The article discusses aspects of an action research study, with the aim of exploring how the cultural dimension within the education of English as a foreign language could evolve from a transmission of target-culture facts into an exploration of generic and value-related aspects such as awareness of diversity and respect for difference. The article focuses on social-constructivist and socio-cultural approaches such as dialogical and experiential learning. In the discussion, particular emphasis will be given to the possibilities of developing language education into praxis through the tools of uptake on challenging topics that emerge in the classroom, and reflective work conducted by both students and the teacher. Here, praxis entails the neo-Aristotelian view of education as a moral and meaningful activity, where the educator is acting in response to particularities of a given situation for the good of her students and humankind.