Promoting the formation of environmental awareness in children: the representation of nature in Chinese language textbooks

Abstract The main purpose of this study is to investigate the integration of environmental education into language education. Drawing inspiration from Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), our focus lies on examining the kinds of participants in material processes in texts carefully chosen from a collection of widely utilized primary school Chinese language textbooks. We pay particular attention to the power and activity hierarchy of participants, to understand how these texts represent nature and the interconnections between fundamental elements in nature. Our findings reveal that these textbooks, through age-appropriate content, are deliberately crafted to instill environmental knowledge in young learners, nurture their ecological awareness and inspire actions aimed at safeguarding the delicate ecosystems that sustain all life forms.