Open Collections

New English : a study of the editorial documents of a Chinese-British joint EFL textbook project

University of British Columbia

New English is a series of textbooks co-published by the British and Chinese for Chinese students in primary and secondary schools. To explore conflicts and negotiations between the British writers and Chinese editors, the present study examines revisions and corrections based on the editorial work of Book 5 for senior secondary students in the textbook series. In light of a literature review on issues of varieties of English, standard English, China English, and a significant connection between textbook content and context, the present thesis focuses on analyses of revisions and corrections concerning content and language. Relevant findings illustrate (1) how revisions and corrections were carried out to ensure contextual connections between the textbook and targeted students and their learning; (2) how Chinese editors’ understandings of accuracy were related to traits of nativization of English words in the Chinese context; and (3) how Chinese editors tried to maintain a standard use of English by following traditional grammar and official standards for textbook publication in China. The study highlights the efforts of the Chinese editors to achieve local educational objectives, the pragmatic function of English to serve the needs of local learners, and a growing exonormative model of English.

Thesis/Dissertation

application/pdf

2009-08-05

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/11760

Teaching English as a Second Language

University of British Columbia

UBCV

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/