فهرست نشریات علمی دسترسی آزاد ایران

This study explored and compared intercultural components in the reading passages of Chinese and Iranian secondary high school English as a Foreign Language (EFL) textbooks through cultural content analysis. To this end, the study utilized Chen's (2004), Lee's (2009), and Cortazzi and Jin's (1999) frameworks to systematically analyze the representations of the Capital 'C' (macro-cultural) and small 'c' (micro-cultural) elements across source (China & Iran), target (English-speaking countries), international (global perspective), and culture-neutral (cultural contexts with no specific source) contexts. The findings revealed both Chinese and Iranian textbooks shared a focus on presenting source culture content; however, there were significant differences in the range and diversity of intercultural elements represented, with the Chinese textbooks representing a much higher frequency of diverse cultural elements compared to Iranian counterparts. The Chinese textbooks consistently depicted a comprehensive range of cultural elements, from micro-cultural details like Daily Life and Customs to macro-cultural insights such as History and Economy, across the four specified contexts. In contrast, the Iranian textbooks not only failed to illuminate any discernible intercultural elements but neglected to provide acceptable macro- and micro-cultural knowledge of their cultural context. The findings suggest that while both sets of textbooks attempt to engage with cultural representations, the Iranian textbooks, in particular, require further development to offer a more inclusive and global perspective. This would guide future curriculum development endeavors to nurture a more globally aware generation of learners.