A Survey On The Use Of High School English Textbooks Under The Background Of English Key Competences

With the continuous progress of the new curriculum reform,the Ministry of Education has promulgated the English Curriculum Standards for Senior High Schools(2017 edition).It is clearly pointed out in the new curriculum standard that the specific goal of high school English curriculum is to cultivate and develop the English key competences which are composed of language ability,cultural awareness,thinking quality and learning ability after receiving high school English education.In response to the change of curriculum standards,high school English textbooks have also been revised.In order to make better use of the new textbooks to cultivate students’ English key competences,it is necessary to conduct in-depth research on the use of new textbooks.Based on this,this research investigates the current situation of the use of high school English textbooks under the background of English key competences.This research aims to solve the following two research questions:(1)How are English key competences embodied in high school English textbooks?(2)What is the current situation of high school English teachers using textbooks to cultivate students’ English key competences?Under the guidance of humanistic learning theory and holistic education theory,this research selected the high school English textbooks from compulsory1 to compulsory3 published by FLTRP and 303 high school English teachers in Heilongjiang Province who used these three textbooks as the research subjects.Text analysis was used to analyze the embodiment of the English key competences in the textbooks.Questionnaire survey and classroom observation were used to investigate the current situation of high school English teachers using textbooks to cultivate students’ English key competences.This research finds that(1)The textbooks embody the English key competences through the comprehensive teaching activities designed in seven sections.(2)Teachers believe that the teaching activities in textbooks can meet the needs of cultivating students’ English key competences,agree with the orientation of using textbooks of “teaching with textbooks”,adjusting textbook activities according to the actual teaching situation.Teachers cultivate students’ English key competences through the use of “plus category” methods,“minus category” methods and“zero category” methods.Based on the above findings,this research provides three suggestions for high school English teachers to use textbooks efficiently.(1)Teachers should constantly improve professional level,update professional knowledge,strengthen professional ability training.(2)Teachers should set the unit-integrated teaching objectives of the unit,take the teaching theme of each unit as the core,and expand the meaning of the theme in teaching activities.(3)Teachers should implement the activity-based English learning in teaching,create comprehensive and practical English learning activities for students to ensure that students’ language ability,cultural awareness,thinking quality and learning ability are improved simultaneously.