A CLT-Based ‘The Fun of Children’s Language in China’ Thematic Teaching Design for Primary School English: Guided by the OBE Model

Abstract

This paper addresses the current situation in primary English teaching where linguistic form is prioritised over cultural output. Grounded in the instructional design of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) and the methodology of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), it explores how to construct a ‘Children's Language, China's Charm’ cultural thematic teaching framework. By analysing CLT's authenticity principles, task-based activities, and children's cognitive characteristics, it proposes a three-dimensional cultural content framework (material, behavioural, and spiritual culture) alongside localised CLT activity templates, including role-play and information gap tasks. Using the ‘Panda's Birthday Party’ theme as an example, it demonstrates how cultural symbols such as longevity noodle customs can be integrated into language teaching objectives, while designing a multimodal assessment system to track pupils' cultural output capabilities. Findings indicate that OBE-guided top-down reverse instructional design effectively enhances children's resilience in cultural transmission with notable pedagogical outcomes, provided the principle of ‘simplification without distortion’ is upheld. The study concludes by elucidating the practical value of child-friendly cultural dissemination in strengthening cultural confidence.