Looking Through the Multiculturalism Glass: An Exploratory Study with Primary English Teachers Working with Diverse Learner Populations in Turkey

Abstract

Multiculturalism, defined as the coexistence of diverse races, religions, languages, and traditions fostering equality, plays a crucial role in language teaching by incorporating various cultural elements. In Turkey, a country hosting a myriad of cultures, cultivating awareness of multiculturalism is essential. This study investigates the representation of cultural elements in primary English coursebooks published by the Ministry of National Education (MoNE) in Turkey and international publisher’s primary English books commonly used for primary English in Turkey.  Eleven primary-level English coursebooks from the 2018-2019 academic year were analyzed, employing a coding framework originating from multiculturalism principles. The macro-level coding encompassed source, target, and international cultures, followed by a detailed analysis of multiculturalism indicators. For data-triangulation, focus group interviews with primary English teachers working in linguistically-diverse classrooms were conducted, revealing their perspectives on multiculturalism and their evaluations of primary English materials. The findings indicated that public English books predominantly emphasized the source culture, particularly imbalanced representation of gender, interpersonal relations, and cultural values. The study implications were an improved diversity reflecting target and international cultures, mainly, in public coursebooks. Coursebook analyses aligning with teacher interview called for the need for a more balanced representation of cultures in primary English education in Turkey’s primary English instruction.