Análisis del componente cultural en los manuales de ELE : niveles A1-B1

This research paper focusses on the study of the notion of culture in current Spanish as it is presented in foreign language textbooks (ELE: Español Lengua Extranjera). It also examines how the cultural component is addressed at a time when the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and the Plan curricular del Instituto Cervantes (PCIC) have outlined the unit structure and have refreshed the content requisites for a student to be able to communicate and operate in the foreign language. Based on a literature review of teaching methods for foreign languages a template has been developed to evaluate the presence of the cultural component over a period marked by an intercultural teaching and learning influence, where culture is the central area for the development of intercultural competence for students. Using the template, it has been possible to quantify the cultural component in the analysed textbooks, differentiating what skills are used and determining if it is analysed from an intercultural perspective. Then, a second analysis is undertaken to check how the cultural component is treated in each level of study. Finally, the paper presents a brief analysis of the samples run to check the evolution of the stereotype in the analysed textbooks and define the notion of stereotyped culture about the Hispanic world. The results of our analysis show that there is an interest from ELE textbook authors to integrate the cultural component into their language content. However, the analysis also shows that the presence of the cultural component is still not fully integrated in levels A1-B1, as it is not approached in a constant intercultural way. In addition, we found that there is a tendency to address the cultural component by using skills that foster interaction in class and undermine the importance of other communicative situations necessary to strengthen the learning of ELE. At the same time, the research finds that the use of stereotypes has evolved, as it does not reinforce stereotypical beliefs about the Hispanic world like in the past. Rather, stereotypes appear less often with students encouraged to challenge them, enabling the student to reconsider their own ideas and prejudices about Hispanic culture. However, this work of breaking stereotypes requires the teacher´s objectivity and constant mediation among several actors in the process of learning to compare the reality and avoid the fossilisation of these stereotypical topics. Nevertheless, we note that there is still a mismatch when the cultural component needs to be understood and developed for ELE textbooks. As a result, there is a need to create a structured template in which culture is presented as the main area to learn the language. This research paper emphasises the need to promote a process of intercultural teaching-learning in ELE textbooks.

Keyphrases: culture, cultural component, interculturality, intercultural learning, sociocultural competence, intercultural competence, textbook, stereotype, Cultura, componente cultural, interculturalidad, aprendizaje intercultural, competencia sociocultural, competencia intercultural, manual, estereotipo