Abstract:

The fact that textbook development is a matter of national sovereignty means that textbooks must embody national consciousness; however, there is currently little practical research on how to integrate this consciousness into the textbook compilation process. Taking college English textbooks as samples and drawing on a theoretical framework for embedding national consciousness in foreign-language textbooks, the paper dissects the pathways and characteristics of such integration. This study finds that national consciousness runs through the entire process of college English textbook development: the compilation philosophy is organically combined with curriculum-based ideological and political education; the content builds a tripartite discourse system of “cognition, emotion, behavior”; the tasks adopt a step-by-step design of “situation creation, practical application, value guidance”; and national consciousness elements are presented in a multimodal way, featuring symbolism, dialogism, orientation and interaction. These findings can serve as a methodological reference for future development of foreign-language textbooks.

Key words: national consciousness, college English textbook, textbook development, paths and characteristics