ABSTRACT

The Curriculum Standards for Senior English (CSSE) issued by the Ministry of Education adds cultural awareness into the original four major teaching objectives, which demonstrates that cultural awareness has been placed high value on the English Language Teaching (ELT) in senior high schools. This thesis aims to examine the quality of cultural awareness embodied in the senior high school textbook and tries to provide some useful suggestions for textbook compilers and users. Based on H. Y. Zhang and G. C. Zhang’s theory concerning culture and the Curriculum Standards for Senior English (CSSE), this thesis analyzes cultural awareness in Advance with English, the textbook commonly used by senior high school students. The analysis indicates that Advance with English contains various types of cultural items. However, some problems still exist: 1) Cultural items in Advance with English are not systematic. 2) Cultural awareness reflected in Advance with English lacks background information. 3) Cultural items concerning cultural contrast are deficient. 

Key words: Cultural Awareness; Textbook Evaluation; Advance with English

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABSTRACT

摘要

Chapter One  INTRODUCTION-1

1.1 Background of the Study-1

1.2 Objectives and Significance of the Study-2

1.3 Overall Structure of the Thesis-2

Chapter Two  LITERATURE REVIEW-3

2.1 Theoretical Studies on Cultural Awareness-3

2.1.1 Definition of Cultural Awareness-3

2.1.2 Cultural Awareness Stated in the CSSE-4

2.2 Textbook Evaluation about Cultural Contents-5

Chapter Three  RESEARCH DESIGN-8

3.1 Research Subjects and Research Questions-8

3.2 Data Collection and Analysis-9

Chapter Four  RESULTS AND DISCUSSION-10

4.1 Classification of Cultural Items in the Textbook-10

4.2 Topics of Cultural Items in the Textbook-15

4.3 Advantages and Disadvantages of CA embodied in the Textbook-16

4.3.1 Advantages of CA embodied in the Textbook-17

4.3.2 Disadvantages of CA embodied in the Textbook-17

Chapter Five  CONCLUSION-19

5.1 Major Findings-19

5.2 Implications and Suggestions-19

5.3 Limitations-20

REFERENCES-21

ABBREVIATIONS-23