Thinking On Reforming The Compiling Style Of "Literature-selection-moded" Chinese Textbooks

“Literature-selection-moded” Chinese Textbooks has been playing a dominant rolein the history of Chinese textbooks. However, with the history development and thedeepened reform of Chinese-language education, some shortcomings of“literature-selection-moded” Chinese Textbooks caused by compiling style aregradually revealed. Hence, it is urgent to innovate the compiling style of Chinesetextbooks.In history,“literature-selection-moded” Chinese Textbooks has gone through fourmajor stages, namely the reformation of old-fashioned literary selection, theexploration of Unit, the comprehensive complication, and the module project.Undoubtedly, its long-term and wide use has proved the reasonability of“literature-selection-moded” Chinese Textbooks, but the increasing related problemsgradually emerge. Actually, it has been questioned on its scientific nature since the1980s, regarding four aspects:“closeness”,“unteachableness”,“vagueness”, and“randomness”.Through examining some parts of “literature-selection-moded” Chinese Textbooksin America and Britain, we are provided with a lot of beneficial and enlighteningideas on textbook reform. It is found that their textbooks emphasize more onassociation with the actual life and center on language practice and skill training.Besides, they add a great deal of procedural knowledge in help-reading system andexercise system. All these features on compiling style are of much significance to ourreform of Chinese textbooks.With regard to how to innovate the compiling style of “literature-selection-moded”Chinese textbooks, we should think it over in three aspects-epistemology, curriculumtheory, and psychology. Epistemologically speaking, knowledge is the foundation ofskill. Anderson puts knowledge into two categories, ie. descriptive knowledge andprocedural knowledge. In the current Chinese textbooks, the former knowledge is scattered and the latter is greatly short. Therefore,“literature-selection-moded”Chinese textbooks, except for selecting literary works, need adding a large amount ofdescriptive and procedural knowledge to help students with their Chinese-languageskills and ability. In the aspect of curriculum theory, to clarify the textbook content isnot equal to make the course content definite. That means selecting literary works isnot equal to the course content. It is necessary to identify different selections.Moreover, the course content as well as the textbook content should be organized inaccordance with a clear focus. Meanwhile, the same focus is used to logicallyorganize the different systems of the textbooks. Finally psychologically speaking,according to Bruner’s Cognitive Discovery Theory and Ausubel’s CognitiveAssimilation Theory as well as the concept of Advance Organizer and Meta-cognition,three issues should be cautioned in textbook compiling style. Firstly, the organizationof the textbook content is to promote students’ meaningful learning and to convey thegood cognitive structure. Secondly, the textbook should design some contents relatedto advance organizer so as to urge students to study Chinese. Thirdly, the textbookshould provide students with some meta-cognitive strategies in order to train andimprove students’ cognitive skills.As a comprehensive practice course, Chinese is composed of various elementsbased on practical language-loaded works, and articles are the best language practice.Hence, the “literature-selection-moded” Chinese textbook is still the best alternativefor Chinese textbook. Meanwhile, its reform is a must due to its existing problems. Itsreform plan is as follows: the reformed Chinese textbook centers on students’ Chineseskills with knowledge as Framework, selected works as Body, and language practiceas Base Point. Methods and strategies of learning Chinese are penetrated throughoutthe whole textbook and the four systems including text system, knowledge system,help-reading system and exercise system are matched with each other. In a word, thereformed Chinese textbook is rich in content, highlighted in key points, and clear insequence.