Songul Dogan Ger: Developing Students’ Cultural Diversity Awareness and Intercultural Communicative Competence in English Classes
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6 Teachers’ Perceived Attitudes and Practices and Students’ Responses to the Development of Cultural Diversity Awareness and Intercultural Communicative Competence – Data Source 2: Classroom Observation
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6.3 Findings
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6.3.2 Teachers’ Perceived Attitudes and Practices and Students’ Responses in Relation to the Development of CDA and ICC in Year Group 6

6.3.2 Teachers’ Perceived Attitudes and Practices and Students’ Responses in Relation to the Development of CDA and ICC in Year Group 6

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Year Group 6, comprising students aged 10 to 11 from Azerbaijan, China, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Slovakia, and Poland, was observed three times during the term. I chose these English lessons, totalling 180 minutes, because I expected them to include activities relevant to CDA and ICC development. The teacher, an experienced American educator who had taught in various global contexts, was familiar with intercultural learning environments.

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

In all three observed sessions, the lessons followed a familiar sequence: a warm-up activity, revision of prior content, main topic work, and a wrap-up. Two of the classes focused on the Sumerians, where the teacher presented a video describing how they lived, studied, governed, and practiced their beliefs. These details introduced elements of little c and deep culture, but only at the knowledge level, as no opportunities were created for the students to compare the Sumerians with contemporary life or to reflect on the underlying reasons behind their practices. After viewing the video, the students were divided into groups to begin projects on the Sumerians. I observed that nearly all students actively participated in discussing the assigned topics. Their English proficiency allowed for consistent communication in English, though two Israeli students conversed briefly in Hebrew without the teacher’s objection.

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

The other observed lesson focused on a Neil Gaiman novel. While the primary aims were vocabulary and reading comprehension, several culture-related themes emerged—such as references to Christianity, churches, and crime—though they were not discussed in depth. The teacher read aloud a chapter, asked comprehension and character analysis questions, and later invited students to write predictions in pairs. Each pair consisted of students from different national backgrounds, yet all cooperated effectively. A final individual task invited students to describe how they felt about the story, a subtle attempt to develop empathy, although this purpose was not made explicit.

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Across all three lessons, knowledge was the most clearly targeted ICC component. Other aspects, such as attitudes and skills, appeared only implicitly, while action remained absent. The teacher did touch upon Christianity in passing but refrained from engaging students of other faiths (e.g., Jewish or Muslim) in dialogue about their beliefs or places of worship. I later confirmed in interviews that many teachers at the school were hesitant to discuss religion openly for fear of offending students or parents. This hesitation explained the lack of intercultural dialogue that could have significantly enhanced CDA and critical reflection.

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Nonetheless, the rapport between the teacher and students was strong, and student agency was encouraged. They were permitted to negotiate group membership, discuss rules for collaboration, and choose their preferred project topics. The teacher had prepared materials—cards outlining various aspects of Sumerian life—which she distributed based on group interests. I watched as the students discussed, delegated tasks, and planned their projects with enthusiasm. Despite occasional overexcitement, which required brief classroom management interventions, all students remained focused on the task. This project fostered critical thinking, collaborative learning, and interactive communication.

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

The classroom environment itself contributed to CDA-related development. Posters created by students adorned the walls, highlighting key intercultural attitudes such as empathy and respect. Illustrated rules reminded peers not to make fun of others and to be kind—messages that resonated with broader ICC themes.

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

In conclusion, although elements of big C, little c, and deep culture appeared in the curriculum and activities, they were rarely discussed critically. CDA and ICC components were present but largely implicit. While the teacher had strong pedagogical preparation and a supportive rapport with students, cultural teaching was largely incidental. These findings echoed earlier teacher interviews, where educators described their discomfort with discussing religion or sensitive cultural issues. Given the students’ readiness to communicate and collaborate, there was clear potential to develop CDA and ICC more explicitly. Still, the lessons highlighted the importance of learner agency, inclusive classroom environments, and teacher preparedness as foundational elements for future intercultural competence development.
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