The current Finnish core curricula require schools to promote cultural diversity, 
language awareness and multilingual approaches as key values. Thee aim of the study was to 
investigate three Finnish pre- service subject teacher groups’ (linguistics or literature, natural sciences, social sciences, n = 68) perceptions of culture(s) in the classroom, especially 
from the point of view of making culture(s) visible. The data were collected in an online 
survey at the end of a year- long teacher training. Responses to one open- ended question 
were analyzed. Over 90 % of the pre- service teachers acknowledged that culture(s) should 
be made visible – at least conditionally – in the classroom. Thus, it seems that Finnish pre-service teachers have at least a developing cultural competency. There were no statistically 
signifcant differences between the three different subject groups. When analyzing the 
reported characteristics of possible representations of culture(s) on the classroom more 
carefully, four main categories emerged: 1) conceptualization of the term “culture”, 2) positive perceptions of culture(s), 3) pedagogical perceptions of culture(s), and 4) negative 
perceptions of culture(s). Based on our results, although the respondents’ understanding 
of culture(s) is clearly developing, it is evident that more culture- related content should 
be included in the teacher education programs in Finland.