Songul Dogan Ger: Developing Students’ Cultural Diversity Awareness and Intercultural Communicative Competence in English Classes
›
7 The Place of Culture in Teaching Materials Used in an International School in Budapest – Data Source 3: Teaching Materials Analysis
›
7.3 Findings
›
7.3.2 Aspects of Culture: Big C culture, Little c Culture, and Deep Culture

7.3.2 Aspects of Culture: Big C culture, Little c Culture, and Deep Culture

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

The analysis of the selected fiction, nonfiction, and poetry teaching materials across Years 5 to 10 revealed varied and uneven representations of cultural content—both in terms of cultural dimensions (big C, little c, and deep culture) and the geographical or ideological scope (target versus international cultures). Big C culture—particularly literature, history, and language—dominated the fiction materials and was consistently present across all year groups. These elements overwhelmingly reflected the target culture, with British and American texts, contexts, and figures shaping students’ cultural encounters. Although this pattern is consistent with the expectations of the British National Curriculum, it often limited exposure to wider cultural perspectives and global diversity.

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Little c culture—daily practices, lifestyles, and social behaviours—was less prominent and more sporadic. When present, it tended to emerge through narrative detail, background context, or personal reflection, particularly from Year 6 onward. These moments offered valuable, albeit surface-level, insight into cultural variation, such as the lived experiences of migrants or snapshots of childhood in other parts of the world. Yet such references were rarely expanded upon to deepen students’ intercultural understanding or to prompt classroom dialogue.

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

A more pronounced shift was evident in the representation of deep culture, particularly in Years 8 to 10. Themes such as racism, social inequality, discrimination, political oppression, and human rights were embedded in select fiction and nonfiction materials. For instance, texts like Blood Brothers, Of Mice and Men, and Animal Farm—as well as Black Lives Matter poetry units—provided clear entry points into discussions around power, identity, and social justice. However, even where deep culture was included, the approach was predominantly descriptive. Critical questioning, dialogic exploration, or explicit opportunities to engage in analysis of ideological perspectives were often absent. This pedagogical gap limited students’ ability to develop CDA and ICC beyond passive cultural knowledge.

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

References to international cultures—such as Japan, India, Iraq, the Caribbean, and others—were scattered throughout the materials but largely superficial. Unlike the more developed portrayals of British and American contexts, these international references typically lacked sufficient depth, context, or pedagogical follow-up. When powerful global issues were presented—such as child labour, refugee displacement, or cultural exclusion—they were rarely accompanied by intercultural tasks that encouraged empathy, reflection, or cross-cultural comparison. This asymmetry positioned British and American perspectives as the dominant cultural frameworks, marginalising international voices and experiences.

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Notably, the more complex and critically rich materials were concentrated in the upper years. The thematic progression from simple cultural exposure in the early years to more controversial, sociopolitically charged content in later stages reflects a sensitivity to students’ linguistic and cognitive development. However, the findings also reveal missed opportunities to scaffold ICC from earlier stages. Even younger students can begin to develop cultural awareness through age-appropriate comparisons, guided reflection, and structured interaction with diverse perspectives.

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Overall, the materials reflected a largely traditional approach to culture teaching—one that privileged national literary heritage and familiar cultural narratives over intercultural dialogue and critical engagement. As Byram (1997) emphasises, language learners must not only gain cultural knowledge but also cultivate the skills to interpret, analyse, and mediate meaning across cultural boundaries. The analysis suggests that, although CDA and ICC were partially supported through exposure to culturally diverse content, they were not consistently or explicitly developed through intentional pedagogical design. A more deliberate integration of critical, international, and deep culture elements—accompanied by age-appropriate reflective tasks—would enhance the curriculum’s capacity to foster intercultural understanding and equip learners for meaningful global engagement.
chevron_left
chevron_right
Tartalomjegyzék navigate_next
Keresés a kiadványban navigate_next
A kereséshez, kérjük, lépj be!
Könyvjelzőim navigate_next
A könyvjelzők használatához
be kell jelentkezned.
Jegyzeteim navigate_next
Jegyzetek létrehozásához
be kell jelentkezned.
    Kiemeléseim navigate_next
    Mutasd a szövegben:
    Szűrés:
    Kiemelések létrehozásához
    MeRSZ+ előfizetés szükséges.
      Útmutató elindítása
      delete
      Kivonat
      fullscreenclose
      printsave