A Comparative Study Of Physical And Health Education Textbooks In The Middle Schools Between China And Japan

Teaching material plays an important role in the whole national education.It is the carrier of curriculum,the text of curriculum reform and the core material of classroom teaching.It reflects the country’s national will,scientific development level and the spirit of traditional culture.Textbook construction is an important force to promote the development of education,among which comparative study is one of the ways to solve the teaching materials’ construction,The purpose is to selectively learn from the advanced compilation experience of the other country to serve the educational development of the own country better.This paper’s research object are three textbooks of China which are published by People’s Education Press（PEP）and one textbook of Japan which is published by Tokyo-Shoseki Company（TSC）.Using the methods of literature,content analysis and comparative study,this paper makes a comparative study and analysis on the five parts of the compiling background,frame form,guiding system,main content and educational system of the two editions of textbooks.The results show that :（1）the compiling basis and concept of the two editions are similar.All of them are based on the curriculum standards of their own countries and take the cultivation of students’ health promotion ability as the guiding concept.（2）The frame structure and composition of the two editions are different.The frame structure of the PEP is simpler,while the TSC is richer.The PEP is divided on the basis of sports while the TSC is divided on the basis of subjects of knowledge.（3）The content composition and proportion of the two editions differ greatly.Although the contents of the two editions are both composed of health and physical education,76%of the total amount of the PEP is sports technical content While 78% of the volume of the TSC is devoted to health content,and the sports field has only theoretical knowledge but no sports technology.（4）There are similarities and differences in the visual presentation styles of the two editions of textbooks.The similarity shows that the cover design emphasizes the movement element and the illustration adopts the synchronous arrangement mode.The difference is that the PEP of the layout highlights campus sports while the TSC emphasizes big health elements and sports spirit.The PEP of the catalog is more concise and generous,and the number and types of the TSC of the illustrations are more than the PEP.（5）The learning objectives and evaluation of the two editions are also different.The learning objectives of the PEP are closer to the requirements of the curriculum standards,and students’ self-evaluation is carried out by a single grade evaluation method after class.The learning objectives of the TSC pay more attention to integration.After class,it adopts the form of combining subjective and objective exercises to help students consolidate knowledge.（6）There are also great differences in knowledge expansion and system between the two editions.The column name of the PEP is very many and not unified while the TSC is relatively fixed;Also the TSC pays more attention to the systematic construction of textbook knowledge,which is reflected in the vertical connection and horizontal integration of knowledge arrangement.Enlightenment of the two editions of textbooks to each other.To Japan:（1）Add sports skills into sports content.（2）Clear learning objectives.（3）Add a self-assessment section.To China:（1）Increase the proportion of health education content in textbooks.（2）Enrich the system and volume of health education knowledge.（3）Add theory knowledge in sports field.（4）Improve the standardization of textbook compilation.（5）Pay attention to the integration of textbook content.