Research on the Integration of International Understanding Education into Junior High School English Reading: A Cultural and Pedagogical Exploration of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

In the context of global education reform, cultivating intercultural competence and international understanding is becoming a key aim of English language education. This study explores how Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, a classic British literary work, can be integrated into junior high school English reading instruction to support the development of students’ global awareness and cross-cultural communication competence. Drawing on UNESCO’s framework for Global Citizenship Education and Byram’s model of intercultural communicative competence, the study constructs a three-dimensional analytical framework including cultural element identification, cross-cultural comparison, and instructional design. Through close reading and cultural interpretation of selected scenes, the study proposes task-based learning strategies that embed language acquisition within meaningful intercultural experiences. The findings suggest that literature-based reading instruction not only enhances students’ language proficiency but also serves as a powerful platform for developing critical thinking, empathy, and international understanding. While the study is limited to one literary text and conceptual design, it offers practical insights and a foundation for further empirical research on the integration of classic literature and global education in English language classrooms.