This paper intends to draw the attention of language teachers and educational authorities to the area of culture teaching in foreign language education at a time when the recently issued Basic Standards of Competencies in Foreign Language have conferred modest attention to this aspect of language education. The paper first describes the notion of Intercultural communicative competence. It then discusses the tensions between this new understanding of the teaching of culture and the prevailing teaching practices, approaches, beliefs and discourses associated with the learning and teaching of culture. Third, it reports on the results of a study which critically analyzed the academic discourses of in-service teachers in Colombia regarding the cultural component of foreign language programs; finally, it proposes ways to start taking new directions. Key words: Intercultural competence, standards, culture, culture teaching, ideologies, discourses El presente articulo intenta llamar la atencion de maestros y autoridades educativas sobre el area de la ensenanza de la cultura en lenguas extranjeras en un momento en el que los recientemente publicados Estandares Basicos de Competencias en Lenguas Extranjeras - Ingles prestan modesta atencion a este aspecto. Primero se describe la nocion de competencia comunicativa intercultural. Luego se discuten las tensiones entre este nuevo concepto de la ensenanza de la cultura y las practicas de ensenanza, los enfoques, creencias y discursos asociados con el aprendizaje y la ensenanza de la cultura. Se reportan tambien los resultados de un estudio que analiza criticamente los discursos academicos de profesores colombianos acerca del componente cultural en la ensenanza de lenguas extranjeras. Finalmente, se proponen formas de iniciar nuevos rumbos. Palabras clave: Competencia intercultural, estandares, cultura, ensenanza de la cultura, ideologias, discursos