Innovative Practice of Chinese Language Teaching in Macau Junior Middle Schools from the Perspective of Cultural Symbis

Chen Jianhua  【Macau】

Abstract:

This article, based on the unique context of "the blending of Chinese and Western cultures" in Macau proposes a "cultural symbiosis" teaching model with the guidance of the "Basic Law on the System of Non-Tertiary Education" and the "Framework for the Cur of Formal Education in the Local System". By integrating three paths: the integration of historical urban area resources, comparative Portuguese literature, and interdisciplinary art penetration, this article explores localization strategy for cultivating core literacy of Chinese language. Specifically, the historical urban area resources include the use of Macau's historical buildings, museums, and cultural festivals, so that students can feel the integration of multiculturalism in field investigations; comparative Portuguese literature enhances students' language understanding and expression ability through the comparison of literary works from Portugal and other Portuguesespeaking countries; interdisciplinary art penetration combines Chinese language learning with art forms such as music and fine arts, stimulating students' creativity and aesthetic ability. The research, combined with the practice of 8 Macau middle schools, verifies the feasibility of this model in enhancing cultural identity and the effectiveness of language application. The results show that students have made significant progress in understanding, language use, and cross-cultural communication.

Keywords: Macau Chinese language education, cultural symbiosis, interdisciplinary teaching, local resources, junior middle Chinese language

Ⅰ. The particularity of Macau's Chinese language education and the need for innovation

(1) Teaching challenges in a multicultural background

Macaus textbooks have long been based on Hong Kong versions (such as the "Chinese Language" five-year curriculum), which lack the adaptability of local culture. The survey shows

87% of the selected texts in the textbooks do not involve Macau topics

63% of the students think that Chinese language classes are weakly related to their own livesSince Macau is a place where multiculturalism converges, its unique background of the integration of Chinese and Western cultures poses higher requirements for Chinese language education. The traditional content of the often fails to fully reflect the local history, culture, and daily life of Macau, resulting in students feeling disconnected from real life during the learning process.

In addition, Mac's education system is influenced by various factors, including historical legacy issues, social changes, and international exchanges, all of which make Chinese language education need to be continuously innovated and to meet the actual needs and cultural backgrounds of local students.

In order to better meet the educational needs of Macau students, some scholars suggest increasing more literary works and cultural with Macau characteristics in Chinese language textbooks, such as the historical stories of Macau, local legends, traditional festivals, and modern social development, so as to enhance students' interest learning and sense of cultural identity.

At the same time, teachers also need to receive relevant training to improve their understanding of local culture and teaching ability, so that they can more integrate these contents into daily teaching and help students establish a closer cultural connection and identity.

(2) Transformation Opportunities under Policy Orientation

The Outline of the Development Planning for the Guang-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area clearly mandates "deepening the education of Chinese excellent traditional culture," which includes strengthening the teaching in the fields of history, literature art, etc., to promote students' in-depth understanding and inheritance of the essence of Chinese culture. At the same time, schools are encouraged to carry out a variety of activities, such as traditional festivals celebration, cultural lectures, and art exhibitions, to enrich students' cultural experience.

The "Course Reform Guidelines" of the Macao Education and Youth also emphasize "building cultural confidence and cross-cultural communication ability," aiming to cultivate citizens with a global vision and local identity. Specific measures include the introduction of multicultural courses to exchanges and understanding among students from different cultural backgrounds and the organization of international exchange programs to provide students with opportunities to experience different cultural environments firsthand and enhance their cross-cultural communication.

II. In-Depth Exploration of the "Cultural Symbiosis" Chinese Language Teaching Model

(1) Multidimensional Expansion of the Theoretical

The "Cultural Symbiosis" model is supported by two cores: cultural semiotics (Lotman's cultural text theory) and intercultural adaptation theoryBerry's two-dimensional model). In the context of Macao, it is necessary to focus on solving three types of tensions:

Tension of cultural subjectivity: the foundation of Chinese culture (such as the belief in Mazu, traditional festivals, etc.) and the influence of Portuguese culture (such as the literature of the native Portuguese, architectural style, etc.) to ensure the equal status of the two cultures in education.

Tension of linguistic power: coordinating the dominant position of Chinese language teaching (as the teaching language) with the particularity of Portuguese as an official language (used in government documents, laws, and some educational fields) to promote the harmonious coexistence of both languages a bilingual environment.

Tension of educational goals: integrating the inheritance of traditional culture (such as Confucianism, calligraphy art, etc.) with cultivation of cross-cultural civic literacy in the Greater Bay Area (such as multicultural understanding, international vision, etc.) to cultivate students with a global consciousness and local identity.

(2) Fine-grained Design of Implementation Paths

(a)In-Depth Pedagogical Utilization of Historical City Resources

Symbol interpretation framework:

Example: The teaching module of the Ruins of St. Paul's Cathedral

Example: The Ruins of St. Paul's Teaching Module

✸Superficial Symbol Decoding: juxtaposition of Baroque architectural style and Eastern relief sculpture. The Ruins of St. Paul's integrate the splendid decorations of European Baroque architecture and the carvings of Eastern art, showcasing the blending and collision of Eastern and Western cultures. The Baroque style is known for its complex geometric patterns, rich sculptures, and dramatic lighting, while Eastern relief sculptures often feature mythological stories, historical events, and natural landscapes. The combination of the two on the ruins reflects the aesthetic value of cross-cultural dialogue.

✱Middle-level Meaning Analysis: The cultural translation strategy of the inscribed Analects Latin translation on the gate. The Ruins of St. Paul's arescribed with the Latin translation of the Analects, a cultural phenomenon that reflects the historical role of Macau as a bridge for cultural exchanges between China and the West. By Confucian classics into Western languages, it not only showcases the international influence of Chinese culture but also promotes understanding and communication between different civilizations. This cultural translation strategy embodies for the original text and understanding of the target audience, and it is an important practice in cross-cultural communication.

✱Deep-level Value Reconstruction: Guide students to "New St. Paul's Narratives" to reconstruct collective memory. In the teaching process, students are encouraged to create new narrative works based on the historical background and personal of the Ruins of St. Paul's. This not only helps deepen their understanding of cultural heritage but also stimulates their creativity and critical thinking. By reconstructing collective, students can explore the relationship between personal identity and social history, thus forming a richer and more diverse sense of cultural identity.

Intergenerational Resources Activation: Jointly the "Oral History Workshop" with the Macau Archives to collect life linguistic data from groups such as fishermen and Portuguese-descend families, generating the "Macauialect Map Collection". Through cooperation with the Macau Archives, we organized a dedicated Oral History Workshop aimed at deeply mining and recording the life experiences and cultural memories of differentational groups. These groups include but are not limited to the fishing community and the Portuguese-descend families with a long history. In the workshop, participants shared their unique language habits traditional customs, and anecdotes from daily life. These precious linguistic data not only enriched our research database but also provided detailed basic data for the "Macau Dialect Map Collection. This map collection will showcase the diversity of Macau dialects and the cultural backgrounds behind them, helping readers better understand the formation and development of Macau's multiculturalism

(b) The Upgrade Matrix for Comparative Teaching of Portuguese Literature

(C) A Three-dimensional Model of Interdisciplinary Artistic Penetration

Drama Fusion:

apting "Thunderstorm" into "The Storm of the Macao River", integrating the improvisational tradition of Patuá theater, skillfully combining classic literature with culture. The stage setting adopts a retro style, recreating the bustling streets and ancient architecture of Macao in the 20th century, allowing the audience to feel as they are in that era full of historical charm.

Zhou Puyuan → Portuguese Business Owner: The character of Zhou Puyuan is reimagined as a Portuguese, dressed in a well-tailored suit with a delicate pocket watch, exuding a strong colonial atmosphere. His words and deeds reveal an obsessive pursuit of power and wealth, also showing respect for traditional culture.

Fang Yi → Daughter of a Chinese Comprador: Fang Yi is the daughter of a Chinese comprador, dressed in gorgeous traditional cheongsam, with a delicate hair accessory, and her eyes reveal complex emotions. Her character is both strong and fragile, struggling between tradition and modernity under the pressure family and society.

Through role conflict to imply the ethnic economic relations of 20th-century Macao: The contradictions between Zhou Puyuan and Fangi in the play not only reflect the entanglements of personal emotions but also profoundly reveal the economic relations between different ethnic groups in the society of Macao at that time. The businessman represents the strong foreign capital, while the Chinese comprador symbolizes the dependence and resistance of local resources. This conflict is advanced layer by layer through delicate dialogues, fiercearrels, and subtle eye contact, allowing the audience to feel the thickness of history and the urgency of reality.

Math-Chinese Integration:

Using the business documents of Z Guanying's "Prosperous Dangers" as material, calculate the ratio of import and export cargo values in late-Qing Macao. First, it necessary to extract relevant business documents from "Prosperous Dangers", which detail the trade situation of Macao in the late Qing Dynasty, including the types,, and values of imported and exported goods. By analyzing this data, one can calculate the ratio of import and export cargo values in Macao in different years or during specific periods.The specific steps are as follows:

a. Collect and organize the business documents in "Prosperous Dangers" to ensure the integrity and accuracy of the data.

b. Categorize each document, distinguish between imported and exported goods, and record their values.

c. Calculate the total import value and total export value for each year or period

d. Calculate the ratio of import and export cargo values through the formula (Export Value / Import Value).

e. Use statistical software or charting tools to visualize the results into a "Visualized Chart of Historical and Cultural Data", which intuitively shows the trade dynamics of late-Qing Macao.

When drawing the "Visualized of Historical and Cultural Data", you can choose from various forms such as line charts, bar charts, or pie charts, choosing the most appropriate representation method according to the characteristics of data. For example, using a line chart can clearly show the changing trend of the import and export cargo value ratio; using a bar chart can intuitively compare the import and export value ratio of different years. Through these charts, one can gain a deeper understanding of the economic situation of late-Qing Macao and its position in international trade.

III. In-Depth Expansion of Innovative Teaching Practice Cases - Reconstruction of "Classic Talks" inau

(a) Four-Stage Deepening of Curriculum Design

Title: "Classic Talks" Macau Localized Teaching Full Cycle

1. Cultural Dec (4 weeks)

Cultural Heritage Evidence: 30% → Investigate the Christian Cemetery inscription and the "Book of Songs" funeral poems comparison, explore the similarities differences between Chinese and Western cultures in funeral customs, and how these cultural elements blend in the historical context of Macau through the analysis of the inscriptions on tombstones and the funeral in the "Book of Songs".

Linguistic Archaeology: 20% → Analyze the classical Chinese phonetic notation in Matteo Ricci's " Marvels of the Western Text", study how Matteo Ricci introduced the Western phonetic system into China and explained it through classical Chinese phonetic notation, and reveal the influence this process on the cultural exchange between China and the West.

2. Symbiotic Creation (6 weeks)

Cross-Medium Narrative: 25 → Adapt "Zhuangzi's Free and Easy Wandering" into a Luan On Black Beach Sand Painting Play, use the art of sand painting to express the thoughts of "Zhuangzi's Free and Easy Wandering", and create a visual and auditory combined art experience by combining the unique geographical environment of Luan On Black.

Community Curating: 25% → Hold an immersive exhibition "Macau in the Classics" in Dajia Modoi of Coloane, present the books in Macau's history and the stories behind them through multimedia displays, interactive devices and other forms, and let the audience feel Macau's cultural heritage in an immersive environment.

(b) Multi-Dimensional Verification of Teaching Effectiveness

1. Qualitative Analysis of Cultural Identity

Collect students' "Macau Cultural Genome Map assignments (N=152 copies), keywords show:

The Ruins of St. Paul (87%) is one of the most representative landmarks in Macau, for its unique Portuguese style architecture. Egg tarts (76%) are the specialty desserts of Macau, which are loved by tourists. The native song (62%) integrates musical elements of Portuguese and Chinese cultures, showing the characteristics of Macau's diverse culture. The A-Ma Temple (59%) is an ancient Buddhist temple, reflecting the diversity of Macau.

2. Quantitative Tracking of Capacity Development

Use the Cultural Competence Dynamic Assessment Scale (CCDAS) for three measurements:

IV. Reflections on Teaching and the Construction of a Sustainable Development System

(a) Establishing a "Chinese Resources Chart."

The aim is to integrate and display a systematic approach to various resources related to Chinese language learning. Specifically, the coordinates of important cultural landmarks and institutions such as Old City of Macau, museums, and the Portuguese bookstore for Chinese language teaching will be mapped to better utilize these rich cultural resources for Chinese language education. At the same time, "Macau Cultural Reader" is developed as a school-based textbook, covering various aspects of Macau's history, culture, and language characteristics. The goal is to enhance' Chinese language literacy and cultural understanding through vivid and specific cases and activities. This textbook not only includes written descriptions but also comes with pictures, maps, audio, and other forms enhance the interest and interactivity of learning, enabling students to understand Macau's unique culture while improving their Chinese language application skills.

Intelligent Upgrade of the Resources Chart Developing "AR Time Travel" Geographic Information System:

Spatial Dimension: Mark the Chinese language teaching coordinates of 126 cultural landmarks in the entire Macau, famous scenic spots such as the Ruins of St. Paul's, the A-Ma Temple, and the Rua da Carioca, each of which is attached with introductions and historical backgrounds.

Temporal Dimension: Integrate digital archives such as the 1849 manuscript of "Macau Annals" through high-definition and digitization to ensure that each precious document is presented in the best state. At the same time, add voice explanation and interactive question-and-answer functions to enhance the learning.

Application Scenario: Scan the pavement pattern in front of the Municipal Chamber, automatically push the relevant sections of "Macau Bamboo Verse," and users can instantly vivid animation demonstrations, listen to the melodious ancient music, and seem to be immersed in the cultural atmosphere of that era.

(b) Reconstructing the Evaluation SystemThe reconstruction of the evaluation system aims to more comprehensively assess students' comprehensive quality and abilities. First, introduce the "Cultural Understanding Rubric," which details the different levels students' performance in cultural understanding, including basic cognition, in-depth analysis, critical thinking, and creative application. Through this rubric, teachers can more specifically evaluate students understanding and respect for multiculturalism, and promote cross-cultural exchanges and cooperation.

Three-dimensional Evaluation System:

Secondly, additional community cultural service practice credits are introduced to encourage students to actively participate in community cultural activities service projects. These practical activities include not only traditional festivals celebration and cultural heritage protection but also diverse forms such as community art creation, cultural lectures, and international exchanges. Through these handson practices, students can not only deepen their understanding of local and global cultures but also cultivate a sense of social responsibility and teamwork, further enhancing their comprehensive quality.

(C) Mechanized Breakthrough of Teacher Collaboration

Launch "Double-Master Courses" with the Department of Portuguese and the Cultural Research Institute of the University of Macau, such the "Macanese Portuguese Literature Workshop". This course aims to delve into the literary works of Macanese Portuguese, integrating language learning with cultural research to provide students with a understanding of the historical background, social changes, and unique cultural expressions of Macanese Portuguese. The course content covers the origins, development, major writers, and representative works ofanese Portuguese literature and helps students master relevant knowledge and enhance critical thinking skills through special lectures, text analysis, and interactive discussions. In addition, the course will also invite renowned scholars writers to teach on-site, providing valuable learning resources and exchange opportunities to further enrich students' academic horizons and practical experience.

Parents' Cultural Guided Tour Program: Trainanese Portuguese parents to tell family oral history and develop the "My Mixed-Blood Childhood" school-based textbook. Through this program, Macanese Portuguese parents receive professional training to learn how to effectively tell the history and cultural background of their families, especially their unique mixed-blood childhood experiences. These oral histories not only enrich students' but also help them understand the integration and inheritance of multiculturalism. Meanwhile, the development of the "My Mixed-Blood Childhood" school-based textbook aims to students with a platform for in-depth understanding of Macanese Portuguese culture and history, with the book containing rich pictures, stories, and interactive activities to make the learning process more and interesting.

References:

[1]Macao Education and Youth Affairs Bureau. "Framework of Curriculum for Formal Education in the Local System" [R]. Mac: Government Printing Bureau, 2022: 15-18.

[2]Wu Zhiliang, Tang Kaijian. "Mac Chronicle" [M]. Guangzhou: People's Publishing House of Guangdong, 2009: Volume Four, Chapter Seven.

[3] Guanding. "On the Special Issues of Chinese Education in Macao" [J]. "Macao Journal of Linguistics", 2020(2 33-37.

[4]Cruz, A. R. Portuguese Literature in an Asian Context [M]. Macau: Fundação Mac, 2023: 89-102.

[5]Zhu Ziqing. "Talks of the Classics" [M] Beijing: Zhonghua Book Company, 2018.

[6]Zhang Longying. "Pathways for Cross-Disciplinary Teaching Design of Chinese Language in Junior School" [J]. "Chinese Language Construction", 2023(11): 62-65.

[7]Macao Cultural Affairs. "Macao World Heritage Monitoring Report" [Z]. Internal document for the year 2024.

[8]Macao Education and Youth Affairs Bureau.Framework of Curriculum for Formal Education in the Local System" [R]. Macau: Government Printing Bureau, 2022: 15-18