11 Overall Conclusions

The findings from Data Sources 1 and 2 revealed that participating teachers recognised culture as a multifaceted construct involving big C, little c, and deep culture. While they acknowledged the value of integrating cultural elements into language teaching, their classroom practices remained largely limited to surface-level, knowledge-based activities focused on English-speaking cultures. The development of intercultural communication skills tended to be implicit rather than explicit, reflecting a prioritisation of language development over cultural objectives. Despite their generally positive attitudes towards culture teaching, the teachers expressed hesitancy about addressing controversial issues or engaging with deeper cultural themes. These findings highlight a gap in professional preparedness and indicate the necessity of integrating intercultural education into teacher development initiatives. Such training would be instrumental in cultivating teachers’ own cultural awareness and cross-cultural communication abilities, and in equipping them with pedagogical strategies to embed intercultural learning into their classroom practice.

Data Sources 3 and 4 provided insight into the school’s English curriculum, syllabuses, teaching materials, and other official documentation. These analyses confirmed that cultural content and components of intercultural competence are afforded significant attention in written curricula. Although coverage is weighted towards English-speaking contexts, deeper cultural issues begin to appear in upper year groups, reflecting sensitivity to students’ cognitive development and language proficiency. Nevertheless, a substantial gap emerged between the curriculum’s stated aims and the realities of classroom implementation, as previously revealed in Data Sources 1 and 2. The findings suggest that teachers may not be fully prepared or confident to deliver the intercultural objectives embedded in the curriculum. In light of this, stronger alignment is needed between curricular design, teacher capacity, and classroom practices, supported by targeted professional development.

To gain a holistic understanding of how students at the observed school responded to intercultural initiatives, the views of both students and parents were explored (Data Sources 5 and 6), alongside evidence from Data Source 2 concerning student behaviour and engagement in observed lessons. The findings suggest that the school’s multicultural environment does foster a degree of cultural awareness and intercultural development. However, this learning appears to be incidental and largely informal, shaped by peer interaction rather than structured pedagogy. As a result, stereotypes and misunderstandings may persist. Furthermore, although students expressed interest in critical cultural learning and parents supported the inclusion of sensitive cultural topics, teachers remained reluctant to address such themes. This signals a disconnect between stakeholder expectations and what is offered in the classroom. The findings reinforce the need for systematic intercultural education, including frameworks such as Education for Democratic Citizenship (EDC) and Human Rights Education (HRE), to help students acquire the attitudes, knowledge, and skills needed to value diversity, uphold democratic principles, and engage responsibly in society. These insights also underline the relevance of preparing teachers to lead such learning.

Taken together, the findings across Data Sources 1–6 suggest that while intercultural development is present at the school, it is neither systematic nor deeply embedded in practice. The connection between curriculum intentions, teacher capability, and classroom delivery remains inconsistent. The study also highlights the essential role of teacher preparation in fostering critical cultural understanding and the ability to communicate across cultural boundaries. Without adequate training in intercultural pedagogy, teachers are unlikely to guide students through the complexities of culture and identity, especially those involving deep or controversial topics.

The cultural learning opportunities and pedagogical activities identified through this research—particularly those involving deeper cultural exploration—are relevant beyond the context of the observed school. One of the key contributions of the study lies in demonstrating the potential of critical culture teaching to be adapted across a range of formal and informal educational settings, making it a powerful tool for developing intercultural capacities necessary for effective global citizenship.

Figure 1 shows the interrelationships among the studies, including the findings of the analyses.

 

In conclusion, the cumulative findings of this research affirm that English language education has a central role to play in fostering intercultural understanding and critical cultural engagement. However, for this potential to be realised, intentional and reflective practice must replace incidental exposure. Schools must therefore adopt coherent intercultural policies and equip educators with the tools, confidence, and knowledge required to prepare learners for ethical and responsible participation in an increasingly diverse and interconnected world.