Wedding traditions

• Engels
• Voortgezet speciaal onderwijs

Wedding traditions

You'll work in pairs --> one iPad per pair

+ pen and paper individually

Goals

• Pupils can understand humour that relies on irony and cultural expectations

• Pupils can recognise moments of discomfort or awkwardness in spoken interaction and explain what causes them.

• Pupils can compare Dutch and American wedding traditions and identify cultural differences that may clash.

Answer and discuss

Three ideas to the following questions

• 'What makes a wedding normal?'

• 'What things are expected but not talked about openly?

Dutch wedding

US wedding

Culture Clash

DUTCH WEDDING

US WEDDING

Prediction

The video will be stopped after a while. Write down your prediction on what's going to happen. 

After the video check your prediction in your group.

01:25

What will probably happen next?

Peer check 

Were your predictions correct?

Why did you make this prediction?

Do you often predict while watching or listening?

Note taking

We will watch the video a second time. Take notes while watching focusing on Donothan. Afterwards you will have to answer 2 questions.

Use the hand-out for your notes.

Why is Donothan at the wedding?

During the sketch, Donothan clinks his glass at different moments and in different ways. Choose three moments where his clinking is awkward or inappropriate. (ICE)

Wedding speech

You are getting married at a Dutch–American wedding.

Work in pairs or small groups. Write a short wedding speech (about 1 minute) in which you:

politely and humorously refer to cultural differences between Dutch and American wedding traditions. Include at least two Dutch and two American wedding traditions that clash or contrast. Use humour that is suggestive and light‑hearted, but not offensive.

Your speech should show that you understand how cultural expectations influence what is considered normal or appropriate at weddings. Be prepared to share your speech with the class.

Writing help 1

Your speech should include:

1. A short opening (welcoming tone)
2. One Dutch–American cultural clash
3. A second Dutch–American cultural clash
4. A light‑hearted closing line

Writing help 2

Sentence starters:

• In the Netherlands, it’s quite normal to…, whereas in the US…
• What surprised us at this mixed wedding was…
• We realised that what feels normal to one culture…
• Luckily, love is stronger than cultural confusion…

Which can do statement have you attained?

I can understand humour that relies on irony and cultural expectations

I can recognise moments of discomfort or awkwardness in spoken interaction and explain what causes them.

I can compare Dutch and American wedding traditions and identify cultural differences that may clash.