Exploring Moral Values in English Coursebooks for University Students in China

Abstract

This article examines the representation of moral values in textbooks designed for adult learners of English as a foreign language in China. Guiding the analysis is a view of critical pedagogy. Content analysis is employed to analyze the following questions: What moral values are embedded in the textbooks for university EFL students? Do the coursebooks contribute to developing cultural awareness both of the target culture and of the learner’s? Is the treatment of moral values in those textbooks adequate to develop students’ critical thinking? The study concludes that coursebooks are imbued with moral and cultural values, which may be explored by teachers who could create opportunities to cultivate students’ critical thinking.