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A Content Analysis of the Cultural Representation in the English Textbooks for Grade Six
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Abstract
Based on K. M. Yuen’s “4Ps” model, Hong Zhang’s “Framework for Analyzing the Representation of Cultures in English Textbooks” and integrating Cortazzi & Jin’s classification of cultures with Kachru & Nelson’s categorization of culture, this study examines the representation of cultures in the respects of content and form in English textbooks for grade six. The study found that the proportions of Chinese culture, target culture, and international target culture in textbooks are roughly balanced, which helps sixth-grade students not only understand basic information, cultural symbols, and customs of major English-speaking countries, but also perceive and experience cultural diversity. The integration of Chinese culture in equal proportion to the target culture is also beneficial for cultivating primary school students’ abilities to observe, identify, and compare the similarities and differences between Chinese and foreign cultures, fostering their sense of patriotism and cultural confidence as well. However, the distribution, form of presentation, and English expression of Chinese and foreign cultures in the text-books still need further improvement. In addition, compared to the proportion of cultures from non-English-speaking countries in Europe, the proportions of Asian and African cultures are too low.
Keywords
Cultural Representation; Chinese Culture; Textbooks for Grade Six; Content Analysis
References
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https://doi.org/10.13564/j.cnki.issn.1672-9382.2022.02.008
How to cite this paper
A Content Analysis of the Cultural Representation in the English Textbooks for Grade Six
How to cite this paper: Junli Zhang, Xue Zhao. (2025). A Content Analysis of the Cultural Representation in the English Textbooks for Grade Six. The Educational Review, USA, 9(9), 800-805.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/er.2025.09.008
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