Five Norwegian teachers’ perceptions of picturebooks and intercultural competence in the ELT classroom.

Abstract

This study aims to gain a deeper understanding of Norwegian school teachers' perceptions of picturebooks and intercultural competence in the primary English Language Teaching (ELT) classroom. Through qualitative semi-structured interviews conducted with five educated ELT teachers, as well as a review of previous research and relevant theoretical perspectives, I have sought to answer the research question: What are Norwegian teachers´ perceptions of picturebooks and intercultural concepts in the ELT classroom? The theoretical framework used to address this research question is based on various perspectives on picturebook theory, representation of diversity, intercultural competence (IC), and the intercultural communicative competence model. Previous literature on similar or related topics has also been reviewed and connected to the research question. The method of semi-structured interviews was employed, with teachers participating in the interviews either in person or via Zoom.

The findings indicate that teachers use picturebooks in ELT mostly for word acquisition, for individual reading and as motivation through the visual aid provided by the pictures. Only one teacher explicitly mentioned using a picturebook for the development pupils´ IC. None of them reported using picturebooks frequently in ELT, citing limitations such as outdated libraries and limited knowledge as reasons for this. Additionally, multiple teachers mentioned that IC development often occurred outside the classroom through assemblies and cultural shows. Further, several participants expressed not receiving instructions on how to interpret IC, with some revealing a lack of knowledge about its full implications and how to teach it.

Overall, Norwegian ELT teachers perceive picturebooks in ELT mostly as motivating and visual tools for enhancing word acquisition. They also consider IC development important, with many teachers lacking the necessary knowledge to effectively promote it to their pupils.