Second language researchers (eg, Byram, 1997; Byrnes, 1991; Kramsch, 1993) have long theorized the need for foreign language (FL) teachers to facilitate learners’ reflection on their own culture and cultural identity to foster cross-cultural understanding, yet to date, there remains uncertainty about appropriate cultural instruction in the field of FL education (Philips & Abbott, 2011). The current study investigates pre-service FL teachers’ perceptions of teaching culture at two Southeastern universities. This mixed methods study of pre-service FL teachers’ perceptions of teaching cultures incorporates analysis of Standards-based lesson plans and examination of the design and assessment of these assignments. Findings indicate a paucity of attention to culture and notable problematic characteristics of pre-service teachers’ understanding surrounding the teaching of culture: practices and products of the culture void of perspectives, superficial cultural comparisons, and absence of opportunities for learners to explore perspectives within their own culture and that inform their own cultural identity. This study problematizes the absence of addressing culture and inadequate approaches to presenting culture, and contributes in proposing approaches to fruitfully guide the preparation of future FL teachers in integrating notions of intercultural communication (IC) into the teaching of culture.