Modern Children's English (Eighth Grade)

Author: Liu Jinghe
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2001-04-01
Features: Modern Children's English is a textbook series designed for primary school students starting from the third grade. It was commissioned by the Curriculum and Textbook Research Center of the State Education Commission in 1990 for primary schools in open cities. In 1991, under the leadership of Comrade Cai Zengchao, training classes were organized at the Youth Exchange Center of China-Japan to begin experimental teaching, which has been carried out in various regions ever since. The series consists of eight volumes, with one volume used per semester. The books do not require color printing, allowing students to color them themselves and take good care of the books. The origin of compiling this series can be traced back 30 years. At that time, to conduct foreign language learning experiments in several key primary schools, we had previously compiled some textbooks. The principle of "listening first" was still a highly debated issue. The ideas and approaches that emerged from that time formed the foundation for this textbook series. Experienced Chinese and foreign English teachers participated in the writing of this book, and it was overseen by an expert psychologist with a strong command of English. The purpose of this approach had two aspects: first, to strive to make the book as suitable as possible for the age characteristics of upper and middle primary school students and the inherent patterns of the English language; second, to gradually enhance students' learning abilities and skills as they learn English. The goal of teaching students "how to learn" was shifted to the concept of "teaching students to learn how to learn," which is also a significant change. "Learning how to learn" involves understanding the whole before grasping the individual, summarizing patterns from the individual, and then using these patterns to build upon existing knowledge to achieve broader understanding. For example, in the spelling and pronunciation section of each lesson, we arranged vocabulary in this way. The vocabulary is organized by familiar words to introduce a series of new words with similar sounds, allowing students to gradually learn to pronounce, recognize, and spell words. In today's era of ever-increasing knowledge, learning English, like learning other subjects, is endless. Only by teaching students the methods of learning can they benefit infinitely. The principle of compiling this textbook series is first to focus on the knowledge system of the English language while incorporating moral education and personal cultivation. For instance, in the Cold and Gold lesson of the second volume, the concept of economic inequality is subtly introduced while learning pronunciation. Second, it emphasizes intellectual development by combining English learning with preliminary dialectical and logical thinking training. For example, logical thinking exercises are included in dialogues starting from the third and fourth volumes. Third, it aims to cultivate practical abilities by linking English learning with understanding foreign culture, customs, and social practices to facilitate real-life communication. For example, listening exercises on foreign songs and poems by famous figures are included after each volume. Fourth, it seeks to spark interest by incorporating activities such as games, riddles, and jokes in each volume, guiding students to participate, experience language intuition, and cultivate their character, thereby learning knowledge in a lively and engaging manner through activities and application. This textbook series places new demands on teachers. To address this, we have compiled a companion Teaching Reference, with each volume accompanied by audio cassettes recorded by British and American experts. We hope teachers will make full use of these resources. We welcome more teachers to join us in this endeavor and also welcome criticism and suggestions from experts, peers, and educators from all walks of life. During the compilation process, we referred to textbooks from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Hong Kong, China. Comrade Yin Xiaoyan participated in the work during the revision. During the trial teaching, Comrade Xia Ganliang, the English curriculum specialist of the Xuanwu District Branch of the Beijing Institute of Education, along with teachers from various schools, provided feedback. In the experimental and promotional efforts, Comrade Cai Zengchao, Zhang Jiatang, a researcher at the Institute of Psychology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhao Suying, Liu Xueqin, and Li Guang from the China-Japan Youth Exchange Center offered significant assistance. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all of them!