University of Isfahan Applied Research on English Language 3134-0644 15 3 2026 07 01 Intercultural Pragmatic Features in Iranian EFL Textbooks: A Content Analysis of a Locally Developed EFL Textbook Series across Proficiency Levels and Activity Types 37 62 30654 10.22108/are.2026.149549.2776 EN Fereshteh Abolhasanpour Department of English Language Teaching, WT.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Hamid Allami Department of English Language Teaching, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran 0000-0001-7882-856X Minoo Alemi Department of English Language Teaching, WT.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Journal Article 2026 06 30 Despite growing global interconnectedness, many language programs inadequately prepare learners for real intercultural communication. This study examined the representation of intercultural pragmatic features in a locally produced EFL textbook taught in a nationwide language center in Iran. The analysis was done using six features, namely, sociocultural awareness and interactional appropriateness, empathetic engagement and perspective coordination, adaptive communication and interactional negotiability, inferencing, pragmatic motivation, and strategic competence. A qualitative content analysis was conducted on six intermediate and advanced textbooks from the English Series used in a nationwide language center. The study systematically analyzed different textbook components. Odd-numbered units from intermediate and even-numbered units from advanced textbooks were sampled. Features were coded into six categories in NVivo, and repeated verification was used to ensure coding consistency. The analysis identified 119 instances of intercultural pragmatic features. Of all six features, sociocultural awareness and interactional appropriateness appeared most frequently. However, other features were underrepresented. Moreover, advanced textbooks include 91 examples, whereas intermediate textbooks have only 28; the results point to a significant proficiency-level gap that could hinder equitable development of intercultural pragmatic competence. Based on the activity-type analysis, intermediate materials relied primarily on dialog and reading passages, while advanced materials used more listening and speaking tasks on intercultural pragmatics; however, writing tasks were rare in the series. The findings suggest a revision of textbook evaluation frameworks, enhancing intercultural pragmatic activities in learning materials (including writing tasks). Also, preparing curricula that address level-based disparities and explicitly teach pragmatic skills to underrepresented students.

https://are.ui.ac.ir/article_30654_78786c1dbf8298e06d97e9bbf2684829.pdf