A Research On Chinese Textbooks Used In Thailand

At present, Chinese textbooks used in Thailand cannot suffice the need of Chinese teaching and learning in either quantity or quality. Although the government of Thailand has already realized the importance of material resources to language teaching, the top design of material development is in predicament in accomplishing the details and enforcing its power owing to the inadequacy of basic research in prophase and some relevant theoretical studies.This study is kicked off on the basis of the Chinese textbooks' corpus which is constructed out of seventeen sets of Chinese textbooks for Thailand's use compiled fully by Thais, by Chinese and Thais in joint efforts, or exclusively by Chinese. The research methods vary from documentary study, corpus linguistic approaches, to a combination of qualitative and quantitative examinations, and statistical analysis of the Chinese textbooks and their language elements. Hopefully, the data and theories adopted from the study can prop up more solidly Thai domestic development of Chinese textbooks.Through quantitative analysis of the corpora, it is found that a majority of the textbooks are at preliminary level, and those themes with local cultural traits fall into texts regarding everyday life, and that most textbooks are in the form of dialogues.In accordance with the standards stipulated in The Graded Chinese Syllables, Characters and Words for the Application of Teaching Chinese to the Speakers of Other Languages and The Syllabus for Graded Standards of Chinese Language and Grammatical Levels, a study has been made on an analysis of Access statistics which comes to a conclusion that the syllables, Chinese characters and words in the selected textbooks are prominently at popular level, with those at mediate level and senior level to follow. As to grammar, the items are most grounded on preliminary level as well. Most of the textbooks do not provide Thai elaborations for grammar parts or language points, with few comparisons between Thai land Chinese, but more elements out of extra-level categories. Moreover, the low rate of standard's coverage and unreasonable quantitative proportion expose the scientific insufficiency of Thailand's Chinese textbook.Grounded on the above studies and analysis of some relevant policies issued by the Thai government, the author indicates that the development of Thailand's Chinese textbooks manifests its quality of Infancy. That is, the textbook's development is immature as a whole, with too much reliance on external force, shortage of internal research and development, and unclear prospect for domestic sustainable development. These factors have drawn back the textbook's localization in the country. Considering the situation, the author puts forward an "outlook of domestic perspective on Thailand's Chinese textbooks'development" which serves as a concept to push the research and development of the Chinese textbooks, so as to meet the need of Chinese learners in Thailand and demonstrate Thai culture; which also demands for ideological preparation at initial stage, constitution of compilers' team, theories on compilation and evaluation, and stress on local elements in language materials. By these ways, local characteristics of Thailand textbook development may achieve a fine marriage. In conclusion, the Chinese textbook's compilation with national distinctive is expected to be centralized on "Chinese", and equipped with localized perspectives. While the Chinese textbooks are produced to display features of Chinese, they shall be carriers of the unique essence of the local culture.