From Products to Perspectives: Examining Cultural Priorities in Iranian EFL Textbook, Vision ۱, Through the Yuen’s Model Lenses

To illuminate the cultural priorities embedded in Iranian English as a Foreign Language materials, this study analyzed Vision ۱ textbook, using Yuen’s (۲۰۱۱) four‑dimensional model of cultural representation (products, practices, perspectives, people). Specifically, the study aimed at identifying and categorizing cultural elements of the target textbook and examining which element is most prominently portrayed, while also investigating whether the subcategories of each cultural element belongs to source, target, or international cultures. A qualitative content analysis was conducted on all textual and visual components of Vision ۱. A coding scheme was developed to define each category, and two trained coders independently applied it, with inter‑coder reliability established through pilot coding and disagreements resolved through discussion. Quantitative methods (frequency counts and percentages) were employed to determine the distribution and dominance of cultural elements. Findings based on Yuen’s model revealed that ‘products’ were most frequently represented, particularly buildings and natural heritage, while ‘perspectives’ were least represented, focusing exclusively on Iranian values and beliefs. ‘Practices’ and ‘people’ were present but less emphasized. The dominance of products suggests that Vision ۱ presents culture primarily through tangible artifacts, reflecting a surface‑level approach that risks reducing culture to static objects rather than deeper layers of values, beliefs, and lived experiences. In terms of cultural origin, the analysis showed that source culture was overwhelmingly dominant, with international and target cultures represented to a much lesser extent, highlighting the importance of integrating cultural elements and origins more evenly in future textbook design to better support learners’ intercultural communicative competence.

کلیدواژه ها:

Cultural representations ، textbook evaluation ، Vision ۱ ، Yuen’s framework