The Application of Dewey’s “Education as Life” in Senior High School English Reading Teaching

Under the General Senior High School English Curriculum Standard (2017 Edi-tion, 2020 Revised), educators are required to select reading materials that en-compass a diverse array of authentic texts. John Dewey’s concept of “Education as Life” advocates that education should be closely connected with life. Never-theless, at this juncture, some senior high school English reading classrooms still lack authenticity and remain detached from students’ lived experiences. This paper begins by elucidating the content of Dewey’s concept of “Education as Life.” It then assesses the feasibility of integrating this concept with senior high school English reading teaching. Finally, it takes the reading text The Freshman Challenge from Unit 1 of the 2019 New Edition Senior High School English Textbook (Compulsory Book 1) published by People’s Education Press (PEP), as the case to elaborate the specific strategies of Dewey’s “Education as Life” in senior high school English reading teaching. The application of Dewey’s concept of “Education as Life” in senior high school English reading teaching can facili-tate students’ comprehensive integration of language learning and real-life ex-periences, while also enhancing their practical utilization of language and abil-ity to adapt to society.