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

Author(s)

Han Xia

Affiliation(s)

School of Foreign Languages, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong, China

Abstract

Cultural awareness is a core competency of English education and is of great importance to the overall development of students. However, Chinese culture is relatively under-represented in the current English language teaching, and the research on the representation of Chinese cultural figures is still limited. This study systematically analyses the PEP senior high school English textbooks (2019 edition) based on the Guidelines for Integrating Fine Traditional Chinese Culture into Primary and Secondary School Curricula and Textbooks and the analytical framework for cultural representation in English textbooks. The research focuses on the content and forms of representation of Chinese cultural figures in order to explore their importance in enhancing students' cultural awareness. The findings suggest that we need to strengthen the students’ sense of cultural identity by not only improving students’ knowledge of Chinese culture and inheriting the spirit of traditional culture, but also enhancing their ability to communicate Chinese culture effectively.

Keywords

Senior High School English; English Textbooks; Representation of Cultural Figures

References

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