The Concept of Ideology and Culture in a College English Textbook

1. The Concept of Ideology and Culture in a College English Textbook Yang Huai’en Foreign Language Department Beijing Technology and Business University

2. Language reflects culture and ideology; • it is also greatly influenced by them. • In fact the language is the carrier of culture and ideology. • Anyone who uses the language is inevitably influenced by the embedded culture and ideology in the process of the acquisition and use of it.

3. The relationship between language, culture, and ideology was systematic and they were intermingled with each other. • English textbooks are an important way to transmit culture and ideology.

4. A brief review of foreign language teaching in China • Foreign language teaching in China has gone through several stages: • 1) In the years of the 50s and early 60s, Russian became the first foreign language in middle schools and universities. • English was only taught in the English department in universities.

5. 2) During the “Cultural Revolution”, learning English and other foreign languages was not at all popular. • 3) From the late 1970s onward, English gradually became an important part in the National Matriculation Examinations. • In universities English is the most important course for students.

6. English materials used for teaching • English textbooks are consisted of 3 kinds of materials according to their sources: • 1) The first one: written by course book writers in order to impart grammar rules • 2) The second one: Chinese texts taken from journals and books were translated into English. • 3) The third type was texts taken from English journals or books.

7. The aspect of contents: • 1) stories of heroes and great leaders such as an interview with Chairman Mao by Anna Louis Strong • 2) texts attacking the suppressing and exploiting class, e.g. The Cock Crew at Midnight.

8. Late 1960s and early 1970s underwent another change: • English teaching materials changed to translated Chairman Mao’s woks -- “Never forget class struggle.” • The idea behind it was learning English was to spread the revolutionary ideas and socialist concepts.

9. The late 1970s and early 1980s---more emphasis on scientific reading: the purpose of learning English was to master science and technology to build China into a strong country. • The mid-1980s---Advanced English by Zhang Hanxi

10. Source of the texts: The texts are all taken from journals and books published in the West • The texts selected should conform to the standards of the English language; • The topics should be instructive and interesting and cover a wide range of areas.

11. The contents in the textbook are generally holistic and factual: • They range from important issues about the society and human nature to human beings’ own feelings • To be familiar with the Western culture, history, economy, politics, literature, science and technology

12. contents • 1) Outstanding people: they are heroes, ready to meet challenges and various difficulties. E.g. Ludwig van Beethoven • They believe that they will help China to prosper and become a powerful. • 2) Social evils, crimes are exposed and criticized. Blackmail

13. 3) Speeches of VIPs are selected in the book: On Hitler’s Invasion of the USSR by British Prime Minister Churchill • Inaugural Address by American president John Kennedy---“My fellow Americans ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”

14. 4) Science and technology plays an important role not only in economic development but also in people’s daily life in the West ----The Age of Miracle Chips -- Fortunately what was described in the text has already become reality today.

15. 5) Social issues are the dominating topics: The Worker as Creator or Machine, Fromm attempted a synthesis and reformulation of Freud and Marx. • 6) To expose and criticize the evils of capitalism was one of the tasks in China from early 1950s up to 1980s ---Marrakech is a piece of exposition by British essayist George Orwell

16. Conclusion: • A holistic view is needed to understand a particular culture and ideology and how culture, ideology and language interact with each other. • Good coverage and selection of topics help to serve the purpose.

17. If they could not produce a foreign language textbook without bias or prejudice, they would lead learners on the wrong track and obstacle the communication with and understanding of the people of the culture and ideology of the target language.