A Comparative Study Of UK And American Primary School Health Education Textbooks

The health education in our country has experienced a development from sports to health education and to focus on the health itself. However, under a series of reforms, there are still some problems. For example:"Sports and Health" is focus on sports; health education curriculum is developed into various disciplines; there is not a reference standard on the protection of teaching time; even in terms of the use of textbooks, it is difficult to find a more perfect textbook.This paper compares the British Nelson Thornes health education textbooks and the American Macmillanl/McGraw-Hill health education textbooks. It focus on the8-11age group in the United Kingdom and3-5grade in the United States of American primary school health education textbooks. Comparing the characteristics of bilateral textbook preparation, content selection, text and image presentation. By studying we find that the two textbooks have different characteristics and they are strive to reflect the content requirements of the national curriculum standards. However, there are still some differences in the characteristics of the preparation of textbooks, the choice of the specific content topics, text and picture presentation. The comparative study of these differences can help improve our country’s primary school health education textbooks.This thesis is divided into five parts. Introduction part mainly discusses the background of this topic, the research purpose and meaning, the scope of the study and relevant concepts, research and current situation at home and abroad, research methods. Chapter two compare from Britain and American school health education, summed up a common development trend of school health education in the two countries. The development of school health education content integration is becoming the basis of the field of public health. The third chapter focuses on the contrast between the two textbooks, starting from the content preparation characteristics and different content themes, using the method of the western country to compare the content of the two textbooks. The two textbooks are biased in favor of the health promotion method and the capacity of the knowledge-based. Britain textbooks are more emphasis the knowledge of the environment while the American textbooks are more emphasis the knowledge of the health. Comparing in classification the theme of the content, there are a wealth of knowledge of the content involved. British textbooks’ contents aim to guide students’ perceptions of the problem, tempting to show the health knowledge of each student to the students; American textbook’s contents aim to descript the rational facts, tempting to list the knowledge all the students will encounter. Chapter four contrasts the text and pictures in the presentation of the text. The texts are mainly about neutral information and persuasive content and participatory content. The texts are seldom injunctive. Pictures presented on American textbooks are of a wide range of different functions. British textbooks pay more attention to the persuasive style illustrations. Chapter five based on the prior analysis and summary make some rational development and utilization of our country’s primary health education textbooks, Seeking to promote the smooth development of China’s primary school health education.