Research On The Content Of International Understanding Education In Junior High School English Textbooks

Under the background of globalization,the contact,exchange and cooperation between different civilizations are increasingly frequent.This development trend requires people to treat diverse cultures with a more inclusive and open attitude.To strengthen the understanding of other cultures,and promote friendly exchanges and cooperation,cultivate the students’ sense of responsibility around the world,and to make the students have the ability to actively participate in international affairs,it becomes the responsibility of the national education,special mission of international understanding education has attracted much attention.The development of basic education has laid a solid foundation for China to achieve the strategic development goal of becoming a powerful country from a big country.International understanding education is indispensable for the cultivation of citizens who are based in China and look to the world.In the system of "Chinese students’ development of core literacy",it is required to cultivate students’ global awareness,make students respect multi-culture,actively participate in cross-cultural communication,pay attention to global issues,and take international understanding.As one of the 18 points,indicating that international understanding education is increasingly valued in China.English teaching materials have the dual attributes of humanism and instrumentality,which is an important way to infiltrate international understanding education and cultivate students’ international understanding quality through subjects.Therefore,it is of great significance to study the content of international understanding education in English textbooks.The content of international understanding education is very complex,including almost all the abilities citizens should have to live on the earth.Based on the research content,the international understanding education covered in this paper is defined as:to foster multicultural coexistence,a series of educational practice activities aimed at achieving "symbiosis" and "justice" as the goals of the necessary abilities and qualities of the interdependent international citizens of a community with a shared future for mankind.The value orientation of international understanding education is based on the native world.The specific manifestations are:inclusive and open,promoting national culture,bearing in mind the world,expanding the international vision,pursuing peace,promoting the symbiosis of dissent.This study defines the content framework of international understanding education,and divides the content of international understanding education into four dimensions:one of the global,one of the regional,one of the natural and one of the national.It establishes the theme and constructs the main content under the four dimensions.Taking the above framework as the analysis system,researcher chose the unit contents in 5 textbooks from grade 7 to grade 9 in the junior middle school English textbook(Go for it!2012version)as research objects,and used literature analysis and text analysis to present and analyze the contents of international understanding education in the textbooks.Firstly,the dimensions,number of subjects and the distribution of international understanding content in junior middle school English textbooks published by pep were studied.Secondly,the researcher analyzes the dimensions of international understanding in the textbooks by combining the dialogues,essays and exercises.In the research,the author finds that the international understanding education content in the teaching materials of junior middle school English has the following advantages and disadvantages.Its advantages include:first,rich content,diversified themes;Second,close to life,in a variety of ways;Third,pay attention to comparison and promote understanding.The shortcomings are as follows:first,the universality needs to be improved;Second,the hierarchy needs to be strengthened;Third,the cultural commonality should be paid attention to.Finally,in view of the shortcomings of the teaching materials of junior high school English in international understanding,the author puts forward Suggestions from the three aspects of curriculum standards,textbook compilation and teacher quality.Second,optimize the content of the textbook unit by reconstructing the core concept,promoting the in-depth study of the concept,enriching the course resources and realizing cultural integration.Thirdly,teachers’ international quality should be improved by strengthening post-service training.