Female Images In Our High School Language Teaching Material Review And Reshaping

The present day sees the vigorous awareness of feminine consciousness. It has become an important topic for research in the present education realm to ensure gender equity in the education process. A large number of studies at home and abroad have showed that the gender culture included in most of the Chinese textbooks we are using favors the paternal side strongly. Based on this fact, the thesis carries out researches on the female images in both the compulsory and optional Chinese textbooks of the PEP edition.The thesis includes six chapters:Chapter one is the introduction part. After briefing the reasons and contents of this research, it reviews the previous studies on the same topic, introduces the aims and significances of the research. In addition, it also tells the research patterns and methods, the difficulties and highlights as well as the innovation of this thesis.Chapter two defines the major concepts. With the definitions of such concepts as "teaching materials","gender" and "female images", the thesis is intended to discuss the feminine external appearances in the textbooks and the internal thoughts, contents and the artistic attraction implied by the external features. First of all, teaching materials are textbooks used by teachers and students, exclusive of other auxiliary materials. Second, gender is comprised of biological gender and social gender, with emphasis on the latter, especially on gender differences formed in social cultures. Third, female images are products of the conscious filtration of the image builders, symbolizing the authors" thoughts, opinions, emotions, will and desires. Chapter three introduces the theological basis for this research, i.e. theories in women studies and feminism. Firstly, women studies think and reason the basic constituents and integral course of the existence and development of females, and reveal the principles of female behaviors in the course of human society and social progresses. Focusing on female images in Chinese textbooks, the study maintains to employ theories of feminism to study female features from the macroscopic angle and to stress the female’s particularity while conducting analysis on female images. Secondly, being a theoretic system concerning gender consciousness and social justice, feminism highlights gender equity and confirms female’s values. Traditionally, the feminism defines females as naturally mental handicapped and lack of reasoning. The thesis points out the gender stereotype existed in textbooks and carries out literary criticism on the images in textbooks from the perspective of a female.Chapter four investigates the current situation of female images in Chinese textbooks in high schools. To begin with, the study collects the female images of female authors, female characters, and the professions of the female characters in the sample articles. Statistics show that both in the compulsory and optional textbooks, females tend to be in the less important status, lacking sufficient attention. Then, female images are categorized into four kinds:the virtuous females, unfortunate females, mediocre females and rebellious females. Most of the beautiful females are emotional and sensitive; the majority of the hardworking women with traditional good qualities have bad destines; faithful women always encounter maltreatment from the feudalism culture. At the same time, there are also a small portion of glorious female images. At last, the thesis analyzes the female images in Chinese textbooks in high schools from the angles of frequency, external appearances and internal images and concludes the general situation of those female images in textbooks.Chapter five puts forward four methods to recreate female images in high school Chinese books. First, textbook editors should concern the females as well while selecting and compiling materials; second, course designers should avoid gender bias in developing courses; third, Chinese teachers must explain female images from different angles; last but not the least, females should pay attention to the improvement of social values in daily life.The last chapter, also the conclusion part, concludes the female images appeared in Chinese textbooks of high schools and points out the puzzles and thinking of the author. In a word, the reasonable and just presentation of female characters in Chinese textbooks is a topic deserving further studies.