Comparative Study Of Chinese And American Modern Junior School Geography Textbooks

The United States is an educational power, by comparing the writing style of modern junior high school geography textbooks, directory structure system, content of teaching materials and teaching structure in China and the U.S., to understand the strengths and weaknesses of geography textbook in our country has a very important role. In the future, textbook reform can foster strengths and circumvent weaknesses, while maintaining the characteristics of textbooks, at the same time, draw lessons from the textbooks of excellent improvements, and to improve and optimize the design of our geography textbooks in our country.In this paper, the two countries modern junior high school geography textbooks were compared to the following conclusions:(1) The columns of the present Hunan Version textbooks is relatively simple, in United States is relatively rich and complete.(2) From the comparison of the two materials can be found in the directory system, the two materials in case of difficulty level of detail content knowledge, knowledge of content, and the links to other related disciplines are different. American textbook writing process, pay attention to the geographical knowledge work closely with other relevant disciplines together to form a whole.(3) Although the presence of the two materials at the same point on the selected content knowledge, but in general, knowledge of American geography textbook for natural selection is richer.(4) The difference in the two materials is mainly reflected in the structure of materials on the imaging systems, activities and operating systems. Map sheet numbers in the two textbooks image system is basically the same, but the United States materials is more solid, so American textbooks average number of frames per Fig is relatively few. Two basic types of map sheet system materials is the same, but there are differences in the various types of image number. Teaching activities between the two countries and there is a huge difference between the operating system is not only in quantity, there are also differences in the types of activities.Hunan version textbook activities are very rich, but for the students practical hands-on skills rarely, and the United States’ textbook is good noticed it, the United States is very pay attention to the cultivation of the students’ practical ability. Another major difference between the two materials on the activities and operating systems is that American textbooks after each section and subsection of each chapter review questions and chapter review questions, and questions types is varied.Conclusion according to the comparison, puts forward the following suggestions for high school geography textbook in China:(1) Rich materials section. Chapter-section-column title box set is relatively simple, the authors believe that they can increase the corresponding sections and chapters review. Each chapter begins with teaching materials and methods can also import more varied, as far as possible to achieve materials interesting and readable.(2) More emphasis on practical activities to develop students’ practical abilities. Training geographic activity is more important to develop students’ practical skills.(3) Focus on contact with the relevant disciplines. Knowledge is a comprehensive, any one discipline are in close contact with other disciplines, there is no isolation from knowledge of the subject.(4) The use of a more comprehensive system image. In addition to the image of American textbooks beyond text, are generally associated with thinking problems. Graphic combination is not only a combination of images and text commentary, but also including students to get experience from the image, questions by the students review the text knowledge.