Socio-cultural content analysis in "Rainbow English" textbook reading tasks: a study of cultural content in primary education (Grades 2–4)

This study explores the socio-cultural content in "Rainbow English" textbooks for primary school students (Grades 2–4) in Russia, focusing on how cultural elements are presented and sequenced to develop intercultural competence. The findings reveal a structured progression of cultural content, beginning with stereotypical representations of English-speaking countries and advancing to more complex cultural narratives. Sentiment analysis shows a shift from predominantly neutral to positive sentiment across grade levels, fostering favorable attitudes toward target cultures. However, the limited contextual explanation of cultural references highlights a gap in fostering considerable cultural awareness and underscores the importance of understanding the dynamics of teaching socio-cultural aspects of foreign languages in schools.