SALA/
Articles/
2609005272
  • Open Access
  • Article

Constructing Sustainability in Vocational Education: A Harmonious Discourse Analysis of English Textbooks

  • Danqing Zhang 1,*,   
  • Guowen Huang 2

Received: 15 Jul 2026 | Revised: 26 Aug 2026 | Accepted: 23 Sep 2026 | Published: 09 Oct 2026

Abstract

Vocational education provides a large share of the global workforce. Its textbooks are key sites for articulating sustainability-related discourse that future professionals will need in their careers. Ecolinguistic research on educational materials has grown, yet vocational English textbooks remain underexplored, with existing studies offering little insight into broader sustainability discourse. Drawing on Harmonious Discourse Analysis (HDA), this study examines how sustainability is discursively constructed across 88 texts from two widely used vocational English textbook series. The findings are threefold: (1) thematic construction, discourses centring on “human-orientedness” predominate, followed by those on conscience and proximity, while discourse resources under regulation remain insufficient. Sustainability is discursively constructed primarily through humanistic empathy and internal self-awareness, with an emphasis on holistic literacy; (2) structural construction, both textbooks employ a dual framework of rational cognition and empathetic edification, establishing benchmarks through authoritative examples and realising value-oriented potential through individual cases. However, notable deficiencies are observed in textual representations of social-conduct guidance and normative awareness; (3) attitudinal construction, positive emotions substantially outweigh negative ones. Only the principle of conscience accommodates both positive achievement-oriented discourse and critical reflection, whereas the other dimensions lack dialectical tension. The overall discursive construction follows a progressive logic of “consciousness awakening–behavioural regulation–value identification”, yet it tends to overemphasise behavioural guidance at the expense of theoretical depth, and offers insufficient discourse on human–nature proximity. Future textbook development would benefit from a more balanced genre distribution and greater critical reflectiveness, thereby enriching sustainability-related textual representations.

References 

  • 1.

    Cao, J., & Li, Y. (2023). The construction of harmonious ecological stories in the feature news reports on the Yellow River. Foreign Languages in China, 20(3), 56–64. https://doi.org/10.13564/j.cnki.issn.1672-9382.2023.03.002. (In Chinese)

  • 2.

    Chang, H. M., & Liu, D. L. (2022). The historical evolution of English curriculum standards for higher vocational education and recommendations for implementing the new English curriculum standards. Foreign Language World, (5), 29–33. https://doi.org/10.26971/j.cnki.flw.1004-5112.2022.05.004. (In Chinese)

  • 3.

    Chang, H. M., Liu, S. Q., & Gao, X. N. (2021). Report on the development of foreign language education in higher vocational education (2009–2019). Vocational and Technical Education, 42(33), 61–65. (In Chinese)

  • 4.

    Chen, A. Q. (2022). Harmonious discourse analysis of EFL high school textbooks [Master’s thesis, Central China Normal University]. https://doi.org/10.27159/d.cnki.ghzsu.2022.001758. (In Chinese)

  • 5.

    Chen, S. J., & Wei, Z. J. (2024). A multi-modal harmonious framing analysis of constructive news: exemplified by People’s Daily coverage of catastrophic events. Foreign Languages in China, 21(3), 27–38. https://doi.org/10.13564/j.cnki.issn.1672-9382.2024.03.005. (In Chinese)

  • 6.

    Chen, S. J., & Wei, Z. J. (2025). Strategies for global communication of traditional Chinese medicine: a harmonious discourse approach. Modern Foreign Languages, 48(6), 769–780. https://doi.org/10.20071/j.cnki.xdwy.20250818.003. (In Chinese)

  • 7.

    Chen, Y., & Tian, X. (2024). Harmonious discourse analysis of featured episodes of panda from documentary Amazing China. Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, 7(6), 6–15. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJHSS.2024.070602.

  • 8.

    Fairclough, N. (2003). Analysing Discourse: Textual Analysis for Social Research. Routledge.

  • 9.

    He, A. P. (2010). Introduction to Corpus-assisted English Teaching. Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.

  • 10.

    Huang, G. W. (2016). The ecological turn in foreign language research and teaching. Foreign Languages in China, 13(5), 9–13. https://doi.org/10.13564/j.cnki.issn.1672-9382.2016.05.001. (In Chinese)

  • 11.

    Huang, G. W. (2017). One assumption and three principles of ecological analysis of discourse and behavior. Foreign Language Teaching and Research, 49(6), 880–889. (In Chinese)

  • 12.

    Huang, G. W. (2018). From eco-critical discourse analysis to harmonious discourse analysis. Foreign Languages in China, 15(4), 39–46. https://doi.org/10.13564/j.cnki.issn.1672-9382.2018.04.006. (In Chinese)

  • 13.

    Huang, G. W. (2020). An analysis of English teaching materials from the ideological-political perspective. Foreign Languages in China, 17(5), 21–29. https://doi.org/10.13564/j.cnki.issn.1672-9382.2020.05.004. (In Chinese)

  • 14.

    Huang, G. W. (2025). Thoughts on harmonious discourse analysis. Journal of Beijing International Studies University, 47(6), 1–15. (In Chinese)

  • 15.

    Huang, G. W., & Zhao, R. H. (2017). On the origins, aims, principles and methodology of eco-discourse analysis. Modern Foreign Languages, 40(5), 585–596. (In Chinese)

  • 16.

    Huang, G. W., & Zhao, R. H. (2019). What is Ecolinguistics. Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.

  • 17.

    Huang, G. W., & Zhao, R. H. (2021). Harmonious discourse analysis: approaching peoples’ problems in a Chinese context. Language Sciences, 85, 101365. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.langsci.2021.101365.

  • 18.

    Iqbal, S. & Lohar, S. A. Ecological discourse analysis of green content in English language textbooks in Pakistan. North American Academic Research, 5(11), 154–163. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7410664.

  • 19.

    Liao Y., Lu Z. (2022). Harmonious discourse analysis and its application in CCTV documentary Amazing China. International Journal of Language and Linguistics, 10(2), 157–162. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20221002.23.

  • 20.

    Liu, Y. (2024). Harmonious discourse analysis of creation myths in intangible cultural heritage texts from the perspective of transitivity: a case study of Tujia ethnic group’s “Sheba songs”. Journal of Hunan University of Science and Technology (Social Science Edition), 27(3), 161–168. https://doi.org/10.13582/j.cnki.1672-7835.2024.03.019. (In Chinese)

  • 21.

    Long, Y. Z. (2022). Harmonious discourse analysis of English textbooks for senior high school: Transitivity system perspective [Master’s thesis, Changchun Normal University]. https://doi.org/10.27709/d.cnki.gccsf.2022.000250. (In Chinese)

  • 22.

    Lu, J., & Chang, C. C. (2019). In/consistency in beneficial discourse: a harmonious discourse analysis of Honghu Water. Foreign Language Education, 40(5), 34–38. https://doi.org/10.16362/j.cnki.cn61-1023/h.2019.05.007. (In Chinese)

  • 23.

    Martin, J. R. (2004). Positive discourse analysis: Solidarity and change. Revista Canaria de Estudios Ingleses, (40), 179–200.

  • 24.

    Martin, J. R., & Rose, D. (2008). Genre Relations: Mapping Culture. Equinox.

  • 25.

    Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China. (2026, June 18). Quanguo Gaodeng Xuexiao Mingdan (National List of Higher Education Institutions). Retrieved August 24, 2026, from http://www.moe.gov.cn/jyb_xxgk/s5743/s5744/202606/t20260618_1441074.html.

  • 26.

    Peng, Z. Y. (2024). Harmonious discourse analysis of reading texts in senior high school English textbooks: a case study of REP (2019 edition) textbooks [Master’s thesis, Guangzhou University]. https://doi.org/10.27040/d.cnki.ggzdu.2024.000830. (In Chinese)

  • 27.

    Pratiwi, Y., Andayani, K., Roekhan, & Prastio, B. (2021, July 31–August 1). Environmental Themes in BIPA Textbook: Ecolinguistics Perspective [Conference session]. International Seminar on Language, Education, and Culture (ISoLEC 2021), Malang, Indonesia. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.211212.061.

  • 28.

    Shen, P., Peng, D., Zhu, A., & Xu, J. (2026). How AI social responsibility shapes consumers’ brand advocacy. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 13, 45. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-06344-z.

  • 29.

    Song, P., & Ma, H. L. (2025). A contrastive analysis of English and Chinese public environmental protection signs under the framework of harmonious discourse analysis. Journal of Beijing International Studies University, 47(4), 152–166. (In Chinese)

  • 30.

    Stibbe, A. (2015). Ecolinguistics: Language, Ecology and the Stories We Live By. Routledge.

  • 31.

    Stibbe, A. (2019). Education for sustainability and the search for new stories to live by. In J. Armon, S. Scoffham, & C. Armon (Eds.), Prioritizing Sustainability Education: A Comprehensive Approach. Routledge.

  • 32.

    Stibbe, A. (2021). Ecolinguistics: Language, Ecology and the Stories We Live By (2nd Ed.). Routledge.

  • 33.

    Sun, L., & Yang, X. Y. (2020). Harmonious discourse analysis with appraisal theory: a case study of “Top 100” online positive energy articles of 2018. Foreign Languages in China, 17(4), 43–48. https://doi.org/10.13564/j.cnki.issn.1672-9382.2020.04.006. (In Chinese)

  • 34.

    Wei, R. (2022). A comparative ecological discourse analysis of China’s image in Chinese and foreign media. Modern Foreign Languages, 45(3), 318–330. (In Chinese)

  • 35.

    Wei, Z. (2026). Ecological wisdom in Evenki narrative: harmonious discourse analysis of the last quarter of the moon. Language Sciences, 116, 101832. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.langsci.2026.101832.

  • 36.

    Wen, Q. F., & Zhang, H. (2021). The rationale for and interpretation of subject core competencies in the junior college English curriculum standard for vocational education (2021 Edition). Foreign Language World, (5), 2–9. https://doi.org/10.26971/j.cnki.flw.2021.05.001. (In Chinese)

  • 37.

    Wu, H. Y. (2025). A harmonious discourse analysis of attitude resources in Understanding Contemporary China-A Reading & Writing Course [Master’s thesis, Inner Mongolia Normal University]. https://doi.org/10.27230/d.cnki.gnmsu.2025.001408. (In Chinese)

  • 38.

    Xin, J., & Xiong, J. (2026). Exploring the “affection leading to connection” model in intercultural communication: an analysis of overseas audiences parasocial interaction of “China Travel” videos. Journalism & Communication Review, 79(3), 77–89. https://doi.org/10.14086/j.cnki.xwycbpl.2026.03.007. (In Chinese)

  • 39.

    Yasmin, M., Asif, S., Naseem, F. & Jabeen, T. (2026) Red, blue or green discourse: An Ecolinguistic analysis of educational indicators for sustainability in school textbooks in Pakistan. Sustainable Futures, 11, 101761. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sftr.2026.101761.

  • 40.

    Zeng, L., & Huang, F. (2022). Harmonious discourse analysis of nature writing from the perspective of historical context: a case study on A Sand County Almanac. Foreign Languages in China, 19(2), 32–38. https://doi.org/10.13564/j.cnki.issn.1672-9382.2022.02.001. (In Chinese)

  • 41.

    Zhang, Y. (2019). Harmonious discourse analysis of the Authorized 29 regulations for the better governing of Tibet. Journal of Xizang University (Social Science Edition), 34(4), 48–55. https://doi.org/10.16249/j.cnki.1005-5738.2019.04.007. (In Chinese)

  • 42.

    Zhao, R. H. (2025). An ecosophy for harmonious discourse analysis. Journal of Beijing International Studies, 47(6), 16–30. (In Chinese)

  • 43.

    Zhao, R. H., & Huang, G. W. (2017). Ecolinguistics and harmonious discourse analysis—an interview with Professor Huang Guowen. Contemporary Foreign Languages Studies, (4), 15–18. (In Chinese)

  • 44.

    Zhao, R. H., & Huang, G. W. (2021). The framework of harmonious discourse analysis and its application. Foreign Language Teaching and Research, 53(1), 42–53. https://doi.org/10.19923/j.cnki.fltr.2021.01.004. (In Chinese)

  • 45.

    Zhao, R. H., & Huang, G. W. (2025). Harmonious Discourse Analysis: Ecolinguistics Through Chinese Culture and Philosophy. Bloomsbury.

  • 46.

    Zhao, R., Edelenbos, J., de Jong, M., Belabas, W., & Björner, E. (2025). Challenges of implementing inclusive city policies in three European port cities. npj Urban Sustainability, 5, 47. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42949-025.

  • 47.

    Zhu, H. Q., Liu, X. Y., & Xu, J. W. (2024). A corpus-assisted discourse study of the construction of Chinese rural mage in international news discourse. Foreign Languages in China, 21(4), 50–57. https://doi.org/10.13564/j.cnki.issn.1672-9382.2024.04.006. (In Chinese)

Share this article:
Download PDF
DOI
10.53941/sala.2026.100018
Issue
Volume 1, Issue 1
How to Cite
Zhang, D., & Huang, G. (2026). Constructing Sustainability in Vocational Education: A Harmonious Discourse Analysis of English Textbooks. Studies of Applied Linguistics in Asia, 1(1), 221–236. https://doi.org/10.53941/sala.2026.100018
RIS
BibTex
Copyright & License
article copyright Image
Copyright (c) 2026 by the authors.
Article Metrics
30
Article Views
0
Citations