In the Encyclopedia of China∙Education, moral education is defined as a kind of social ideology, which refers to an education in which educators exert systematic influence on educatees in an organized, planned and purposeful way based on certain social or class needs, so as to transform social ideology and morality into individual ideology and morality [2] . Professor Lu and Professor Wang defined moral education as a value-guiding activity in the New Theory of Moral Education, which refers to a systematic activity process in which educators develop the ideological, political, legal and moral qualities of the educatees through internalization and externalization in accordance with the needs of certain societies and educatees, following the laws of moral formation, adopting effective methods such as teaching by precept and example [3] .

In the broad sense of moral education, most domestic scholars agree that the content of moral education is divided into ideological education, political education, legal education, psychological education and moral education [4] . The New Curriculum English Standards put forward the requirements for moral cultivation according to the nature of English subjects. There are many ways to cultivate morality, integrating moral education into English teaching is one of the approaches. The so-called “integrating moral education into English teaching” refers to the activities of imperceptibility of ideological and moral education with moral education as the guidance, English teaching content as the basis, moral education content as the starting point, and teaching process as the foothold [5] . In this study, moral education refers to the narrow sense of moral education. In other words, moral education is a purposeful activity to promote students’ ideological and moral self-construction.

In view of school moral education, the Guidelines for Moral Education in Primary and Secondary Schools issued by the Ministry of Education clearly stipulate that primary and secondary schools should take ideal and faith education, socialist core values education, fine traditional Chinese culture education, ecological civilization education and mental health education as the main content of moral education [6] . This study focuses on the inner capacity of moral education in teaching materials, and defines it as the ability of teaching materials which can exert influence on students’ meaning, emotion, attitude and behavior of moral ethics to reflect the contents of the present images, thoughts and principles of the good moral teaching.

As a teacher’s silent partner, a school textbook is viewed as an avenue of reinforcing or canalising moral values (Widodo, 2018) [7] . It can also be a pedagogical resource for teachers to build and develop students’ moral sensitivity and behaviour (Jie & Desheng, 2004) [8] . Widodo (2018) argued that textbooks can serve as moral value carriers as they may include stories of role models and their moral behaviours (e.g. being tolerant of others) to help build children’s moral identity apart from providing subject-specific knowledge (Tse & Zhang, 2017) [9] . This suggests that textbooks can teach content, skills, and implicit and explicit values such as social norms.

In terms of the content of moral education in English textbooks, most of the internal studies focus on the development of moral education in the process of English teaching and learning. For example, Wang Mingmei pointed out that English subject textbooks contain rich content of moral education, and discussed the relevant strategies to infiltrate moral education into the class for grade 9 [10] . Wong Fei discusses how English teachers can use the moral education materials in English textbooks to carry out moral education penetration [11] . Under the guidance of education-oriented teaching style, English teaching materials for colleges and primary and secondary schools in China contain rich moral education content. Shi Shuwei defines the infiltration point of moral education in college English teaching materials, and proposes that the infiltration content of moral education in different teaching materials should be clearly marked [12] . Taking 19 English textbooks for Hong Kong’s primary and junior high schools as examples, Feng Dezheng uses the method of social semiotics to explore the specific representation and development of values in Hong Kong English textbooks [13] ; Feng Xiaoqing, Chen Bixin and Lin Hong analyze the penetration of moral education into the illustrations of primary school English textbooks by taking the human-oriented version as an example [14] . From the above analysis, the number of correlative studies on the inner capacity of English teaching materials in senior high school is relatively few. Therefore, this study aims to answer these questions: 1) What is the composition and distribution of moral education contents of English teaching materials in Chinese senior high schools? 2) What are the problems of the settings of moral content in textbooks?

It pointed out that we should adhere to the moral education first, cultivate morality, and integrate the socialist core value system into the whole process of national education. We will strengthen education on the latest achievements, ideals and beliefs of Marxism in China, as well as moral education, and guide students to form a correct world outlook, outlook on life, and values.

The Senior High School English Curriculum Standards points out that the thematic subject of English subject courses contains “human and self, human and society, human and nature” and involving humanities, social sciences and natural science contents which provides topic and context for discipline education. It also emphasize the comprehensive cultivation of students’ language ability, cultural awareness, thinking quality and learning capacity and the development of the core quality of English, which is characterized by the integration of instrumental and humanistic characteristics [15] .

This study will take the moral education requirements of high school and the Implementation Manual of Moral Education for Primary and Secondary Schools as the reference basis, combine the above analysis dimensions with the actual contents of the high school English textbooks for human education edition, and determine the specific items presented in the content composition of moral education for senior high school English textbooks (see Table 1).

With the comprehensive curriculum standard and the above reference content, this study preliminarily establishes the details of moral education content as follows (See Table 2):

According to Table 3, we can see that there are 16 units in the three compulsory textbooks, 81.25% of which are related to moral education. Among them, the units of Book 1, Book 2 and Book 3 involving moral education account for 83.33%, 80.00% and 80.00%. Although the distribution is uneven, the overall number is quite large, which is worthy of recognition.

It can be concluded from Table 2 that the elements of moral education in three English textbooks are mainly embodied in excellent traditional culture, accounting for 46.2%. While socialist core values and ideals and beliefs account for the least, only 7.7% which are only reflected in one textbook. Next came mental health education and Ecological civilization education, taking up 23.1% and 15.3%, respectively. Moral education in the new era is not only about teaching students how to behave in the traditional sense, but also integrating the characteristics of English teaching and learning into language appreciation and cultural confidence, as well as the cultivation of thinking quality and scientific spirit. In conclusion, it can be seen that the infiltration of moral education in English studies is multi-dimensional.

It is said that it can be concluded from Table 4 that the elements of moral education in three English textbooks are mainly embodied in fine traditional culture, accounting for 46.2%. While socialist core values and ideals and beliefs account for the least, only 7.7% which are only reflected in one textbook. Next came Mental health education and Ecological civilization education, taking up 23.1% and 15.3%, respectively. The proportion of outstanding traditional culture involved is the largest, close to half, indicating that the selection of materials in the teaching materials lay emphasis on culture and other topics close to students’ daily life. The proportion of mental health education is 23.1%, which also needs to be improved, because contemporary students are facing more and more psychological problems.

It can be seen that the three compulsory textbooks all have the relevant contents of teaching excellent traditional culture. Taking “Cultural heritage” in (Unit 1, Book 2) as an example (See Figure 1), this unit focuses on the protection of cultural heritage, describing the history and current situation of Chinese and foreign cultural heritage, the problems faced, and the corresponding solutions. On the opening page, two children sit side by side on the steps of the Great Wall, looking at the Great Wall. This picture implies that the protection of cultural heritage should start from a small age, starting from young people, both down-to-earth and future-oriented. Through learning this unit, students can feel the charm of traditional culture and further enhance their understanding of intangible culture, which can enhance students’ sense of identity with excellent traditional culture.

The education of socialist core values is an important part of ideological and moral education. But only Book 3 has anything to do with core socialist values. It can be seen that the education of socialist core values is not paid enough attention to. Therefore, English textbooks should elaborately choose topics which keep up with society. It aims at guiding students to spread Chinese culture and helping students to establish three values especially the socialist core values.

Take reading and thinking part in (Unit 2, Book 3) as an example (See Figure 2, Figure 3), from illustrations and after-school activities, the teacher guide the students to cooperate to explore and summarize the choices that guided Lin Qiaozhi’s major choices, and concluded that life rules guide a person to make choices, and their choices create themselves, helping students to shape a positive outlook on life, world view and values.

Both Book1 and Book 2 have contents related to ecological civilization education. Taking “Wildlife protection” (Unit 2, Book 2) as an example (see Figure 4), in the reading for writing section, the teacher first asks students to read the content of the article, and then outputs it through writing, so as to improve students’

awareness of protecting animals and caring for nature, deepen their understanding of animal protection and the environment. Through this, students can do what they can for the protection of nature and better know how to live in harmony with nature.

Everyone is subject to stress and pressure at one time or another. While students at all grade levels may face pressure in their studies, this pressure is often greater for senior high school students, who face the additional tasks of academic pressure and complex relationships. The number of students with mental illnesses has increased in recent years, which calls for the strengthening of the psychological health education of students.

Take the “Teenage life” (Unit 1, Book 1) as an example (see Figure 5), this unit focuses on the life of teenagers. Under the theme of “Man and self”, it discusses the situation and problems faced by Chinese and foreign teenagers in learning, extracurricular activities, hobbies and interpersonal communication. The theme picture shows teenagers flying kites, which means that teenagers should cherish their youth, become positive, fly their hopes and dreams, and

firmly believe that the future is in their own hands. The introduction to this unit is a famous saying by Aristotle “Good habits formed at youth make all the difference.” If students form good living habits in their youth, they can benefit lifelong time.

The content of textbooks is a reflection of the times. Although the new English textbook (2023 edition) is the latest edition, the moral education elements in the selected texts are not very relevant to the current society. For example, the sports stars presented in the textbooks are Lang Ping, Michale Jordan, and space hero Yang Liwei. It is undeniable that they are the representatives of Chinese characters, but they are the Chinese characters in the memory of students ten years ago or even earlier. And today’s post-00s generation cannot resonates emotionally with them, instead they know more stars like Su Bingtian, Quan Hongchan,

Wang Yaping and others. At the same time, textbooks lack moral materials that reflect China’s achievements in the new era. For example, Huang Wenxiu, who sacrificed for building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way and achieving the victory of poverty alleviation; Fan Kexin, a Chinese short-track speed skater who overcame many difficulties in the Beijing Winter Olympics and struggled with injuries; Medical staff, police, community workers and so on who are working on the front line to win the victory against the epidemic in the Covid-19 period time. The Times are changing rapidly, there are an endless stream of Chinese representatives, and more and more moral elements reflecting socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. It is of great importance for students to truly experience the characters and advanced culture of the new era.

The elements that reflect China in textbooks should include Chinese history and culture, Chinese scenic spots and China’s achievements in the new era. Many scholars find that there exists the phenomenon of Chinese culture aphasia in English education, which means Chinese students can smoothly communicate with foreigners as to foreign culture, but it is of great difficulty for them to introduce and spread Chinese culture in English (Cong, 2000) [16] . The frequency of “cultural exchanges” in texts, illustrations and exercises in textbooks is relatively high. And the content of Chinese and Western customs, language and cultural heritage is relatively simple, especially the introduction of Chinese content lacks depth, which can neither let Western friends feel the scenic spots and cultural charm of China, nor truly make students become the disseminators of Chinese voices. China’s achievements in the new era are also rarely reflected in textbooks, which rarely reflect China’s participation in international affairs and promote a community of shared future for mankind. Consequently, it cannot create more conditions for students to stand on the Chinese side and express Chinese stories. In a nutshell, telling Chinese stories well in English, strengthening cultural self-confidence, and promoting national identity are the objective needs of national development.

The socialist core values and ideals and beliefs account for the least, only 7.7% which are only reflected in one textbook. What textbooks reflect is always the mainstream values of society and represents the fundamental interests of the country. The content of moral education in textbooks is mainly the explanation of collective consciousness, the macroscopic spiritual construction, and the communication of social culture. However, the precious wealth needed in the new era, that is, the moral education element embodied in the socialist core values, also needs to be paid attention to, and the systematic and balanced content of moral education in textbooks needs to be improved. The dissemination of social consciousness also lacks of depth. There are a large number of articles introducing Chinese culture and landscape ideology in textbooks, but there is a lack of argumentative articles, such as in-depth discussion of social consciousness and discussion of a certain social focus issue. At last, this may give rise to the absence of students’ dialectical thinking.

Through analysis, it can be found that the content of the textbook is still relatively old. Such as “Natural disasters” (Book 1 Unit 4), the article introduces the Tangshan earthquake, Tangshan earthquake occurred in 1976, which is far away from students so students may feel strange and unfamiliar. With the continuous development, textbook editors had better choose major events that have happened in recent years as the content of their textbooks, such as fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, fighting floods, the 70th anniversary of the founding of New China, etc., Therefore, that students can get inspiration from these events, learn good quality, and establish a correct view of the three aspects. Moreover, choose some contemporary young people are familiar with the figures for education, such as Yuan Longping, Zhong Nanshan, et al., These topics can better arouse students’ interest, let students approach the role model, understand the essence of the spirit, learn from the role model, and form a good moral character.

Through the analysis, it can be found that the material selection of the textbook is not comprehensive enough, only the content of the compulsory three related to socialist core values. Therefore, textbook editors should publicize more comprehensively, so the content should be involved, and the distribution ratio should be reasonable and balanced. The content of teaching materials and moral education can be related to history, culture, art, economy and other aspects, which reflect the excellent cultural traditions and moral norms formed by different countries and peoples in the history development. It also reflects the new civilization formed during the development of the society. In order to optimize the content and comparison of English teaching materials, the author should comprehensively evaluate the subject quality of English learning, the rules of students’ moral development, the internal and international background and the ideological and political education requirements in China.

Under the background of ideological and political thinking in the classroom, first, English teachers should assume the responsibility to promote interdisciplinary teaching, and cannot take the moral education of students as the teaching task of ideological and political teachers; Second, integrate English teaching with curriculum ideology and politics organically, and consider what kind of thoughts we should pass on to promote the construction of classroom ideology and politics according to the characteristics of English subjects. Third, make clear the humanities attributes of English, teach students how to be human, and help students establish the correct three views; Fourth, we should thoroughly sort out the teaching content of English subjects, be good at digging moral education elements in textbooks, and integrate moral education elements into the curriculum, so as to achieve the silent teaching effect and improve students’ humanistic quality. Fifth, we should not only pay attention to the teaching of knowledge and ability training, but also focus on the cultivation of value of students, and the classroom teaching is beneficial for helping students from the correct three views.