Fabulous Films - Outsourced

Short Description

This film focuses on problems in connection with globalization and outsourcing of services, as well as cultural differences between The USA and India. Students should learn to identify problems with globalization, outsourcing and cultural differences and analyze these in a written text. When it comes to oral English, the focus will be on telephone English.

The lesson plan can be used in English with pupils in vocational or general programmes. It is especially relevant for pupils in Service and transport (SSA) or in Healtcare, childhood and youth development (HO) being a useful starting point for vocational/FYR related tasks within English. 

Temaene i filmen kan knyttes til Generell del av læreplanen: Det meningssøkende mennesket (Kulturarv og identitet), Det arbeidende mennesket (Teknologi og kultur, Fra det kjente til det ukjente og Læring som lagarbeid) og Det allmenndanna mennesket (Internasjonalisering og tradisjonskunnskap).

Competence Aims in K06

Engelsk

Kultur, samfunn og litteratur

• drøfte engelskspråklige filmer og andre kulturuttrykk fra forskjellige medier
• drøfte kultur og samfunnsforhold i flere engelskspråklige land
• lytte til og forstå sosiale og geografiske varianter av engelsk fra autentiske situasjoner

SSA Vg1

• forklare og bruke begrepene marked og markedsføring og utarbeide en enkel markedsplan
• beskrive hvilke sentrale elementer som kjennetegner god service og kunne gi slik service
• opptre i samsvar med etiske normer ved utøvelse av handel og leveranser av tjenester og produkter

HO Vg1

• gjere greie for og gi døme på kva haldningar, verdiar og menneskesyn er, med utgangspunkt i ulike psykologiske perspektiv
• forklare kva eit etisk dilemma er, og gi døme på slike dilemma
• gjere greie for utfordringar og moglegheiter som vårt fleirkulturelle samfunn representerer for yrkesutøvinga i oppvekst, helse- og sosialsektoren

MK Vg1

• formidle budskap tilpasset forskjellige målgrupper

MK Vg2

• drøfte forhold som fremmer eller hemmer kommunikasjon
• bruke yrkesfaglige arbeidsmetoder innen journalistikk, informasjon og reklame, tilpasset målgruppe og medium i egne produksjoner

Teaching Objectives

Students should be able to:

• identify some problems with globalization, outsourcing and cultural differences and be able to analyze them in a written text
• use Telephone English (telephone terms and language), and to answer the phone, introducing themselves, asking to speak to someone, making special requests, taking a message, finishing a conversation, etc.)
• use the English Phonetic Spelling Alphabet

Debriefing and Assessment 

1. If working on Google docs, then the groups could assess each other’s written texts. Provide them with an assessment form for written assessment.

2. Working in groups of 4: Use a consensus mat sheet and ask each person to write down the most important things they have learnt from watching the film, including words and terms, and then agree on what should be written in the centre box to be shared with the rest of the class.

3. Give the students a sheet of paper with a Continuum-Value line:

Ask the pupils to put a cross on the line (above) reflecting their opinion, and then ask them to stand and form themselves physically, in a line according to where they have placed their cross on the paper. Each pupil should then talk to the two closest pupils and give reasons for their choice.

4. Written work can be handed in and assessed by the teacher. The role-plays can be assessed by fellow pupils or the teacher.

Resources

Links:

• The film: Outsourced (2006) (YouTube, 103 min)
• Telephone English (English Club, ESL) 
• Top 6 Ways to Get an Angry Costumer to Back Down (YouTube, 7 min)

Handout:

• Copy tasks and assignment from this plan
• Concept circle (Del 2 i heftet Ta grep! Ressurshefte for yrkesretting og relvans i fellesfaget engelsk)

Preparations

Teacher has to know the film, check all links beforehand and make the lesson plan resources accessible for the students.

Plan of Lessons

1. Tuning in

   1. Activate students' previous knowledge about American and Indian culture and traditions
      1. India - Introduction. Pre-reading question and short factual text (NDLA) 
      • India - Text in Brief (Easy version, NDLA)
   • Sum up information from text and students' own ideas in class
   2. Show the first 10 minutes of the movie and then discuss what "outsourcing" means and what pupils think this movie is about.
2.  Watching the movie (103 min.)
3. Term circle
   • Let pupils work in pairs and fill in a "term circle" (begrepssirkel, see Resources) with terms and concepts from the movie; they then walk around and share and discuss with other pairs.
4. Telephone English
   • Rehearse keeping a telephone conversation, social phrases, spelling your name and address using the Phonetic Alphabet (alfa, beta, etc.)(see examples in handout)
   • Role play: Divide the class in A’s and B’s. A being the one complaining, B the one  answering the phone for the company.
   • Case: Customer calls to complain about a product. The complainer must prepare a list at least five things he/she wants to complain about. The company representative must try to offer the best possible service, no matter what.
   • Reverse the roles.
5. Written assignments (Source: ndla.no, developed by Catharine Ruud):
   • (Here the teacher can decide whether pupils should answer all questions or assign different questions to different groups of pupils)
   • Characterisation
     • What does Mr Todd do to learn about India?
     • How does Todd’s character develop during his stay?
     • How would you describe Asha's character? Would you characterise her as typically Indian?
   • Setting and Plot
     • List some of the contrasts between the 2 settings (India and the US) in the film.
     • The film has a false ending. What effect does this have, and in your opinion is it a good way to end the film? Why?
   • Themes
     • What are the main themes of this film?
   • Culture
     • The film presents many cultural clashes not only during Todd's arrival but also throughout his stay (celebrations, table manners, marriage traditions, family relations, etc). Describe some of them.
     • What does the movie tell you about India's social classes?
     • While the employees of the call centre speak British English, Todd speaks American English. What misunderstandings occur because of this? How do these misunderstandings affect business?
     • What kind of measures does Todd introduce to improve the working environment at the call centre?
     • Why is the identity of the Indian workers to be disguised?
     • Describe the celebration of Holi?
     • What is the American take on the phenomenon of outsourcing and what is the Indian?
     • Why is the call centre in Bangalore further outsourced to China and what statement does it make about American corporate values around money and employees?Lagre og vis

Developed by

Jan Espen Andresen & Aksel Lund Pedersen

Et FYR-opplegg utarbeidet i samarbeid med Fremmedspråksenteret