The interdisciplinary master’s thesis examines four A-2 level textbooks used in Slovenian primary schools in the 7th and the 9th grades: two for teaching English as a first foreign language and two for teaching Spanish as a second foreign language. The aim of the analysis is to determine the extent of culture(s) present in the textbooks and to analyse cultural references in terms of cultural types and nations they describe. Textbooks are examined unit by unit, taking into consideration every activity containing any kind of cultural evidence.
For the purpose of both analyses, first the concept of culture and its position in a foreign language classroom is explored. The theoretical part later on also addresses the importance of cultural awareness and its contribution to students’ acquisition of intercultural communicative competence. Finally, a special attention is given to the role that both the teacher and the textbook have in a foreign language classroom. In the empirical part, the results of the analyses are discussed through a descriptive presentation of each textbook and a comparison of the data provided by a set of tables. The master’s thesis ends with a comparison of all four textbooks and recommendations for further research.
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