Teaching English Language

Teaching English Language

Visual Cultural Representation in Imported ELT Textbooks: A Case Study from Mongolian Classrooms

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Naruto University of Education, Graduate School of Education, Global Education Course, Naruto, Japan
10.22132/tel.2026.530902.1904
Abstract
This study investigates the visual cultural representation in Wider World S Starter, a Pearson Primary English Language Teaching (ELT) textbook used in Mongolian classrooms, to evaluate its alignment with source, target, and international cultures. Employing qualitative visual content analysis, including denotation and connotation frameworks and a rubric-based assessment, the research assesses how effectively visual elements reflect Mongolian culture alongside other cultural categories. The analysis reveals that target culture visuals dominate the textbook (74.2%), followed by international culture (21.1%), with only 5.3% of visuals representing Mongolian (source) culture. Notably, Mongolian content appears only in supplementary materials, not in the core units, limiting its impact on daily classroom experiences. This lack of integration undermines cultural relevance and may reduce student engagement, motivation, and identity development. Incorporating culturally familiar visual references—such as traditional clothing, local environments, and everyday life—could enhance students' connection to the material and foster intercultural communicative competence. These findings highlight the need for localized content and call for collaborative textbook development involving local educators and cultural experts. The study contributes to the growing discourse on culturally responsive ELT materials and underscores the importance of embedding local culture meaningfully within globalized educational resources to support inclusive and effective English language learning.
Keywords

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Volume 20, Issue 2
July 2026
Pages 161-188

  • Receive Date 04 July 2025
  • Revise Date 05 October 2026
  • Accept Date 19 October 2026