Cross-Cultural Adaptation Theory: Its Role in English Education Poverty Alleviation Along the BRI

Abstract

Against the backdrop of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) promoting in-depth educational and cultural exchanges among participating countries, English education, as a core vehicle for cross-cultural communication, faces various challenges in its poverty alleviation efforts. These challenges include uneven distribution of educational resources, insufficient teaching capacity, ineffective pedagogical outcomes, and inadequate cultural adaptation. Grounded in the concept of international cooperation under socialism with Chinese characteristics, this study constructs a three-dimensional analytical framework integrating "Cross-Cultural Adaptation Theory—Socialist International Cooperation Theory—Educational Poverty Alleviation Theory." Employing literature review and case analysis methods, it systematically explores how to apply cross-cultural adaptation theory to assist in English education poverty alleviation practices. By analyzing the existing foundations and core challenges of English education in BRI countries, and drawing on relevant cases such as China-Thailand cooperation, the study summarizes four key pathways: cultural integration, teaching optimization, systematic curriculum construction, and resource optimization and empowerment. The research indicates that cross-cultural adaptation theory aligns well with the principles of "mutual benefit and win-win cooperation" and the "community with a shared future for mankind," effectively enhancing the inclusion and effectiveness of educational poverty alleviation. Future efforts should further leverage institutional strengths, deepen the "university-government-enterprise-local community" collaborative mechanism, and optimize practical pathways by integrating the cultural characteristics and development needs of different countries, thereby contributing Chinese wisdom to promoting educational equity within the BRI framework and the global cause of educational poverty alleviation.