Diverging Perspectives: Comparing Iranian High School Teachers and Curriculum Designers’ Perceptions of Multicultural Curriculum Components in ELT Textbooks
Hossein Safarpour
1
(
Department of English Language, To.C., Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, iran
)
Davood Mashhadi Heidar
2
(
Department of English Language, To.C., Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran
)
Ramin Rahimy
3
(
Department of English language, To.C., Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran
)
Keywords: Multicultural education, English language teaching textbooks, Iranian high school curriculum, Teacher perceptions, Curriculum designer perceptions, Content analysis,
Abstract :
This study examines the integration of multicultural curriculum (MC) components—objectives, content, methods, and evaluation—into Iran's Vision series English Language Teaching (ELT) textbooks, with a focus on the perceptions of high school teachers and curriculum designers. A qualitative content analysis of the textbooks revealed limited multicultural themes, including superficial coverage of global cultures, underrepresented Iranian diversity, and minimal engagement with social justice issues, suggesting a gap in culturally responsive content. Quantitative analysis, involving a yes/no questionnaire administered to 26 teachers (10 males, 16 females) and 38 curriculum designers (26 males, 12 females), using descriptive and inferential statistics, including independent samples t-tests, which showed significant differences across all MC components. Teachers consistently perceived less multicultural integration than designers, highlighting a disconnect between design intentions and classroom realities. This mixed-methods study highlights the importance of collaborative curriculum development and teacher training in aligning perceptions and enhancing multicultural education, ultimately preparing students better for a diverse and globalized world.
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