A Comparative Study of English Curriculum Guidelines and Textbooks for Elementary Schools in Taiwan and Mainland China.

• Main Authors: Yang, Min-Chih, 楊敏治
• Other Authors: Yu-ching Chan
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/51627574718651792056

碩士 === 國立臺北教育大學 === 兒童英語教育學系碩士班 === 99 === The background of learning English is similar between Taiwan and Mainland China, so there are similar considerations and difficulties in drawing up English curriculum guidelines and editing English textbooks. As a result, this thesis analyzed the English curriculum guidelines and the English textbooks for fifth and sixth graders in Taiwan and Mainland China to do the comparitive study. On the basis of this research structure, the researcher got some results and inspirations. This research adopted the method of comparative study. The researcher drew a comparison of English curriculum guidelines in terms of the fundamental rationale, curriculum goals, and competence indicators. On the other side, the researcher put emphasis on analyzing the vocabulary, sentence patterns, topics, and genres of Kang- Hsuan, Lang-Wen, PEP and New-Version in Taiwan and Mainland China. After the comparison, the researcher figured out the similarities and differences of the English curriculum guidelines and the textbooks between Taiwan and Mainland China, and provided some suggestions. The conclusions of the study are as follows. In Taiwan, the comprehensive applied ability of 4 language skills in the fundamental rationale of curriculum guidelines is emphasized. The concept of student-centered is obvious. The ultimate goal of English teaching is to improve the ability of worldwide competition. In China, besides the 4 language skills, the mission-end teaching method is emphasized. Teaching goals like the concrete performances of doing something are carried out. Concerning curriculum goals of curriculum guidelines, the two countries have similar classifications. “Language abilities”, “Interests and methods of learning English” and “Culture concepts” are all brought up in both countries, except that the classification of “Linguistic knowledge” is only mentioned by Mainland China. So, concerning the combination of curriculum goals, the both countries have similar understandings. The total number of ability indicators in Taiwan’s curriculum guideline is 70, and the total number of that in Mainland China’s guideline is 76. The both sides have few differences. But, the classifications of indicators, on the contrary, have more differences. Taiwan has the sole classification of “Comprehensive applied ability of 4 language skills” when China has the unique two classifications of “Lingustic knowledge” and “Playing, performing, watching, and listening”. From this viewpoint, Taiwan focuses on the combination of four skills, while China focuses on the grammar and the spirit of the concrete performances. Regarding the writing style, Taiwan reveals more considerations on the constructure of language factors, while China reveals more interests on the concrete activities. At last, considering the rate of learning progess, 600 to 700 vocabulary words and around 50 idioms of China demand more than Taiwan, which only lists 300 vocabulary words for conversations and 180 vocabulary words for writing. The introductions of vocabulary of both sides are full of variety, while they use phonics to learning more rhyming words at the same time. Regarding the size of vocabulary in textbooks, the distribution of the vocabulary in the both sides are not balanced, which may cause more difficulties to students. China is 1.5 times the size of vocabulary of Taiwan. The ratio of the words for production and recognition in both sides mostly corresponds to the principle that words for recognition are little more than production. As for the correlation, the words that are mentioned in all four versons are only 239, which mean only 41% for Taiwan and 27% for China. This illustrates the correlation of vocabulary in two countries is low. The introductions of sentence patterns in both sides are full of variety, which can promote the learning motivation and the chance of practices. Interrogative sentences and WH- interrogative sentences are the major patterns. In China, imperative sentences and introductory sentences are brought up additionally. Both sides introduce the present simple tense, present progressive tense and the past simple tense. In China, the future simple tense is brought up additionally. The topics in textbooks of both sides are various, while the two countries both use authentic materials to trigger higher learning motivations. Regarding the distribution, “Places & Locations” and “Time, date, month, seasons & years” are counted for the most times. Besides, China apparently combines more topics in one lesson and has a wider learning coverage than Taiwan. The major genres of both sides are “Conversations”, “Chants”, “Songs”, “Cartoons” and “Stories” in their English textbooks. The minor genres of both sides are “Advertisements”, “Jokes”, “Menus”, “Poems”, “Recipes” and “TV schedules”. At last, according to the result, the researcher provided some suggestions. This research hopes to aid education workers in gaining deeper understandings of relative issues as well as the present education phenomenons in Taiwan and Mainland China. It is also hoped that more efforts can be put in order to develop better textbooks and curriculum guidelines.