Ethnocentric identity construction VS. intercultural globalization in the Algerian EFL middle school coursebooks of English : teachers' perspectives on “my book of English” series

Abstract EN

The successive Algerian educational reforms sought a balance between national identity and globalization in language teaching.

A need for proficient intercultural communication skills was felt to promote cultural exchange and acceptance.

Algerian teachers rely considerably on textbooks for both linguistic and cultural exposure, so it necessary to design ones that inform teachers' practices, and accommodate educational needs and international standards.

This qualitative study aimed to explore Algerian EFL middle school teachers' opinions about the cultural content of the “My Book of English” series to determine its suitability in dispensing cultural knowledge and competences.

A research-informed questionnaire was administered to 112 participants.

The findings reported favourable opinions about local and universal culture awareness and appreciation, but they deplored the unauthenticity, decontextualization, and avoidance underlying the target culture.

Teaching practices were challenged by the conflict between national identity and interculturality.

Designers should provide tangible culture teaching practices, support multimodality and interdisciplinarity, and seek balance between identity and diversity.