The Analysis Of New Senior English For China: An Intercultural Communication Competence Perspective

Guided by Chen Guoming’s intercultural communication competence theory and theobjectives of intercultural communication competence cultivation in Senior High SchoolEnglish Curriculum Standard issued by the Ministry of Education, this study evaluates NewSenior English for China published by People’s Education Press. This study answers whether:1) the textbooks include the intercultural knowledge required in Senior High School EnglishCurriculum Standard; and2) the textbooks are helpful in improving students’ interculturalunderstanding as required in Senior High School English Curriculum Standard.In order to answer the two questions, quantitative approach and the method of literaturereview are employed. Through literature review, the weaknesses of previous empirical studieson senior high school textbooks in China are identified. Books1-8are analyzed to testify ifthey include all the intercultural knowledge required in Senior High School EnglishCurriculum Standard. A questionnaire survey is conducted on120students from Tai’an No.2Middle School in Shandong Province to investigate whether the textbooks are helpful inimproving students’ intercultural understanding. The results show that the textbooks basicallymeet the requirements of Senior High School English Curriculum Standard in developingstudents’ intercultural knowledge and understanding, but there are still weaknesses. Thefollowing information is deficient: commonly used proverbs and allusions in English, massmedia, political and economic situation, and religious traditions of English-speaking countries.After learning the textbooks, some students still do not understand the culturally-bound dailybehaviors in English-speaking countries, for instance, responding a compliment and dailyconservations related to privacy, face, friendship, and linear mode of thinking.This thesis includes five chapters. Chapter1is an introduction that describes thebackground, purpose, and significance of this study and the organization of the thesis. Chapter2explains some key terms and reviews the research of textbook evaluation at home andabroad. Based on the literature review, the research questions are proposed. Chapter3discusses the methodology. It presents the subjects, instruments, procedures, and datacollection and analysis. Chapter4reports and discusses the findings from textbook analysisand questionnaire survey. Chapter5summaries this research and makes suggestions on howto use the textbooks. The limitations of this study and suggestions for future research are alsostressed.