The Study Of Children’s Image In Primary School Chinese Textbooks

The shaping and presentation of children’s image is an important part of the compilation and use of Chinese textbooks in primary school. This essay analyzes children’s images in Chinese textbooks Volumes 1-12 published by the People’s Education Press (in short of PEP) in 2001 with the methods of literature research, content analysis and interviews. The study found out four features of the external image of children as follows. The number of boys accounts for the absolute advantage, almost twice the number of girls. Han children are in the majority while children of ethnic groups are in the minority. The number of Chinese children has deceased while the number of foreign children has increased. Ancient children are more than modern children but less than contemporary children. Besides, two features are found in the internal image of children. In terms of emotion, the textbooks depict the image of happy children via happiness, freedom and harmonious coexistence with the nature, the image of curious children via getting close to nature, dialogue with adults and being interested in scientific phenomenon, the image of sad children via the misfortune of oneself, the isolation from peers and social indifference together with the image of terrified children via blood donation to one’ s friends. In terms of characters, the textbooks highlight the image of outgoing children. In terms of moral, the textbooks depict the image of strong children reflected by wit, bravery, diligence and self-reliance, the image of children getting along well with others reflected by filial piety, team work, tolerance and kindness, the image of children who accurately deal with the relationship with group from the love of motherland and the love of labor. It also describes the image of children friendly with the nature reflected by the love of nature, life and kids.Through the above analysis, the whole series of Chinese textbookspublished by PEP in 2001 in the aspects of the image shaping and presentation of children pay attention to the improvement of female’s status,emphasize ethnic fusion and highlight an international perspective and promoting the importance of traditional moral culture. On the other hand, there still exists series of problems, such as male chauvinism, Han chauvinism and weak awareness of public moral cultivation, etc..In order to eliminate the problems mentioned above, the compilers of textbooks should pay more attention to the balance of the quantity of boys and girls and the presentation of image of children of ethnic groups. The image of children should be portrayed in accordance with the laws of physical and mental development of children. Users of textbooks should pay attention to the background of children’s life, interpret children’ s image comprehensively with multiple perspectives and take an objective and dialectical view of children’s moral image.