traditional Foods of Britain

1 Shepherd’s pie 2 Haggis 3 Fish and chips

Cod

4 Smoked salmon 5 Sandwiches

 Traditional Foods of Britain

6 Marmalade 7 Scones

9
8 Porridge Sausages (or bangers ) and 10 Roast beef and
Yorkshire pudding
mash
 Traditional Foods of Britain

11 Kippers 12 Cornish pasties 13 Bacon and eggs

14 Rice pudding
 1. Black pudding 2. Bubble and squeak 3. Devils on horseback

4. Scotch woodcock 5. Toad in the hole 6. Welsh rarebit (rabbit)

Description No.
Ox liver or prunes wrapped in bacon and grilled with hot pepper. 3
Fried onion, cabbage and potatoes. 2
Toasted bread with anchovies, egg yolks and cream. 4
A sausage made with pigs or ox blood, onions, oatmeal and fat. 1
It is made with bread, beer, mustard and cheese. 6
Sausages baked in Yorkshire pudding batter 5
Pamela eats these foods. What are they?

Breakfast cereals
 Pamela eats these foods. What are they?

Crisp snacks or crisps

 Pamela eats these foods. What are they?

Sweets

Stick of rock
 Pamela eats these foods. What are they?

3 pasta
2 ham salad
1 toast

5 spaghetti Bolognese
4 Lasagne
 Cultural Diversity
• The variety of languages, dress, religion and
custom people from different cultures living
together in a country
• Diversity enrich a country’s cultural life
“multiculturalism”
– Festival: St Patricks Day of Irish people, Chinese New
Year from China, Deepavali from India
– Food: pizza from Italy, chicken curry from India
– Art: George Bernard Shaw from Dublin,, calypso is
Caribbean music, the Carnaval Del Pueblo is Latin
American music
 Immigration
• 20 and 21st century
• Irish (Potato famine)
• Indian, Pakistan, Caribbean
• Polish (European Union Registration
Scheme 2004)
• Germany, Italy, Ukraine, Hungary
 There have been three main types of immigrants to Britain between the eighteenth and
twenty first century, who have come for different reasons.

The first were immigrants were economic migrants from Ireland due to a famine in the
eighteenth century. They were followed by economic migrants from India, Pakistan and
the Caribbean in the mid nineteenth century who came to fill a labour shortage in British
factories and to do other manual jobs. More recently, economic migrants have arrived
from countries of the European Union, chiefly from Central and Eastern Europe. Many
of them are professionals such as computer specialists and engineers.
Refugees are another type of immigrant. Some were fleeing persecution from their
country such as German Jews from Nazi Germany. After the Second World War, many
war refugees from countries such as Germany, Italy, Poland and the Ukraine came to
Britain. More recently, political and economic refugees have come to Britain from
Hungary, Uganda, South America and Asia.
There are also people living in Britain without a work visa and they are called illegal
immigrants. This group are either economic immigrants or refugees who have come from
countries around the world.

Immigration to Britain since the eighteenth century shows that Britain has absorbed
people from all parts of the world making it a very culturally diverse society. It also
shows Britain has accepted these migrants for economic reasons, but also on
compassionate grounds. The wealth of Britain has also attracted many unfortunate
people who live in Britain illegally.
Chapter 7: The Government
System
 Questions for discussion
1, What does Westminster system of
Government mean?
2, What does the year 1215 mean to politics of
UK?
3, What are the duties and powers of
monarch?
4. What are the duties and powers of the PM?
5, How different are the House of Commons
and the House of Lords?
 Old Westminster system
• A very old system and has been adopted by
Common wealth countries
• The Monarch ruled the country and got
taxes from the British people
 New Westminster system
• A constitutional monarchy: the monarch is
the head of the state but has to follow the
directions of the parliament.
• New Westminster system consists of:
– Prime Minister & his parliament government
– A parliament opposition
 The Crown
(Buckingham Palace) The Judiciary & Courts
Ceremonial head of Government Administers the laws passed
Discharges all functions at the direction of by the Parliament.
the Prime Minister. (except for some honors)

Parliament of the United Kingdom

House of Lords Government The House of Commons
Formed by the party with most number of seats in the House of Commons
(Westminster) (Westminster)
Hereditary Peers The Prime Minister Members of Parliament from:
(Crown appointment being (The head of Government) Conservative Party
progressively abolished) Elected by his/her party Labor party
Life peers Advises the Queen of all cabinet Liberal Democrats
(Government appointment) decisions. Scottish Nationalist party
Law lords Lives at No 10 Downing Street Other minor parties.
(Government appointment)
Lords Temporal The Cabinet People of UK
(Church appointment) Government Ministers elected by their party. Vote in general elections for a
Have to obey the Prime Minister. member to represent their
Located in Whitehall constituency in the House of
Direct the Civil Service Commons (this person belongs to
political party or is an independent
candidate).

The Civil Service

Advisors and administrators of Government

System of UK Government
General elections

People vote in their

constituencies for a
member of the House of
Commons.

The successful candidate

is either a member of a
political party or an an
‘independent’.
House of Commons

Debates matters of
national importance
and drafts Bills (or
laws) to be passed
by the House of
Commons.
 House of Commons has very specific seating arrangements

House of Commons speaker

PM
 House of Lords

Reviews, amends and finally

approves draft bills passed from
the House of Commons.
Where is the centre of Government Whitehall

Where does the Prime Minister live?

10 Downing Street
The political system of Britain is called the Westminster System which is governed by
a Constitutional Monarchy. This means that the British Monarch is the head of the
British Parliament. However, the United Kingdom is ruled by the Government in the
Parliament who are elected by British voters. The Parliament is made-up of the
House of Commons and the House of Lords. The House of Commons is often referred
to as the Commons while the House of Lords is referred to as the Lords. Members of
the House of Commons are called MPs. They are elected by the people of the United
Kingdom. The UK is divided into Constituencies and the people in each one elects a
member to represent them in the House of Commons Members of the House of
Lords are elected by the Prime Minister and the Queen of England. The House of
Lords consists of Life peers, Hereditary peers, and the Lords Spiritual. Both Houses
of Parliament create and pass Laws called Bills which are important for governing
the country and for collecting revenue for government expenditure by taxation. Some
of the most important bills are Money and Supply bills. Usually, a political party that
has the most number of elected members in the Commons will become the
Government of the United Kingdom after a general election. The three main
political parties in Britain are the Labour Party, the Conservative Party and the
Liberal Democrats. Approximately 20 senior ministers of a British government belong
to the Cabinet where all important decisions of Government are discussed and
implemented with the consent of the Prime Minister who is the head of the Cabinet.
Its members are called Cabinet secretaries and are assisted by senior civil servants
The Civil Service administers the policies of Government Ministers. The
government’s activities are scrutinised by an opposition who make sure that the
government is accountable to the people of United Kingdom.
Lesson 8: Education
Primary and Secondary Education

The British government

major reform of
education was through
the 1944 Education Act
which introduced
several major
improvements to school
education.
Major improvements:
- Free for all elementary schools
- Restructured elementary education into
primary and secondary education
- Divided the secondary education
system into grammar schools and
secondary modern schools.
- The age for compulsory education of
children was also increased to 15 years.
Major improvements:
- Children between 5 and 11 years of age
should receive a 'primary education'.
- Schools teaching children in this age
group became known as primary schools.
- Students in these primary schools were
taught reading and writing in English and a
second language such as French or Latin,
arithmetic, science, history, geography,
music and religion.
Major improvements:
- At the age 11-12 years, students undertook
the 11 plus examination
- A student's 11 plus results were in the top
25% of results for all primary schools would
be eligible to enter a grammar school.
- Students of the privileged classes enrolled
their children to fee-paying preparatory
schools up to the age of 11 or 13 for their
primary education.
Comprehensive schools and the
National Curriculum
The division of students
at the end of their
primary schooling into
either grammar schools
or secondary modern
schools by their results
from the 11plus
examination was called
streaming.
- Many people disagree with this division
+ Firstly : The low academic standards
provided by secondary modern schools made
it difficult to gain entry and succeed in higher
education
+ Secondly : The 11plus examination was
considered an unfair test of a student's future
academic potential
+ Thirdly: the local authorities did not have the
resources to create the two separate types of
schools
Some improvements:
- 1973: The age limit for compulsory
education was raised to 16 years
- 1975: in England and Wales had abolished
the 11-plus examination
- 1988: the Education Reform Act
 Education Reform Act 1988

- Schools must also provide additional

teaching of religious studies for students.
- Parents have the choice to allow or not
allow their children religious studies and
some parts of the SRE.
- Education Reform Act in 1988 also
introduced a national assessment program
for students at the end of each academic
year, in July.
 Further Education and Higher
Education
Further education refers to education
undertaken after GCSE such as an
apprenticeship or what is known as 'sixth form'

Newcastle sixth form college

Apprenticeship:
An apprenticeship is
classified as vocational
training as the
apprentice learns a
trade by working in a
business such as an
automotive repairer,
hotel or hairdressing
salon.
 Sixth Form
Students currently study
3 subjects in each of
sixth form study.

Tests for:
AS
=> A-levels
A2

Students who obtain an

A-level can enter
university or other higher
education institutions.
 Higher Education
University education is referred to as 'higher
education' where students study for an
academic degree.
The first degree offered at British universities is
the Bachelor's degree which entails three years
of study.

Oxford University
 Postgraduate Education
Students who have completed a first degree are
eligible to undertake a postgraduate degree,
which includes:

Master's degree Doctorate degree

(typically taken in one year) (typically taken in three years)
AMERICAN CULTURE
INTRODUCTION
 Subject details
Subject name American Culture
Units of credits 2

Prerequisite Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing 4

Subject structure - Theory: 15 periods

- Exercise: 10 periods
- Discussion: 5 periods

Suggested study 60 periods of self-study

commitment
Subject lecturer Võ Nguyễn Hồng Lam

Contact details Email: [email protected]

Cell phone: 0963076417
 Goals and objectives

 Course Goals and Learning Objectives: Students who complete this course
will:
 Gain a basic knowledge of American culture.
 Be able to discuss and analyze American culture from multiple perspectives.
 Understand written and spoken English at the advanced level
(Communication)
 Speak and write English at the advanced level (Communication)
 Demonstrate knowledge of American culture, which includes the values and
attitudes behind certain behaviors and the events, people and places of
importance in American culture. (Knowledge)
 Demonstrate understanding of issues that have caused cultural conflict in the
United States. (Critical Thinking)
 Textbook and reference books
Textbook: American Ways (third edition)
by Maryanne Kearny Datesman, JoAnn Crandall,
Edward N. Kearny
* Reference books:
1. Spotlight on the USA by Randee Falk
2. Outline of the US Economy by Peter Behr
3. Outline of American Geography by Stephen S.
Birdsall and John Florin
4. British- American Civilization by Le Van Su
 SYLLABUS
Session Contents Notes

1 Course introduction 2 periods

2 American Geography and History 4 periods
3 Traditional American Values and Beliefs 6 periods
Group 1’s and Group 2’s Presentation
4 Government and Politics in the U.S 6 periods
Group 3’s and Group 4’s Presentation
5 Ethnic and Racial Diversity in the U.S 6 periods
Group 5’s and Group 6’s Presentation
6 Education in the U.S 6 periods
Group 7’s and Group 8’s Presentation
 Evaluation

1. Mid-term test: (date decided by lecturer) 50%

- Homework & Participation: 10%
- Oral presentation: 40%

2. Final test: (date decided by academic training office)

50%
 CLASS RULES
 Come on time
 Come prepared
 Come ready to participate
 One person speaks at a time
 No cell phone use during the lesson
INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN CULTURE
 Think, pair and share
Art Government
Beliefs History
Cities Holidays
If someone asked you to
describe your country’s Climate Houses
culture, which of these Customs Literature
would you mention? Dance Music
Food Other?
Geography
 How would you define culture?
.
Culture is the characteristics of a particular
group of people, defined by everything from
language, religion, cuisine, social habits,
music and arts…. Today, in the United States
as in other countries populated largely by
immigrants, the culture is influenced by the
many groups of people that now make up the
country.
 Types of Culture: Academic

 Elite or highbrow
 Generally taught in
colleges &
universities
 Examples: opera,

classical music,
ballet
Types of Culture: Popular

 Radio and Television

 Ordinary life
Types of culture: Folk
 Traditional
materials,
customs, music,
dances, art
 Passed from
person to person
or within members
of a group.
American Geography and History
American geography
 50 U.S. States and District of Columbia
Alabama (AL) Hawaii (HI) Massachusetts New Mexico South Dakota
Alaska (AK) Idaho (ID) (MA) (NM) (SD)
Arizona (AZ) Michigan (MI) New York (NY) Tennessee
Illinois (IL)
Arkansas Minnesota North Carolina (TN)
Indiana (IN) (MN) (NC) Texas (TX)
(AR)
California
Iowa (IA) Mississippi North Dakota Utah (UT)
(CA) Kansas (KS) (MS) (ND) Vermont (VT)
Colorado Kentucky Missouri (MO) Ohio (OH) Virginia (VA)
(CO) (KY) Montana (MT) Oklahoma Washington
Connecticut Nebraska (OK) (WA)
Louisiana
(CT) (LA) (NE) Oregon (OR) West Virginia
Delaware Nevada (NV) Pennsylvania (WV)
Maine (ME)
(DE) New Hampshire (PA) Wisconsin
Florida (FL)
Maryland (NH) Rhode Island (WI)
(MD) (RI)
Georgia (GA) New Jersey Wyoming
(NJ) South Carolina (WY)
(SC)
 Basic Facts
 Declared
independence, 1776
 50 states

 Population:

317,208,000 as of Dec
6, 2013
 World’s 3rd largest
country by population
 Climate: mostly
temperate, but some
arctic and tropical.
 Basic facts (Area)
 Total 3,717,813 sq mi
9,629,090 km2
 Land 3,536,294 sq mi
9,158,960 km2
 Water 181,519 sq mi
470,131 km²
 Latitude 38°0' N

 Longitude 97°0'W
 Basic facts (Borders)
 Canada 5,526 miles8,893 km

 Mexico 2,067 miles3,327 km

 Coastlines 12,380 miles

19,920 km
U.S. Time Zones
Time in the United States, by law, is divided into nine
standard time zones covering the states and its
possessions
 UTC-11: Samoa Standard Time
 UTC-10: Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HST)
 UTC-9: Alaska Standard Time (AKST)
 UTC-8: Pacific Standard Time (PST)
 UTC-7: Mountain Standard Time (MST)
 UTC-6: Central Standard Time (CST)
 UTC-5: Eastern Standard Time (EST)
 UTC-4: Atlantic Standard Time (ATC)
 UTC+10: Chamorro Standard Time
 Declaring Independence--1776
“We hold these truths
to be self-evident, that
all men are created
equal, that they are
endowed by their
Creator with certain
inalienable rights, that
among these are Life,
Liberty and the pursuit
of Happiness”.
The American Civil War (1861-65)
- Significant turning point in
American history
- Northern Union of states
defeated a secessionist
Confederacy of 11
southern slave states.
- Slavery was abolished
- National unity was restored
Westward Movement

 19th century
 Role of the frontier
in American history
 Impact on Native
Americans
 Impact on Anglo
Americans
 Industrialization-Immigration-
Urbanization (1865-1900)
 American seen as the “land of opportunity” for
immigrants
 Industrialization contributed to class formation

(poor, middle class, wealthy)

The Great Depression (the 1930s)

An economic
downturn during
which about 25% of
the labor force was
unemployed

Many people
displaced
 World War II
 Economic
recovery
 Global
involvement
 Women into the
workforce
 Prelude to Cold
War
Post-war: Prosperity—Protest--
Technology
Traditional Values & Beliefs
*Individual Freedom & Self Reliance

Ralph Waldo Emerson on Self-Reliance

Henry David Thoreau,

Walden Pond
 Inventiveness & Can-Do Spirit
Life on the American
Frontier encouraged:
 Rugged individualism

 Need for self reliance

 Spirit of inventiveness

 Sense of optimism—

”can-do spirit”
 Freedom of Religion

 Many early
immigrants to the
U.S. to escape
religious oppression
 Constitution
guarantees freedom
of religion
*Equality of Opportunity & Competition

 Immigrants believe that everyone has a chance

to succeed in the U.S.
 Equality means that everyone should have a
chance to compete and win
Proverbs & sayings about competition,
winning, or success
 It’s every man for himself.
 May the best man/woman win.

 To the winner belongs the spoils.

 It’s a dog-eat-dog world.

 Take care of number one.

* Material Wealth & Hard Work
 Many people see the U.S. as a “land of plenty”
because of its natural resources, consumer
goods, monetary prosperity.
 Material wealth is often seen as a measure of
success.
The American Dream
 The idea that each
generation will live a
better and more
successful life, often
defined by home or land
ownership, a good job,
and happy family
 American cultures & beliefs
are diverse
 It’s difficult to generalize
about American people &
American culture.

 The media often distorts

reality and perpetuates
stereotypes.

 The U.S. is a melting pot.

 Activity: Proverbs and saying
What do the following mean to an American?
Are there Vietnamese equivalents?
1. Pull yourself up by the bootstraps.

2. If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.

3. Actions speak louder than words.

4. Life is what you make it.

5. When the going gets tough, the tough get

going.
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
IN THE UNITED STATES
 Warm-up
1. In the United States, who has more power?
The President or the Congress?

2.What are two major parties in the U.S?

What is the main difference in their beliefs?
 Constitutional Republic
 We believe our government is created “of the
people, by the people, and for the people.”
 The U.S. has the world’s oldest written
constitution (1787)
 It has only 27 Amendments—the first 10 are

known as the Bill of Rights

 The Organization of the American Government
 The United States is a federal union of 50 states, with the
District of Columbia as the seat of the federal government.
 The Constitution outlines the structure of the national
government and specifies its powers and activities, and
defines the relationship between the national government
and individual state governments.
 Power is shared between the national and state (local)
governments.
 Governmental power and functions in the United States rest
in three branches of government: the legislative, executive
and judicial.
 Three Branches of Government
1. The legislative branch (the Congress: the
House of Representatives and the Senate): to
make laws.
2. The executive branch (the President ): to
administer/ carry out the laws
3. The judicial branch (the Supreme Court): to
interpret and determine the laws
Balance of Power
The U.S. Congress at work
 The Bill of Rights
 It is designed to protect specific individual
rights and freedom from government
interference.

 It is another statement of the American belief

in the importance of individual freedom.
 The U.S. has many levels of
government
 Federal
 State

 City

 County

 Town and Village (town meeting)

Meeting the needs of the people is seen as the

responsibility of the whole community, acting
through government
 Political Parties
 There are two major political parties:
Republican and Democrat

 There are many “third” political parties—

the Reform party, the Green party, etc.—
each advocating a special cause
 The Presidential elections
 A presidential election is to be held once every four years.
 The process of electing a president and vice-president, however,
begins long before election day.
 At the national party conventions, traditionally held in the summer,
the delegates from the states cast votes to select the party's
candidate for president.
 On election day (the first Tuesday in November of an election
year) every citizen of legal age who has taken the steps necessary
in his or her state to meet the voting requirements has an
opportunity to vote.
 However, the president is not formally chosen by direct popular
vote. The constitution calls for a process of indirect popular
election known as the electoral college.
 Responsibility of the citizen
 Obey laws
 Serve on juries (evidence in a court of law)

 Be informed about political candidates

 Vote

 Pay taxes

 Do public service—serve in the military, the

Peace Corps, volunteer organizations, etc.

 Discussion
1. What personal qualities do you think
political leaders should have? Who do you
admire?

2. How do lobby groups affect the operation of

a government? Who do you think is more
trustworthy- business or government leaders?
 ETHNIC AND RACIAL
DIVERSITY
IN THE UNITED STATES
So in this continent, the energy of Irish, Germans,
Swedes, Poles and all the European tribes, of the
Africans, and of the Polynesians- will construct a
new race, a new religion, a new state.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803- 1882)

Warm- up question:
How did people from so many different
countries create the American culture?
 The U.S. is a melting pot
(Tiger Woods’ mother is Thai, his father is
African American and Native American)
 “The melting pot”
- America is often referred to as “the melting
pot” due to its unique blend of different
cultures, nationalities, and background.
- America is home to people of every color and
every origin.
- America is a nation of immigrants.
Native Americans
Europeans settlers in the 1600s
(British, Spanish, French)
African Slaves
Hispanic/Latino Migration
 Asian Americans

People from South East

Asian countries have
been in the Americas
since the mid-1700s
http://www.pbs.org/anc
estorsintheamericas/
Assignment: Talk about it
(page 176)
Education in the United States
 “ Americans regard education as the means by
which the inequalities among
individuals are to be erased and by which every
desirable end is to be achieved.”
George S. Counts (1889 – 1974)
Monetary Value of Education
Educating the Individual

Racial Equality & Education

Standards

Multicultural Education
 Education
American schools emphasize:
 Critical thinking

 Creativity

 Individuality

Schools:
 Broad general education

 Leave specialization to college

or vocational school

Students are encouraged to

participate in team sports,
marching band, or other
organizations
 Organization of U.S Education
The United States has a decentralized
education system based upon:
- the federal Constitution, which reserves power
over education to the states and local
authorities,
- the individual schools and higher education
institutions.
 Structure of U.S Education
 Preschool
 Elementary school: 6 years
 Middle school (junior high school): 2 years
 High school (senior high school): 4 years

Community College/ University

Technical and Bachelor’s degree
Vocational College (undergraduate studies)
Associate degree  Master’s degree/ Doctoral
( 2 years of study) degree (graduate studies)
 Types of Institutions
 Colleges (private and public)
 Community Colleges: many have agreements to
allow students on transfer programs to move easily into the
third year of a bachelor's degree at the local state
university.
 Technical and Vocational Colleges
 Universities
 State Universities
 Private Universities
 Institutes
 Institutions and Programs
In the United States, there are:
 Over 124,000 public and private schools.

 Over 2,000 postsecondary non-degree career and

technical schools.
 Over 4,000 degree granting institutions of higher
education.
 Of the higher education institutions, over 1,600 award
associate degrees and some 2,400 award bachelor's or
higher degrees.
 Over 400 higher education institutions award research
doctorates.
 Accreditation and Quality Assurance

Accreditation is the process used in U.S. education

to ensure that schools, postsecondary institutions,
and other education providers meet, and maintain,
minimum standards of quality and integrity
regarding academics, administration, and related
services.
 Academic Calendar
 The academic year will be slightly different for each university
or college but normally runs from early September to the end
of May.
 It may be divided into two terms of 18 weeks called semesters.
 In addition, universities very often provide six- to eight-week
summer terms. These are optional, and students attend if they
wish to get through their degree faster, to decrease their course
load during the regular terms, or to make up for courses not
completed successfully during the regular academic year.
 There are at least two main holidays during the academic year: a
two- to four-week break over Christmas time and a one-week
"spring break“ sometime between early March and mid-April.
 The Credit System
 Students at American universities complete their degrees
when they have accumulated a certain number of "credits."
It usually takes somewhere between 130 and 180 credits to
graduate.
 Sometimes the terms "semester/quarter hours" or "units”
are used instead of credits.
 Each individual course you take each semester earns a
specified number (usually three or four) of
credits/hours/units.
 Your academic adviser will help you plan your course
schedule for the academic year.
 Degree courses
 Core courses: These provide the foundation of the degree
program and are required of all students. Students take a
variety of courses in mathematics, English, humanities,
physical sciences, and social sciences. Some colleges require
students to take many core courses, while other schools require
only a few.

 Major courses: A major is the subject in which a student

chooses to concentrate. Most students major in one subject;
however, some colleges offer the option of pursuing a double
major with a related subject. Your major courses represent one
quarter to one-half of the total number of courses required to
complete a degree.
 Degree courses
 Minor courses: A minor is a subject in which a
student may choose to take the second greatest
concentration of courses. The number of courses
required for a minor tends to be half the number of
major courses.

 Elective courses: These courses may be chosen

from any department. They offer opportunities to
explore other topics or subjects you may be
interested in and help make up the total number of
credits required to graduate.
 Grades
- American universities employ a system of continual assessment and assign
grades for each course taken. Almost everything you do for a class will
influence your final grade.

- Examinations and tests, essays or written assignments, laboratory reports,

laboratory or studio work, class attendance, and class participation may all
be used to determine your final grade.

- This means it is essential to keep up with the reading and course work and to
attend classes on a regular basis.

- The following is a general percentage/letter grade scale for classes taken at

U.S. colleges:

- 100 -90% = A - 69 -60% = D

- 59 -50% = E
- 89 -80% = B
- 49- 0% = F
- 79 -70% = C
 Follow-up Questions
1. Should universities be free or have very low tuition? Why or why not?

2. Are most schools in Vietnam coeducational? What are the advantages and
disadvantages of having boys and girls in the same classroom?

3. Is it possible for college teachers and students to be friends? What do you

think the role of a teacher should be?

4. Are students vessels to be filled or lamps to be lit? Which do you think is

more important – learning a large quantity of facts or learning to think
creatively? Why?

5. What should the requirements for entering a university be? Should

extracurricular activities in high school or personal characteristics be
considered? Why, or why not?