CULTURAL CONTENT AND INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE IN INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL EFL COURSEBOOKS

Nidaa Aljamrah, Anas Awwad

Abstract


Due to the importance of cultural representations in textbooks, great efforts are directed to explore the extent to which EFL international and national coursebooks beneficially introduce the cultural elements of the target and source cultures. Thus, this study investigated the cultural content of international and national EFL coursebooks that are taught in Jordan in three areas: the cultural content, the predominant culture, and embedded intercultural aspects. For the content analysis, Headway was selected as the international EFL coursebook, and Action Pack was selected as the national EFL counterpart. For data coding and analysis, the models of Moran (2001), Cortazzi and Jin (1999), and Byram (1997) were adopted. The findings revealed that although both coursebooks employed similar cultural dimensions, they shed light on different cultures. The international coursebook focused merely on the culture of English-speaking countries and ignored the EFL learners’ culture. Dissimilarly, the national coursebook introduced all cultural categories more diversely and inclusively. As for the intercultural aspects, they were not embedded or represented adequately in both coursebooks.

 

Article visualizations:

Hit counter


Keywords


Cultural Categories; Cultural Content; Cultural Dimensions; English as a Foreign Language (EFL); Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC)

Full Text:

PDF

References


Abuqudairi, A., Awwad, A., & Ta’amneh, I. (2025). The Interaction between Emotional Intelligence, Self-Efficacy and Foreign Language Anxiety Among Jordanian EFL University Students. European Journal of English Language Teaching, 10(3), 117-139. http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejel.v10i3.6348

Adaskou, K., Britten, D., & Fahsi, B. (1990). Design decisions on the cultural content of a secondary English course for Morocco. ELT Journal 44(1), 3-10. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/44.1.3

Agustina, N., & Kencana, N. (2023). The cultural contexts and intercultural communicative competence in the global and local textbooks used in Indonesian EFL classes. Journal on English as a Foreign Language 13(1), 242-264. https://doi.org/10.23971/jefl.v13i1.6061

Al-Hishoush, M. (2006). A content analysis of two national and international textbooks in Jordan based on a new model for some cultural aspects in teaching English. Unpublished MA thesis. Department of English Language and Literature: Amman Arab University for Graduate Studies. Retrieved from https://search.mandumah.com/Record/635097

Aliakbari, M. (2005). The Place of Culture in the Iranian ELT Textbooks in High School Level. Journal of Pan-Pacific Association of Applied Linguistics 9, 163-179. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/358141744_The_Place_Of_Culture_In_The_Iranian_ELT_Textbooks_In_High_School_Level

Astaifi, H., & El Allame, Y. E. K. (2024). The Representation of Culture in Moroccan EFL Textbooks: An Investigation of Reading Texts. International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Translation, 7(2), 18-28.‏ Retrieved from https://al-kindipublisher.com/index.php/ijllt/article/view/6750

Awwad, A. (2019). L2 learners' and professionals' perceptions of cognitive task complexity: Towards developing an index of task difficulty. Journal of Asia TEFL, 16(2), 468-484. https://doi.org/10.18823/asiatefl.2019.16.2.2.468

Awwad, A., & Alhamad, R. (2021). Online task planning and L2 oral fluency: Does manipulating time pressure affect fluency in L2 monologic oral narratives? International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching, 59(4), 605-627. https://doi.org/10.1515/iral-2020-0178

Bachman, L. F. (1990). Fundamental Considerations in Language Testing. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from https://books.google.ro/books/about/Fundamental_Considerations_in_Language_T.html?id=5_KJCfkWgqcC&redir_esc=y

Brown, H. D. (2000). Principles of language learning and teaching (Vol. 4). New York: Longman. Retrieved from https://gustavorubinoernesto.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/H-Douglas-Brown-Principles-of-Language-Learning-and-Teaching.pdf

Borgerhoff Mulder, M., Nunn, C. L., & Towner, M. C. (2006). Cultural macroevolution and the transmission of traits. Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, and Reviews: Issues, News, and Reviews 15(2), 52-64. https://doi.org/10.1002/evan.20088

Byram, M. (1997). Teaching and assessing intercultural communicative competence: Revisited. Clevedon: New York: Multilingual Matters. Retrieved from https://books.google.ro/books/about/Teaching_and_Assessing_Intercultural_Com.html?id=0vfq8JJWhTsC&redir_esc=y

Canale, M., & Swain, M. (1980). Theoretical bases of communicative approaches to second language teaching and testing. Applied linguistics 1(1), 1-47. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Merrill-Swain/publication/31260438_Theoretical_Bases_of_Communicative_Approaches_to_Second_Language_Teaching_and_Testing/links/0c960516b1dadad753000000/Theoretical-Bases-of-Communicative-Approaches-to-Second-Language-Teaching-and-Testing.pdf

Celce-Murcia, M. (2008). Rethinking the role of communicative competence in language teaching. In E. A. Soler & P. S. Jordà (Eds.), Intercultural language use and language learning pp. 41–57. Dordrecht: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5639-0_3

Chandio, M. T. (2025). Teaching Source, Target, and International Cultures: A Case Study of the Books of English Prescribed by the Sindh Textbook Board. Journal of Education and Educational Development, 12(1), 99-128.‏ Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1479206.pdf

Chao, T. C. (2011). The hidden curriculum of cultural content in internationally published ELT textbooks: A closer look at New American Inside Out. Journal of Asia TEFL 8(2), 189-210. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/286980308_The_hidden_curriculum_of_cultural_content_in_internationally_published_ELT_textbooks_A_closer_look_at_new_American_inside_out

Cheng, K. Y., & Beigi, A. (2012). Education and religion in Iran: The inclusiveness of EFL textbooks. International Journal of Educational Development 32(2), 310-315. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2011.05.006

Cortazzi, M., & Jin, L. (1999). Cultural Mirrors: Culture in Second Language Teaching and Learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from https://www.lixianjin.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Cultural-Mirrors-Materials-and-Methods-in-the-EFL-classroom.pdf

Duranti, A. (1997). Universal and culture‐specific properties of greetings. Journal of Linguistic Anthropology 7(1), 63-97. https://doi.org/10.1525/jlin.1997.7.1.63

Ekawati, D., & Hamdani, F. (2012). Cultural mirrors: Materials and methods in English as a foreign language. International Journal of Basic and Applied Science 1(1), 53-59. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.17142/ijbas-2012.1.1.9

Faris, I. N. (2014). Cultural content analysis of an English textbook for senior high school grade three in Cianjur, West Java. Journal of English and Education 2(2), 14-25. Retrieved from https://ejournal.upi.edu/index.php/l-e/article/view/4599

Gudykunst, W. & Kim, Y. (1984). Methods for intercultural communication research. International and intercultural communication annual, Volume VIII. Sage Publications. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED247614

Gheisari, M., & Akbari, O. (2024). A comparison of cultural representation and ideologies in the multimodal discourses of textbooks used in public and private Iranian contexts: a cross-textual study. Social Semiotics, 34(2), 289-309.‏ Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/10350330.2022.2094234

Hosseinzadeh, M., Heidari, F., & Choubsaz, Y. (2022). A Comparative analysis of the cultural contents and elements in international and localized ELT Textbooks. International Journal of Society, Culture & Language 10(1), 109-124. Retrieved from https://www.ijscl.com/article_246790_152a5c94d74d3e5012a04a3fed8c08a5.pdf

Hsieh, H. F., & Shannon, S. E. (2005). Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Qualitative Health Research 15(9), 1277-1288. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732305276687

Hutchinson, T., & Torres, E. (1994). The textbook as agent of change. ELT Journal 48(4), 315-328. Retrieved from https://textbookuse.pbworks.com/f/Textbooks%2Bas%2Bagents%2Bof%2Bchange.pdf

Hymes, D. (2001). On communicative competence. In A. Duranti, (Eds.), Linguistic anthropology: A reader (pp. 53–73). Blackwell. (Original work published in 1972)

Johnson, E. (2013). Action Pack 10, tenth grade, student's book. York Press. Retrieved from https://www.awa2el.net/system/files/2022-08/3_updated_614b0269708ec.pdf

Kramsch, C. (1998). Language and Culture. Oxford University Press. Retrieved from https://books.google.ro/books/about/Language_and_Culture.html?id=XRPiONIC2PMC&redir_esc=y

Liu, S., & Laohawiriyanon, C. (2013). Cultural content in EFL listening and speaking textbooks for Chinese university students. International Journal of English Language Education 1(1), 82-93. https://doi.org/10.5296/ijele.v1i1.2850

Maghsoudi, M. (2020). Intercultural communicative competence in high school English textbooks of Iran and India: A comparative analysis. Iranian Journal of Comparative Education 3(4), 874-892. https://doi.org/10.22034/ijce.2020.250406.1220

Matsumoto, D. (2000). Culture and psychology: People around the world (2nd ed.). Wadsworth. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2001-06880-000

McKay, S. L. (2002). Teaching English as an international language: Rethinking goals and perspectives. TESL-EJ 7(1), 6-7. https://doi.org/10.2307/3588516

Moran, P. (2001). Teaching culture: Perspectives in practices. Heinle & Heinle. Retrieved from https://books.google.ro/books/about/Teaching_Culture.html?id=ZFliAAAAMAAJ&redir_esc=y

Paris, V. (2013). Action Pack 9, ninth grade, student's book. York Press. Retrieved from https://moe.gov.jo/sites/default/files/newsfiles/9.pdf

Peterson, R. A., & Anand, N. (2004). The production of cultural perspective. Annual Review of Sociology 30, 311-334. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.soc.30.012703.110557

Rajabi, S., & Ketabi, S. (2012). Aspects of cultural elements in prominent English textbooks for the EFL setting. Theory & Practice in Language Studies 2(4), 705-712. Retrieved from https://www.academypublication.com/issues/past/tpls/vol02/04/08.pdf

Rashidi, N., & Meihami, H. (2016). Hidden curriculum: An analysis of cultural content of the ELT textbooks in inner, outer, and expanding circle countries. Cogent Education 3(1), 24-55. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2016.1212455

Riadini, U. S., & Cahyono, B. Y. (2021). The Analysis of the Culture-Related Contents in an Indonesian English Textbook. Indonesian Journal of English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics 5(2), 285-295. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1297205.pdf

Rybková, V. (2018). The Representation of Cultures in English Textbooks. Unpublished diploma dissertation. Department of English Language and Literature: Charles University. Retrieved from https://dspace.cuni.cz/bitstream/handle/20.500.11956/100258/120295984.pdf?sequence=1

Schwartz, S. H. (2014). Rethinking the concept and measurement of societal culture in light of empirical findings. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology 45(1), 5-13. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022113490830

Sihombing, T. H., & Nguyen, M. X. N. C. (2025). Cultural content of an English textbook in Indonesia: text analysis and teachers’ attitude. Asian Englishes, 27(1), 227-249. https://doi.org/10.1080/13488678.2022.2132131

Soars, L., Soars, J., & Hancock, P. (2019). Headway advanced: Student’s book (5th edn.). Oxford University Press. Retrieved from https://books.google.ro/books/about/New_Headway.html?id=-c_AAQAACAAJ&redir_esc=y

Soars, L., Soars, J., & Hancock, P. (2019). Headway upper-intermediate: Student’s book (5th edn.). Oxford University Press. Retrieved from https://books.google.ro/books/about/Headway_Upper_Intermediate_Student_s_Boo.html?id=PJYbwQEACAAJ&redir_esc=y

Stern, H. (1983). Fundamental concepts of language teaching: Historical and interdisciplinary perspectives on applied linguistic research. Oxford University Press. Retrieved from https://books.google.ro/books/about/Fundamental_Concepts_of_Language_Teachin.html?id=p6T3eo5ltFAC&redir_esc=y

Stewart, S. (1982). Language and culture. USF Language Quarterly 20(3), 7-10.

Tajeddin, Z., & Teimournezhad, S. (2015). Exploring the hidden agenda in the representation of culture in international and localised ELT textbooks. The Language Learning Journal 43(2), 180-193. https://doi.org/10.1080/09571736.2013.869942

Weber, R. P. (1990). Basic content analysis (2nd edn.). Newbury Park, CA: Sage. Retrieved from https://books.google.ro/books/about/Basic_Content_Analysis.html?id=nLhZm7Lw2FwC&redir_esc=y

Young, T., & Sercombe, P. (2010). Communication, discourses and interculturality. Language and Intercultural Communication 10(3), 181-188. https://doi.org/10.1080/14708470903348523

Yuen, K. M. (2011). The representation of foreign cultures in English textbooks. ELT Journal 65(4), 458-466. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccq089




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v12i12.6407

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2025 Nidaa Aljamrah, Anas Awwad

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Copyright © 2015-2026. European Journal of Education Studies (ISSN 2501 - 1111) is a registered trademark of Open Access Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

This journal is a serial publication uniquely identified by an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) serial number certificate issued by Romanian National Library (Biblioteca Nationala a Romaniei). All the research works are uniquely identified by a CrossRef DOI digital object identifier supplied by indexing and repository platforms. All authors who send their manuscripts to this journal and whose articles are published on this journal retain full copyright of their articles. All the research works published on this journal are meeting the Open Access Publishing requirements and can be freely accessed, shared, modified, distributed and used in educational, commercial and non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).