摘要：In today’s world, English has become the global language that helps different cultures communicate each other. As a consequence of this globalization, culture has become an inseparable aspect of English language teaching (ELT). In line with this paradigm shift, many studies have investigated the role and importance of culture in ELT context. One of the most explored topics is language instructors’ perceptions of culture integration into ELT classes. However, few studies question whether their perceptions accord with the actual practices in classrooms. In this regard, the present study attempts to explore what English language instructors’ perceptions of culture and culture teaching in language classes are, and whether they are able to reflect these perceptions in their actual teaching practices. The study also attempts to show the possible factors that may impede the instructors’ applications of culture teaching. The participants were 10 English language instructors at a Turkish state university. Data were gathered via 10 classroom observations and two semi structured interviews carried out before and after the observations. Content analysis was conducted for analysing and interpreting the qualitative data. The findings revealed that the instructors considered culture integration significant in ELT classrooms. However, during their practice they mostly employed very short discussions that compare local and target culture. Besides, their practices were limited to the course book they use as they are obliged to implement a pre-planned syllabus. This study has significant implications for curriculum designers, material developers, language instructors, and language learners.
