Arts, crafts, music, and literature are excellent sources of information about the culture of a people. Many good translations of very popular literary works are being done in English. A look at the crafts, such as carpets, pottery, and jewelry, is an interesting way to unlock the meaning of life among the Inner Asian peoples. Inner Asian designs and motifs tell volumes about traditions, superstitions, and legends. Excellent means of portrayals of these aspects of Inner Asian cultures are possible through slide presentations and documentary films.
Pictures can often say more than hours of discussion.
Map exercises can be constructed to familiarize the student with the vastness and variety of Inner Asian terrain. Relationships of peoples to their environment can be studied with the aid of different types of maps. Involve students in the compilation of biographical studies of popular Inner Asian heroes. These heroes helped shape the self-identities of the different ethnic groups, and much of the oral history comes from the development of these characters. Perhaps reading Inner Asian literature would ignite an interest in these people.