Study of the Presentation of Cultural Elements in the PEP English Textbooks for Junior Middle Schools

Abstract

With the increasing impact of globalization, the cultivation of cultural awareness and cross-cultural communication skills has become more and more important in English teaching. Textbooks play a crucial role as materials and carriers for English teaching. The way in which Chinese and foreign cultural elements are distributed and presented in textbooks can significantly affect students' learning of cultural knowledge and the development of their cultural awareness. To enhance students' cultural awareness, this study analyzed the cultural elements in PEP English textbook for junior high schools. The statistical results indicate that this textbook predominantly features Chinese culture, followed by British and American cultures, with non-target language cultures being the least presented. The presentation of cultures is primary through pictures and texts. The distribution of cultural elements is not balanced, and there is less cultural knowledge in the first book of the seventh grade. To address this issue, it is suggested that textbook writers should pay attention to the presentation of non-target language cultures, innovate the forms of cultural presentation, and distribute cultural knowledge. Teachers should strive to enhance their cultural literacy, deeply explore cultural elements, innovate cultural teaching methods and enhance students' cultural confidence. The aim is to deal with the cultural knowledge in the teaching materials scientifically and further develop students' cultural awareness.