An Analysis of the Representation of Chinese Cultural Practices in PEP Senior High School English Textbooks

DOI: https://doi.org/10.62517/jhet.202615241

Author(s)

Yuting Wang*, Han Xia

Affiliation(s)

School of Foreign Languages, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong, China *Corresponding Author

Abstract

Against the backdrop of deepening global cultural interaction, English education is tasked with spreading fine traditional Chinese culture. The General High School English Curriculum Standards (2017 Edition, Revised 2020) clearly states that English textbooks should guide students to “tell Chinese stories well in English”. It also aims to develop students’ ability to express Chinese culture and their cross-cultural communication competence. However, existing studies mostly focus on static cultural typology. They largely ignore the dynamic, generative and situational nature of culture as “social practice”. Based on the six-dimensional classification system of Chinese culture, this study adopts a systematic content analysis method. It examines the representation of cultural practices in the 2019 People’s Education Press (PEP) Senior High School English Textbooks (compulsory and selective compulsory). The study finds that the textbooks cover cultural practice themes such as traditional festivals, skill inheritance and modern technology. These contents are presented through multimodal means including cultural texts, pictures and activities, with an emphasis on integrating tradition and modernity. Yet the textbooks have problems such as unbalanced theme coverage and insufficient systematic knowledge. Accordingly, this study puts forward targeted improvement suggestions from two aspects: textbook compilation and teaching practice. The suggestions aim to enhance students’ in-depth understanding and value recognition of Chinese culture, and effectively improve their cultural confidence and cross-cultural communication competence.

Keywords

Senior High School English Textbooks; Chinese Culture; Chinese Cultural Practices; Cultural Representation

References

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