Foreign language teachers and their role as mediators of language-and-culture: A study in Mexico

Abstract

This article reports on an investigation of Mexican foreign language teachers’ perceptions of their role as mediators of language and culture in foreign language education that is part of a comparative study (Sercu et al., 2005) with secondary teachers in seven countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Poland, Mexico, Spain, and Sweden).The article describes how teachers perceive of culture-and-language teaching, how they perceive of their students’ perceptions and attitudes towards the foreign countries and cultures associated with the language they are learning, and how they perceive of their teaching practice related to intercultural competence and intercultural communication. It is anticipated that outcomes of this study will serve as a guide in designing programs for teacher in-service programs regarding intercultural competence teaching in foreign language education.