This study examines the cultural elements in textbooks from five sets used for teaching Turkish as a foreign language. It identifies the cultural elements included in reading texts, compares their distribution across A1-C1 levels, and evaluates, based on the data, the themes in which cultural transmission is prominent or limited. The study examined 688 texts in 23 textbooks. The study was conducted through a qualitative research approach using document analysis, and the data were analyzed through descriptive analysis. As the data collection tool, the Rubric for Cultural Elements Reflected in Texts, based on the sociocultural knowledge classification in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, was used. The data were evaluated under 7 main categories and 46 subcategories. The study was limited to reading texts; idioms, proverbs, listening texts, and visuals were excluded. The findings show that cultural elements are concentrated under values, beliefs, and attitudes, whereas body language, living conditions, and interpersonal relations are represented more limitedly. Additionally, the category of “other countries, states, and peoples” was examined as a separate dimension of analysis, and it was found that intercultural content was not evenly distributed across the textbook sets. In conclusion, cultural content in textbooks should be organized more evenly and functionally across levels and in a way that supports intercultural awareness. The study offers a comparative perspective on cultural content planning in Turkish teaching sets and aims to contribute to material development for learners of Turkish as a foreign language.
This paper examines the textbook curriculum of formal education designed for primary school children in Bangladesh. It focuses on the development, preservation, and transmission of cultural identity, cultural diversity, and social cohesion through educational materials, including textbooks. The study seeks to explore how cultural discourses, ideologies, and inclusive ideals are constructed and communicated to young learners. We employed a descriptive textual analysis method to examine the content in two official textbooks: Amar Bangla Boi (My Bengali Book) and Bangladesh and Global Studies (BGS), designed for Classes IV and V. Our analysis assessed the suitability of these textbooks in preserving and transmitting cultural identity and social cohesion, as well as their alignment with the values and ethics of the diverse cultures represented. Through our textual analysis, we found that both textbooks adopt a structured and multifaceted approach to cultural education. Rather than treating culture as a standalone subject, they integrate cultural elements throughout their content, employing a range of pedagogical strategies. The curriculum weaves together literature, history, geography, and social studies to cultivate cultural awareness, ultimately nurturing informed citizens with a strong sense of identity and an appreciation for Bangladesh’s rich and diverse heritage.
Social Science Review [The Dhaka University Studies, Part-D], Vol.43, No.1, June 2026, pp. 175-192.
A. Bulbul, K. Mitu· Social sciences review· 0 citations
This study examines how culture is represented in two internationally published English for Specific Purposes (ESP) textbooks used in Vietnamese higher education, Professional English in Use: Finance (Cambridge University Press) and English for Logistics (Oxford University Press). Drawing on Cortazzi and Jin’s [15] tripartite classification of source, target, and international cultures, together with Byram’s [3] model of intercultural communicative competence (ICC), the study analyses both the cultural references contained in the textbooks and the learning opportunities through which those references are pedagogically addressed. The findings reveal contrasting cultural profiles. Target-culture content, particularly Anglo-American institutions and professional practices, predominates in the finance textbook, whereas international-culture references are more frequent in the logistics textbook. Both materials nevertheless display an almost complete absence of Vietnamese cultural perspectives. The two books also differ pedagogically. Whereas the finance textbook relies primarily on vocabulary-focused exercises, the logistics textbook includes a greater number of communicative tasks and a wider range of international settings. Even so, neither provides systematic support for all five components of Byram’s ICC model, and opportunities to develop critical cultural awareness remain particularly limited. These findings suggest that internationally published ESP textbooks cannot, by themselves, fully address the intercultural demands facing Vietnamese graduates. Locally relevant supplementary materials and tasks are therefore required to connect professional English with Vietnamese institutional contexts and the culturally diverse interactions characteristic of regional and international workplaces.
Thai Thi Thanh Tuyen, Vu Thi Phuong Thanh· World Journal of Advanced Re...· 0 citations
English textbooks for schools have an important role to play whether in developing literary competence or communicative competence. The literary text including school textbooks for English have always been a great source both for cultural awareness and cultural preservation. The study seeks to find out the cultural content of the English Textbook prescribed for class IX Students in Meghalaya as per the State Board. The main objectives of the study are to seek the teachers’ opinion of the textbook based on its cultural content and to analyse the textbook Descriptive research method was adopted, the sample included secondary school teachers. Questionnaire and content analysis have been used for data sources and analysis. The main findings reveal that the textbook contains cultural content ranging from source culture to target culture and even to international target culture. A significant finding from both the teachers’ opinion and textbook analysis by the researcher is that source culture is evident in the text highlighting the diverse Indian cultures but neglecting the local contextualization or in other words the local source culture which has been identified as an essential component in National Curriculum Framework for School education 2023 recommended as per National Education Policy, 2020.
Delphine A. Kharmylliem· Knowledgeable Research A Mul...· 0 citations
Language textbooks do more than facilitate linguistic development; they also mediate learners’ encounters with the cultural communities represented through the target language. This role becomes particularly significant in advanced foreign-language education, where learners are expected to engage critically with complex social, political, and cultural representations. This qualitative study examines how advanced learners of Arabic perceived and negotiated cultural representations in Al-Kitaab fii Ta'allum al-'Arabiyya, Part Three, with particular attention to whether the textbook challenged or reinforced pre-existing stereotypes about Arab cultures. The study draws on focus-group data collected from eight advanced American learners of Arabic specializing in diplomacy and politics at a language center in Rabat, Morocco. Participants had extensive experience using the textbook during their advanced Arabic studies. The focus-group discussion was audio-recorded, transcribed, anonymized, and subjected to iterative qualitative content analysis. Findings indicate a complex relationship between textbook representation and learner perception. Participants acknowledged the textbook’s contribution to introducing cultural, historical, and political issues related to the Arab world, yet they also perceived some representations as insufficiently diverse or critically contextualized. Rather than consistently disrupting pre-existing assumptions, certain representations were perceived as potentially confirming simplified understandings of Arab societies. Learners particularly emphasized the need for greater regional diversity, authentic voices, contemporary perspectives, sustained self-reflection, and opportunities for direct intercultural engagement. The findings suggest that cultural representation in advanced language textbooks should move beyond exposure to cultural information toward pedagogical practices that actively encourage learners to interrogate, reassess, and complicate their prior assumptions. The study contributes to discussions of textbook evaluation, intercultural learning, and cultural representation in Arabic-as-a-foreign-language education.
Jaouhara Elmzandi· International Journal of Lan...· 0 citations
This study systematically investigates the representation of cultural diversity within the 9th-grade English coursebook currently used in Anatolian High Schools in Türkiye. Prompted by recent national curricular reforms under the Türkiye Yüzyılı Maarif Modeli framework, the research examines whether instructional materials align with the paradigm of English as a global lingua franca while simultaneously reinforcing domestic cultural and moral values. The study adopted a descriptive mixed-methods design, applying quantitative and qualitative content analysis to evaluate all visual and textual elements across the textbook's eight pedagogical themes. A total corpus of 123 cultural items was analysed using a multi-layered coding matrix. High inter-coder reliability was confirmed via Cohen’s Kappa (.84). Items were classified into three typologies: Source Culture (Türkiye), Turkic States, and Global International Culture (GIC). Quantitative results indicate that Global International Culture dominates the material at 69.92% (f = 86), presenting a pluralistic, non-Western-centric overview of global traditions and geographies. Source Culture elements account for 21.95% (f = 27), utilizing national milestones, historical figures, and local contexts to ground student identity. In an innovative curricular shift, Turkic States comprise 8.13% (f = 10) of the data, providing a regional cultural bridge. Qualitative thematic analysis shows that the textbook avoids superficial cultural depictions, fostering Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) and glocal citizenship. It successfully synthesizes local civic responsibilities—such as national space initiatives and domestic ecological preservation targets—with global scientific and cultural realities. Limitations include the study's focus on a single, static textbook.
This study is significant for its efforts to strengthen the understanding of regional literature as a medium for reflecting on sociocultural dynamics and as a source of literature learning grounded in local wisdom. The research questions of this study are (1) How is cultural paradox represented in Madura literary texts? (2) How can a semiotic approach help in understanding the meaning of cultural paradox? and (3) How can the implementation of semiotic-based literary teaching improve students’ cultural understanding? A descriptive, qualitative method grounded in Umberto Eco’s semiotic theory was used in this study. Data in the form of words, sentences, quotations, and transcripts were obtained through literature study, interviews, and observation. The analysis used objective hermeneutics without statistical analysis, as the study focused on the meaning of signs and cultural context. The results of the study showed that the representation of Madura cultural paradoxes, especially those related to women’s bodies, cultural rituals, and individual identity, is in the flow of modernity. The semiotic approach proved effective in revealing the relationship between signs, ideology, and social reality hidden in literary texts. The pedagogical implications of the research indicate that the semiotic approach can be applied to literary learning through symbol analysis and interpretive discussion, thereby improving students’ critical thinking skills and cultural awareness. This study recommends developing semiotic-based literary teaching materials and conducting further studies on other regional literature in Indonesia.
Muh. Bahruddin, Etty Umamy, Nur Hidayat· The International Journal of...· 0 citations
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