From Curriculum Design to Identity Formation: The Practical Dilemmas and Innovative Practices of Intercultural Education in Chinese International Schools

Abstract

This study examines the practical challenges encountered by international schools in China within the framework of intercultural education. The findings reveal significant deficiencies in the effectiveness of current educational practices, which are often excessively commercialized. This trend inevitably results in an overemphasis on academic achievement, while neglecting the essential development of students’ intercultural adaptability. The root of this issue can be attributed to several structural factors, including a lack of intrinsic motivation among students, a systemic shortage of teaching resources, the absence of professional evaluation mechanisms, and a weak consensus across the industry. Theoretically, effective intercultural adaptation should focus on “intercultural identity,” emphasizing integration rather than the assimilation of one's original cultural identity. The research identifies that certain innovative practices, particularly those employing project-based learning models, have successfully guided students in actively constructing their cultural identities, facilitating a transformation from superficial awareness to profound identification. These experiences hold the potential for replication. Future educational initiatives should transcend the logic of commercialization and adopt a systemic design centered on identity integration, with the goal of cultivating students as culturally grounded communicative bridges.