Songul Dogan Ger: Developing Students’ Cultural Diversity Awareness and Intercultural Communicative Competence in English Classes
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8 Analysis of the Approach of the School to the Development of Cultural Diversity Awareness (CDA) and Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) in the English Curriculum, Syllabuses and Official Documents – Data Source 4: Document Analysis
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8.3 Findings
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8.3.4 Analysis of Syllabuses for English Classes Followed in KS4

8.3.4 Analysis of Syllabuses for English Classes Followed in KS4

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Culture is explicitly addressed in the English syllabuses for KS4, with clear references to cultural stereotypes, counterstereotypes, symbolism, and class-based perspectives. Compared to KS2 and KS3, the syllabuses offer greater exposure to international cultures through selected literary works from non-English-speaking contexts. Nevertheless, the focus continues to centre on the target culture. Opportunities for learning about both target and international cultures are embedded within the learning aims, which encourage students to interpret, evaluate, and analyse texts through a cultural lens.

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The syllabuses present a wider range of deep cultural elements than earlier key stages, alongside big C and little c culture. Big C culture is developed through literary texts and historical background. Students explore events such as the Poor Law of 1834, the Italian Wars, and the Russian Revolution in connection with texts like A Christmas Carol, Much Ado About Nothing, and Animal Farm. Teaching resource packs provide background knowledge essential for interpreting these works.

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However, little c and especially deep culture receive more sustained attention in KS4. Topics such as Victorian social norms, religious traditions, gender roles, class, and stereotypes form an integral part of the syllabuses. Units explicitly address controversial issues, including power, oppression, corruption, bias, discrimination, human rights, and freedom. For example, in the unit on The History Boys, students explore “class and culture, including hierarchy and stereotypes”, and are invited to “explore the gender divide and discuss a statement about the success of single-sex schools.” In Anita and Me, tasks require reflection on the protagonist’s experience of unconscious bias. Deep culture themes are also evident in units on Much Ado About Nothing, Never Let Me Go, Animal Farm, and Julius Caesar, where students are encouraged to reflect on social control, ethics, and identity.

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Knowledge and understanding are comprehensively developed. Students are expected to examine historical and social contexts, such as attitudes towards love, marriage, funeral rites, and the labour movement. These tasks foster awareness of both visible and invisible aspects of culture. In parallel, attitudes—particularly empathy—are aimed to develop through drama, role-play, and creative exercises, such as vocalising characters’ thoughts and analysing behaviours in historical context. While other attitudes like openness and tolerance are not explicitly stated, they are fostered through activities involving diverse values and practices.

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The development of intercultural skills is a strong feature of the syllabuses. Skills of discovery and interpretation are advanced through research tasks and project work, while discussion, comparison, and debate activities help students practise relating and interacting. Literary analysis tasks develop linguistic and discourse skills, and sociolinguistic competence is addressed through exploring class-based language, such as analysing dialects in The History Boys or examining gendered language in Much Ado About Nothing. The concept of multiperspectivity is promoted by encouraging students to consider different viewpoints and character experiences across time and cultures.

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Action remains the least developed ICC component. While deep cultural issues are explored, students are not explicitly guided to challenge injustice or express opposition to discrimination and stereotypes. Instead, their role is largely interpretive. References to human rights and freedom appear, for instance, in the unit on Never Let Me Go, but are not linked to tasks that promote civic action or advocacy. In this sense, the syllabuses stop short of encouraging students to transform knowledge and awareness into action.

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On a more positive note, critical cultural awareness and political education are visibly integrated into the curriculum. Teachers are advised to prepare for racial and domestic sensitivities and to establish respectful dialogue during debates. Students are prompted to reflect on their own cultural identities and attitudes through comparisons with characters’ experiences. Tasks involving symbolism, cultural differences, and reflective writing deepen students’ critical awareness of both their own and others’ worldviews.

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The teacher’s role, as outlined in the syllabuses, is primarily facilitative: guiding, supporting, and monitoring students’ work. Students are encouraged to work independently, in groups, or as a class, taking on active roles in research, reading, writing, and discussion. The design of these tasks reflects an emphasis on both cognitive and affective growth.

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The KS4 syllabuses demonstrate a notable advancement in the depth and breadth of CDA and ICC development compared to earlier stages. Deep culture is more explicitly explored, and controversial issues are foregrounded through literature and accompanying tasks. While attitudes, knowledge, and skills are comprehensively addressed, the action component remains underdeveloped, often stopping at analysis rather than empowerment. Critical cultural awareness is more visible, with steps taken to ensure sensitivity and self-reflection. However, the emphasis remains primarily on the target culture, and intercultural engagement is not consistently extended beyond the literary lens. Overall, while KS4 syllabuses reflect increased ambition for ICC development, they would benefit from integrating more transformative pedagogies that encourage students to apply their learning towards social justice and inclusive action.
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