Influences of the Cultural Revolution on Chinese literacy instruction.

This chapter focuses on Chinese literacy education during the Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976. During this time period, political content was heavily integrated into the teaching of Chinese language and literacy, as well as all other school subjects. The authors refer to Chinese Communist Party documents that influenced Chinese literacy education and examine changes to literacy instruction and the functions of literacy during these years. Reading materials used for Chinese literacy instruction are explored, including editorials and lead articles from three influential media publications (i.e., Two Newspapers and One Magazine), Big Character Posters, Mao Zedong’s Little Red Book, and new Chinese literacy textbooks developed by local textbook writing groups. The authors also discuss the effects of the Down to the Countryside Movement and factory training programs on the spread of literacy