The study and exams’

reliance on textbook
Main Idea
Main Idea: There are several social, cultural, and historical
aspects that have influenced Chinese high school students’
reliance on textbooks and textbook exercise to learn
English, the biggest one being China’s exam system that
relied on textbooks since the ancient times.
Analysis
The reliance on textbooks and textbook exercise to learn foreign language can
result from China’s ancient exam system, which relied on textbooks in all
subjects and fields by required books from Confucianism and its principles and
books.

● a. “Confucius worked on selecting and editing the book ‘Shi Jing’ and
used ‘Shi Jing’ as the textbooks for Confucian students to study Confucian
studies.” (Qi ding Y & Can S, 1999)
● b. “students were assigned to recite and write from memories of the
book “Lun Yu” and required to obey the rules from it.” (Qi ding Y & Can
S, 1999)
Centralized Political System
The first Emperor of Qin closed private schools that threatened the authority
and laws of the dynasty, and instituted an exam system, on which an excellent
score based on the required textbooks enabled candidates to gain an official
government position.

● In Qin dynasty, first Emperor of Qin ceased all private schools and genres, destroyed all books
and materials from a various of doctrines, and established the “official school”.
● In Han dynasty ,re-established the status of Confucianism as the dominant position to be the
official ideological education and developed Confucianism studies. “Shi”, “Shu” “LunYu”
“Chun Qiu” and “Yi” were theoretical books and their principles were used to educate people
and govern a country. The book “Lunyu” became an influential and required textbook to
develop Confucianism studies.
Burn Books and Bury Confucian Scholars Alive
The Imperial Examination System combined
the Eight-legged Essay

In mid-Ming dynasty, the Imperial Examination System combined the Eight-legged Essay’s literal
format which asked candidates using the specific required writing style, writing format to write
answers. Answers were based on required particular textbooks that linked to positions and subjects
without exceeded contents, then caused that candidates recited a myriad of model essays with types of
questions and topics to write them down from memories for exams. The Imperial Examination System
combined the Eight-legged Essay became an approach to access the jobs opportunities and better life.
Eight-legged Essay
The Reform And Opening-Up Policy(1980s)
China has communicated, cooperated with other countries to develop its
economic and technology. This trend affects people’s perspectives towards
foreign language studying.

● Education department places English as a required subject in compulsory

education system
● Having as many as good English test certificates gives people a priority to
seek good employments.
The Perspective Now WE Are

Teachers devote an amount of class time to textbook explanation or exercises on grammar. Chinese
schools place English as an important and required subject and it has become one part of high school
examination for college entrance, which causes curriculums designed is based English textbooks. This
trend is deeply ingrained and influenced by the tradition of relying on standard textbooks for exam
preparation.

● In modern Chinese high schools, the textbooks focus mostly on grammar and exam
skills.
● Thus teachers and students also focus on English grammar and exam skills that are
found in the textbooks designed.
Evidence
What should we do

With the globalization development in all fields includes education, EFL

teachers are supposed to stimulate students to learn foreign language as a
practical tool because language is a bridge for communication through diverse
people and countries.
Thank you