The Integration of Traditional Chinese Culture into the English Grammar Course in Regular Higher Education: A Practical Case Study

In the interconnected global society today, the significance of integrating traditional Chinese culture into English grammar education cannot be overstated, but it is often ignored in the practical teaching and theoretical research. Hence, this study aims to explore this integration in regular higher education to promote ideological and political education and their intercultural competence. Research questions include how traditional Chinese culture is practically integrated into the English grammar course in regular higher education and whether this integration is effectively achieved as well as what suggestions can be proposed for the future English grammar course and research. Considering this, a practical case study in the context of Xianda College of Economics and Humanities, Shanghai International Studies University in China is employed to address these questions. Twenty-nine first-year English majors, both females and males, voluntarily participate as research subjects. The specific research methods mainly involve a two-round questionnaire survey and a one-round interview. One of the conclusion is that traditional Chinese culture can be practically integrated into the English grammar course in regular education by the the strategy of “4-R”, namely “Revise Teaching Goals and Objectives, Refine Teaching Content, Revitalize Teaching Methods and Reform Teaching Evaluation”. This study focuses on adopting Chinese ancient poetry, Chinese opera, Chinese architecture, and Chinese festival customs as the main materials for traditional Chinese culture related to grammar points in this course. Moreover, based on the participants’ feedback from the second-round questionnaire survey and one-round interview, it is effectively carried out and attains the quality goals in the overall teaching syllabus to a large extent. Another conclusion is that some suggestions from students and the teacher are provided for the future English grammar course and relevant research.