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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8.4 Discussion

8.4 Discussion

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

In this phase of the case study, I examined how CDA and ICC are addressed in the curriculum, syllabuses, and official documents of the observed school. The thematic analysis revealed that while the British National Curriculum embeds culture within English language learning, explicit references to CDA or ICC remain absent. Instead, culture appears mostly in the context of literature, which serves as a medium for language development. Despite this implicit approach, the curriculum incorporates various cultural elements and ICC components—particularly knowledge, understanding, and skills—with a noticeable emphasis on the target culture, particularly British traditions, values, and historical narratives.

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

The English syllabuses analysed across KS2, KS3, and KS4 show more direct engagement with cultural content and ICC components. There is an observable progression from knowledge-based exposure to big C culture in KS2 to more complex elements of little c and deep culture in KS3 and KS4. Activities focusing on empathy, critical comparison, and controversial issues help facilitate deeper reflection, although action and political education remain underrepresented. Skills such as discovery, interaction, and interpreting are promoted through class debates, research tasks, and role-play—yet these, too, tend to centre around the target culture, limiting intercultural breadth.

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Official school documents—including the mission and vision statements, policies, and curriculum frameworks—present a clear commitment to developing students into globally aware, respectful, and communicative individuals. They acknowledge the importance of intercultural attributes such as empathy, tolerance, and international awareness. The SPHE curriculum, in particular, offers structured opportunities for students to explore difference and address controversial issues using non-judgemental approaches, aligning with ICC-oriented pedagogy. Yet, as the broader study’s interviews and observations indicate, a gap remains between stated aims and actual classroom implementation.

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

While the use of the British National Curriculum in an international context offers consistency in linguistic development, it raises concerns regarding cultural representativeness. Literature remains a key vehicle for promoting CDA and ICC, but its potential is not fully realised when comparisons and reflections are constrained within a predominantly British framework. As my interviews with parents confirmed, the curriculum’s cultural scope does not always reflect the diversity of the student body. Given the school’s multinational population, greater integration of international and home cultures, along with more critical engagement, is necessary.

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Despite references to criticality and diversity in both curricular and policy documents, the lack of practical application suggests a disconnect between intended outcomes and actual practice. This highlights the need for teacher training programmes that explicitly address CDA and ICC, as well as more collaborative curriculum review processes. Ultimately, while the school sets a strong foundation for intercultural learning, greater coherence across policies, practice, and pedagogy is required to fully achieve its intercultural goals.
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