Signs And Modeling:an Exploration For Research-Based College English Textbook Writing

Based on the thoughts in "Modeling Systems Theory" by the famous American semiotician Thomas Albert Sebeok, that is, "semiosis and life coincide", the dissertation proposes that the writing exploration for research-based college English textbooks is prone to the semiotic modeling in language learning semiosis, with reference to the developmental track of modern English textbooks as well. Therefore, this research is actively exploring the concept that "writing is modeling", so as to include textbook editors, teachers and students into a dynamic continuum for textbook writing modeling, and provide a theoretical guidance for the writing of research-based college English textbooks.The study centers around three key concepts, namely, research, writing and modeling. Unlike problem-driven or task-oriented projects, research focuses more on learners’ modeling behaviors in linguistic semiosis with low predictability, and inspires their research-based thinking. Therefore, the most significant feature of research-based textbooks is that it is possible to explore an infinite number of problems in an unguided semiosis, that is, modeling. Writing is an open modeling activity so that teachers, students and textbooks can stay in a non-linear, circulatory relationship in which teachers and students are not only users of textbooks, but also interpreters and builders. Modeling is an important interface between research and writing, and also the starting point for this research on the basis of Sebeok’s modeling theory. Modeling, the capability for model-making, is a derivative of semiosis, and is used to interpret living organisms and their capacities in semiosis. These three are closely related, in which modeling is a main line through this dissertation. In other words, as a special form of representation in human semiosis, college English textbooks not only require learners to understand how to use language to represent the world, and acquire the existing knowledge, but also help them to achieve their own cognitive modeling of the world and create their own language communication systems as well.Thence, the dissertation proposes it as follows:firstly, college English textbooks research-based should not only be guided and pre-planned course materials, but can also provide a flexible model to take fully into account of greater flexibility, social responsibility and freedom of choice for learners, and provide a structure of social interaction for the course and a basis of negotiation for relevant parties. Secondly, college English textbooks should not only focus on learning from the modeling system of others but also be based on the interaction and modeling with one’s own native language (and other languages), so as to arouse an insight and an understanding of oneself as the only subject to construct the uniqueness in the diversified world. In other words, college English textbooks research-based help to promote and optimize learners’ modeling capabilities. Thirdly, college English textbooks research-based also reserve a space for teachers to design textbooks, write and interpret materials in their own ways so as to become course materials developers, and make for a creative mutual implementation for both the deep structure of teachers’ academic beliefs and the symbolic expression of teaching materials. Fourthly, the writing and design for English textbooks is a dynamic process for meaning construction, so that textbook editors, teachers and students are all in a continuum of textbook writing and design, that is, the relationship between textbook editors and teachers/students are not only just that of editors and users, but also interpreters and builders for different contexts.This dissertation also takes as an example Unit 5 "The World at War" in New Standard College English Integrated Course (Book II), and attempts to adapt it on the basis of Sebeok’s Modeling Systems Theory. With the same theme as the main line, the adaptation starts with a lyric poem and a picture as well as words related to the theme, without any more auxiliary questions or tasks, and thus forms a kind of unguided semiosis. Circling around the unit theme, the materials mainly include five parts, theme modeling, text modeling, culture modeling, writing modeling and integrated exercises, laying emphasis on learners’ semiotic modeling capabilities.On this basis, the dissertation furthers the exploration into a wider sphere of college English textbooks, questing for the extended meaning of college textbooks in language educational activities, which not only inherits but creates language and culture, thus forming a special cultural semiosphere. Moreover, along the historical development of the two great traditions in the philosophy of language, the dissertation explores into the modeling concept of college English textbooks from the perspective of philosophy, tracing the complementarity of linguistic analysis and interpretation, towards the path of signs.