中英教育对比论文.doc

The Culture Difference Reflected in Students Code of Chinese And American Elementary and Middle SchoolHao ZihangA thesis submitted to Foreign Languages Departmentin partial fulfillment of the requirementfor the degree of Bachelor of ArtsUnder the supervision ofLecturer Guo ZhiyongHuake College, Taiyuan University of Science and TechnologyMay 2013Acknowledgements Foremost among those to whom I remain deeply indebted is my supervisor, Guo Zhiyong, without whose inspiring instructions, kind support and constant encouragement, this paper would have been impossible. I thank him for his respectable strict attitude towards study, which deeply impressed me during the supervision of this paper and will go on influencing me in my future study, work and life. I especially appreciate his assistance in my selection of the topic of the thesis, sorting of thoughts, searching for references and revising my thesis. I thank the teachers in the Foreign Languages Department for their instruction and devotion, which made my staying here fruitful and rewarding. My thanks should also go to all the authors, editors and contributors of the reference articles, books and websites cited in my thesis, without whose efforts, this thesis wouldnt be complete. And at this moment, I want to thank my parents who always provide me encouragement all these years. I am deeply indebted to them for their whole-hearted support during my writing this paper. ContentsAbstract.i摘 要.ii1.Introduction.12. Culture and Culture difference.13. Reflection of cultural differences between China and America in Studentscode.33.1 Differences in ways of thinking in China and America.33.1.1 Chinas way of thinking to focus on integration.33.1.2 Americas way of thinking to focus on individual.43.2 Hierarchy of precedence difference.43.2.1 The authoritative thought from parents and teachers in China.43.2.2 The equal thought between children and parents in America.53.3 Patriotism education difference.53.3.1 Chinese patriotic education focus on socialism and collectivism.53.3.2 American patriotic education focus on capitalism and individual.64. Causes of the culture difference64.1 Difference in economic system.64.1.1 Cultivation culture of China.64.1.2 Industrial civilization of America.7 4.2 Religious Diversity.8 4.2.1 Confucian civilization in China.8 4.2.2 Renaissance Humanism in America.94.3 Social system.105. Enlightenment to Chinese Education.105.1 Paying attention to the individual .105.2 The code setting according to the requirement of age.115.3 The balance of urban and rural education development126. Conclusion.13ReferencesAbstract：Culture is a hot topic in academic studies both at home and abroad, which is studied by scholars in different perspectives such as history, anthropology, sociology and culture. Culture difference is an important factor hindering education and cultural communication. Culture difference saves different indicators and there are different causes, such as peoples mindsets, hierarchies, differences in education and other aspects. This paper penetrates the culture differences in the Elementary and Middle Students Code of Chinese and American. The paper discusses culture difference reflected in students codes and analyzes the reasons that lead to the culture difference, such as economic system, faith and social system etc. Then the writer make a conclusion to the phenomenon，see through the appearance to perceive the essence and project some suggestion for the Chinese education. All this in order to deepen publics awareness of culture difference, and promote intercultural communication and accelerate the reform of educational model as well.Key words：Culture difference Individualism Elementary and Middle Students Code of Chinese and Americanii摘 要：文化是国内外学术界研究的一个热门话题，学者们从历史学、人类学、社会学等不同角度对文化进行了研究。文化差异是制约教育和文化交流的重要因素之一。文化差异有着不同的指标，有不同的原因造成了人们的思维模式、等级观念、教育方式等方面的差异。本文从文化差异的视角深入比较了中美中小学生守则，并分析了造成这种差异的原因，如，经济制度，信仰和社会制度的差异等。本文作者对这个现象做出了一些总结，希望透过现象可以看到本质的实物，从而对中国的教育提出了一些建议。通着这一切来加深人们对中西文化差异的认识，促进跨文化交际以及教育模式的改革。关键词：文化差异 个人主义 中美中小学生守则 iii1. IntroductionIn March, 2011, it is popular that a graphic named the comparison of students code between Chinese and American through micro-blog, which causes the discussions from netizens. Behind this phenomenon, the fact is that the culture between China and America is different. Research shows that different living environments, historical contexts and other factors led to the culture difference that is an important factor to limiting language teaching and culture exchange. Since the 80s of the last century, more attention is paid to English teaching with a view of culture difference in China, for example the introduction of culture difference and their causes are studied to guide English teaching and cultural exchange. Needless to say, acquiring more knowledge of culture differences is very useful. This article analyses students code for Chinese and American Pupils and Middle School with the perspective of culture differences, then we should pay more attention to the students development. 2. Culture and Culture difference Culture is a very broad concept and it is difficult to make a strict and precise definition, for which many philosophers, sociologists, anthropologists, historians and linguists have worked trying to make a definition for culture from their respective disciplines. Up to now, however, there still is not an exact definition. To speak in general terms, culture is an integrated concept of human knowledge, belief and behavior, which is a result of the human capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations. It thus consists of language, idea, belief, custom, taboo, code, institution, tool, technique, work of art, ritual, ceremony and symbol. It plays a crucial role in human evolution, allowing human beings to adapt the environment to their own purposes rather than depend solely on natural to achieve success. Every human society has its own particular culture or sociocultural system. Variation among cultures is attributable to such factors as differing physical habitats and resources; the range of possibilities in areas such as language, ritual, and social organization; and historical phenomena such as the development of links with other cultures. Culture difference refers to different responses or expressions made by people belong to two or more geographical areas or nations when it comes to the similar thing or one same object. In 1965, Geert founded the personnel research department of IBM Europe. Between 1967 and 1973, he executed a large survey study regarding national values differences across the worldwide subsidiaries of this multinational corporation. He compared the answers of 117,000 IBM matched employees samples on the same attitude survey in different countries. He first focused his research on the 40 largest countries and then extended it to 50 countries and 3 regions. Geert Hofstedes theory of cultural dimensions describes the effects of a societys culture on the values of its members, and how these values relate to behavior, using a structure derived from factor analysis. This initial analysis identified systematic differences in national cultures on five primary dimensions: power distance index (PDI), individualism (IDV), uncertainty avoidance index (UAI) and masculinity (MAS), Long term orientation (LTO), which are described below. Power distance index (PDI):“Power distance is the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions (like the family) accept and expect that power is distributed unequally.” Cultures that endorse low power distance expect and accept power relations that are more consultative or democratic. In high power distance countries, less powerful accept power relations that are more autocratic and paternalistic. Subordinates acknowledge the power of others simply based on where they are situated in certain formal, hierarchical positions. As such, the power distance index Hofstede defines does not reflect an objective difference in power distribution, but rather the way people perceive power differences.（http:/www.geerthofstede.nl/index） Individualism (IDV) vs. collectivism: “The degree to which individuals are integrated into groups”. In individualistic societies, the stress is putted on personal achievements and individual rights. People are expected to stand up for themselves and their immediate family, and to choose their own affiliations. In contrast, in collectivist societies, individuals act predominantly as members of a lifelong and cohesive group or organization (note: “The word collectivism in this sense has no political meaning: it refers to the group, not to the state”). People have large extended families, which are used as a protection in exchange for unquestioning loyalty.（http:/www.geerthofstede.nl/index） Uncertainty avoidance index (UAI): “a societys tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity”. It reflects the extent to which members of a society attempt to cope with anxiety by minimizing uncertainty. People in cultures with high uncertainty avoidance tend to be more emotional. They try to minimize the occurrence of unknown and unusual circumstances and to proceed with careful changes step by step by planning and by implementing rules, laws and regulations. In contrast, low uncertainty avoidance cultures accept and feel comfortable in unstructured situations or changeable environments and try to have as few rules as possible. People in these cultures tend to be more pragmatic and they are more tolerant of change.（http:/www.geerthofstede.nl/index） Masculinity (MAS) vs. femininity: “The distribution of emotional roles between the genders”. Masculine cultures values are competitiveness, assertiveness, materialism, ambition and power, whereas feminine cultures place more value on relationships and quality of life. In masculine cultures, the differences between gender roles are more dramatic and less fluid than in feminine cultures where men and women have the same values emphasizing modesty and caring. As a result of the taboo on sexuality in many cultures, particularly masculine ones, and because of the obvious gender generalizations implied by Hofstedes terminology, this dimension is often renamed by users of Hofstedes work to Quantity of Life vs. Quality of Life.（http:/www.geerthofstede.nl/index） Long term orientation (LTO) vs. short term orientation: First called “Confucian dynamism”, it describes societies time horizon. Long term oriented societies attach more importance to the future. They foster pragmatic values oriented towards rewards, including persistence, saving and capacity for adaptation. In short term oriented societies, values promoted are related to the past and the present, including steadiness, respect for tradition, preservation of ones face, reciprocation and fulfilling social obligations.（http:/www.geerthofstede.nl/index） Culture differences reflected in peoples mindsets, values, customs and traditions, as well as other aspects of the work, for which tiny places can deeply reflect culture differences. So, it is a good example to analyses of the primary and secondary school students code between China and America.3. Reflection of cultural differences between China and America in students code3.1 Differences in ways of thinking in China and America3.1.1 Chinas way of thinking to focus on integration According to a scholarly study, due to the influence of traditional culture, Chinese and American form respectively the habit of “Eastern focuses on synthetic thinking, and Western on analysis”. Integrated thinking sees various scattered parts of an object or concept as an entirety and analytical thinking tends to put a whole into smaller parts. Chinese thinking is monolithic and abstract, and the people are good at grasping the whole thing, which is explained by a good example, Traditional Chinese Medical Science that bases on yin-yang and the five element theory. They are metal, wood, water, fire and earth. Human body is regarded as an aggregation of essence, energy and spirit and Traditional Chinese Medical Science believed that the human body is a living macrocosm. It criticizes the treatment that not paying attention to overall. In addition to, Chinese are used to express the concept intangibly.3.1.2 Americas way of thinking to focus on individual The other way round, occidental thinking focus on specific aspects and they are more willing to deal with the problem from local, such as doctor of Western medicine treats the symptoms but not the disease. Different from the Chinese language, westerners prefer to talk things clear and simply. This difference is reflected in the two versions of Students Code of China and America, such the former puts “1. 热爱祖国，热爱人民，热爱中国共产党(love homeland, the people and CPC）10. 热爱大自然，爱护生活环境 ( love the nature, cherish surroundings of living)” The latter states “All assignments you hand in must be your own work；Students must bring a note for a parent explaining any absence or tardiness; If you expect to be away from school because of an emergency, tell your teacher in advance and ask for the work you will miss; when you are absent, you must make up the work you have missed. Ask either the teacher or a classmate for the work.（/d182413868.htm） In addition, the attitude of Chinese on the law and regulations is “遵守法律法规，增强法律意识(comply with law, strengthen legal sense.)”, while United States version indicates specific requirements, “The only acceptable excuse for absence is personal illness, a death in the family, or a religious holiday. It is illegal to stay home from school for any other.” （/d182413868.htm）The former does not tell the students how to do and the latter provisions very clearly.3.2 Hierarchy of precedence difference3.2.1 The authoritative thought from parents and teachers in ChinaThe Tradition of Filial Piety and Seniority Rules is rooted in the mind of Chinese people ineradicably, such as parents are absolute authority in a children eyes as well as the teachers in students eyes, which full perform in a skit people often used. It is said, the Tang General Xue Rengui battled when his wife was pregnant and he returned in glory to his old home after 18 years. On the way back, he just saw several young men compete shooting eagles, with a handsome young soldier owning great archery, which made General Xue jealous, then they made a tournament. Sine General Xues archery is slight inferior, under the angry, he shot the sword toward the young man who is Xues son and never has a meet with father, but all of those General Xue did not know. In this story, the young man was killed because he offended two commandments of the Chinese traditional culture, the first is he didnt recognize his own father, even though, he should honor and know how to respect the elderly; Second, he was guilty of a crime of disobedience for blatantly challenging to the general of the Imperial Court, which breaks up order of three cardinal guides. Therefore, Chinese students are taught at an early age to respect the teachers and be modest to others and there is a strict hierarchy between teachers and students, between younger and elders, such as in classroom, Chinese students are required to sit straight, listen to the teacher and take notes carefully. 3.2.2 The equal thought between children and parents in AmericaIn this contrast, the legend of Oedipus patricide in ancient Greece is admired because the Western culture pursues individual freedom. In America, people advocate an equal relationship between parents and children，and parents cannot override children rights. It is true that in the West, the students are also asked to respect and be polite to teachers, but there is not a strict hierarchy and the idea of equality is promoted, for instance, students can sit and answer the teachers questions, submit your own question or argue with the teacher impassioned in the classroom to express their views. This difference respectively are as follows,“7. 孝敬父母，尊敬师长，礼貌待人(give presents to elders, respect teacher and love friend)” and “4. You may speak to the teacher from your desk while you are seated; And always refer to teacher by title and last name.”（/d182413868.htm）3.3 Patriotism education difference3.3.1 Chinese patriotic education focus on socialism and collectivism Patriotic education in China focuses mainly on collectivism and socialism education, and it is the combination of patriotism, collectivism and socialism education. China is a socialist country and our patriotic education stresses that love the socialist system. China places extra emphasis on the use of political means that patriotism as a platform for citizens moral construction is the primary requirement. The patriotism