Cultural Differences: Exploring and Understanding Cultures Using Academic Skills

Cultural Differences is an engaging content-based course designed for college and university ESL students who want to strengthen their academic reading, discussion, and writing skills while exploring how and why cultures differ. Each of the fourteen units examines specific cultural norms— such as attitudes toward time, communication, family, or personal space— and the deeper reasons behind them. Through analytical reading passages, vocabulary building, structured discussions, and focused writing practice, students learn to think critically about cultural behavior and express complex ideas in academic English.

The text’ s integrated approach gives learners consistent practice in key academic skills, from note-taking and paraphrasing to essay organization and argument development. The accompanying Supplementary Activities Book— available as a separate title or as a free download at ProLinguaLearning.com— provides additional reproducible materials for extension, review, and communicative classroom practice. Together, the two books create a flexible, rigorous resource that helps ESL students succeed in culturally diverse academic environments.

Features Fourteen thematic units exploring cultural values, customs, and communication styles Step-by-step practice in reading comprehension, academic vocabulary, and writing organization Discussion questions that promote cross-cultural awareness and critical thinking Clear, repeatable five-part unit structure for consistent skill development Integrated focus on academic study skills and essay writing techniques Supplementary Activities Book with reproducible materials available separately or as a free download Suitable for high-intermediate to advanced academic ESL or bridge programs Similar Titles from Pro Lingua Learning American Holidays Plays for the Holidays This World of Ours Real Life Stories for Interactive Telling and Listening

David Keheand Peggy Dustin Kehe, authors of Cultural Differences: Exploring and Understanding Cultures Using Academic Skills, have co-written eight textbooks with Pro Lingua Learning. They have been ESL teachers for over 35 years in the U.S., Japan, and Greece and with the Peace Corps in Niger. They both have a Master of Arts in TESOL from the School for International Training (SIT) in Brattleboro, Vermont. Currently, David is Faculty Emeritus at Whatcom Community College, Bellingham, WA, and Peggy is retired from teaching. David also writes a blog about teaching ESL called "Common Sense Teaching ESL."