Teaching In Thailand Research Articles

A NARATIVE INQUIRY INTO TEACHING EXPERIENCES: CHALLENGES TEACHING STRATEGY IN NARATHIWAT THAILAND

This study aims to discover the experiences of 2 English teachers regarding challenges and how to deal with them who do not have a background in English education at Witthayathan Islamic School. The method used was narrative inquiry with qualitative research method. Data were obtained through structured interviews with two participant teachers. The results of the analysis showed two themes in the stories told by the two teachers, namely the challenges of teachers when teaching in Thailand, such as teachers who are not English graduates, differences in language structure, and lack of student motivation when learning, as well as teachers' strategies in teaching English by using varied methods such as memorizing ten vocabulary, playing games, reading and speaking exercises to improve students' abilities.

‘To generate or stop generating response’: Exploring EFL teachers’ perspectives on ChatGPT in English language teaching in Thailand

ABSTRACT The present research explores the perspectives of English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers at a Thai university regarding ChatGPT as a language teaching tool. Seventeen EFL teachers completed an online interview survey, while three of these teachers engaged in a subsequent individual interview in person. Utilising a qualitative descriptive research paradigm, the results indicate that the participants exhibited positive attitudes towards ChatGPT and acknowledged its diverse applications, including lesson preparation and language activity creation. The participants also highlighted the limitations of ChatGPT, particularly in its dependability, trustworthiness, and capacity to promote excessive student dependence. This study makes a valuable contribution to the extant literature by illuminating the potential benefits and drawbacks of utilising ChatGPT in language education.

ESP Teachers: Insights, Challenges and Needs in the EFL Context

This research investigated ESP teachers’ perceptions of the underlying concepts, challenges, and needs of ESP teaching in Thailand. A six-Likert questionnaire and checklist were given to 63 ESP teachers at a Thai government university. An interview was also used to further explore 12 teacher participants’ issues, challenges, and needs in ESP practices. The results indicated that Thai university teachers had a piecemeal understanding of ESP concepts, and they also agreed that ESP practice is a complex and challenging task. Moreover, the current findings indicate that language teachers must work in tandem with the content teachers. Indeed, the results strongly suggest that teachers require professional training in ESP teaching. Overall, ESP teachers must embody the five essential elements of ESP, including a language teacher, a content teacher, a researcher, a course planner and material provider, and a course evaluator.

Digital Storytelling and Intercultural Communicative Competence through English as a Foreign Language for Multilingual Learners

In the age of rapid growth in technology, language education policies in the education system must proceed with a progressive and inclusive vision. Intercultural communicative competence (ICC) is also integral for language learners to avoid miscommunication and become knowledgeable of individuals with a myriad of ethnicities and beliefs. This study aims to examine the method of incorporating ICC with digital storytelling in English as a foreign language (EFL) class to promote inclusivity among multilingual students through an extensive literature review and reflection on English teaching in Thailand. The components and assessment of ICC, as well as the implementation of digital storytelling will also be discussed. Learning through multimedia production and intercultural stories can enhance the English skills of multilingual students when the teaching methodology is aligned with the geographical and cultural bedrock of language learners. Project-based instruction such as interviews, culture logs, and presentations representing both Western and local cultures are recommended to evaluate the English speaking skills of students.

TESOL Teachers’ Professional Identity Construction in Emergency Remote Teaching in Thailand

TESOL Teachers’ Professional Identity Construction in Emergency Remote Teaching in Thailand

K-12 teachers conducting remote teaching in Thailand during the pandemic: The strategies, challenges and future directions

This paper reports on a case study that examined the challenges faced and strategies adopted by Thai teachers when remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. It further provides a comprehensive strategy for addressing the ongoing global pandemic in terms of education. We used a mixed methods design to collect both quantitative and qualitative data from K-12 Thai teachers (N = 235) and performed 42 semi-structured interviews. The results indicated that most Thai teachers have the necessary knowledge to design suitable content for remote teaching. However, they must further develop their administration and leadership skills. The main challenges and strategies for Thai teachers remain in the areas of student motivation, assessment, and classroom management. Furthermore, ranking from high to low, Thai teachers preferred face-to-face instruction, blended/hybrid instruction and hyflex among different instructional delivery modalities. We conclude the paper by discussing possible alternative instructional delivery modalities and their implications for K-12 remote learning and instruction.

Flipping the Undergraduate Classroom to Develop Student Analytical Thinking Skills

In Thailand, analytical thinking skills (ATS) have been identified as an essential element in the development of a 21st-century workforce. Moreover, due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the concern for student health and safety, the Thai Ministry of Education has stated that online education will become part of the New Normal in education. Therefore, it has become imperative that the most effective methods and mechanisms be found for online teaching in Thailand. Therefore, the authors investigated which factors increase Thai student ATS by flipping the classroom environment and using digital storytelling and inquiry-based learning (IBL). Therefore, this research aims to develop and evaluate the LIFD ATS instruction model to study the proposed effects of the ATS instruction model. A mixed research methodology was employed. The mean, standard deviation, and t-test were used to analyze the data. From the qualitative review, an initial learning model was developed and subsequently examined by a panel of eight education experts. After that, 40 students became the study's experimental group for the revised model. The results showed that the results of the expert assessment of the learning environment model using a flipped classroom combined with IBL and digital storytelling to promote ATS and academic achievement had appropriateness at the highest level. The evaluation of the student results using the ATS model identified four significant results. These were: 1) Post-test after the student's use of the ATS model determined their ATS abilities were higher than before the class. 2) Student learning achievement, innovation, and ICT skills increased as an outcome of the ATS model’s use. 3) The comparison of academic achievement after study of the students who studied with the format was 83.33%, higher than the specified 80% criteria and previously established assumptions. 4) The evaluation results of the model’s effectiveness determined that the learning effectiveness index (EI) of the learners was 0.6666 and the EI of the ATS was 0.6966, which was higher than 0.50, thus meeting the specified criteria. The study contributes to the knowledge concerning student ATS and these skills’ importance to a 21st century knowledge worker. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2022-06-04-06 Full Text: PDF

Self-Efficacy of Chinese Language Teachers in a Private Tutoring Institution

This study aimed to examine Chinese language teachers’ self-efficacy and cultural dimension levels in a private tutoring educational institution in Bangkok, Thailand. A concurrent mixed-method design was applied in the study by quantitative results from 20 Chinese language teachers and qualitative interview findings of 14 participants (four teachers, six students, and four parents). The 9-point Likert scale instrument used in the study was based on Tschannen-Moran et al. (2001) teachers’ self-efficacy scale (TSES) and additional questions about cultural dimension derived from GLOBE research’s theory on culture and leadership. The study provided important insights into foreign language teachers’ self-efficacy when teaching in Thailand. More importantly, it addressed the issues faced by Chinese private tutoring institutions in Thailand and increased awareness for school leaders to improve their school’s management and interaction with parents. The questionnaire and interview findings indicated that Chinese language teachers in the selected institution had high self-efficacy and cultural dimension levels. However, interviews with the parents showed additional concerns for school leaders.

TPACK in Practice: EFL Pre-service Teachers on Integrating Technology during Online Teaching in Thailand

Before the COVID-19 Pandemic, teaching activities were usually done directly at school, now it had to be done virtually. It also impacts teachers and students, who must use technology during learning activities to get maximum results. Likewise, pre-service teachers who carry out teaching activities in Thailand must choose the appropriate technology for them as a learning medium. Therefore, this study explores how EFL pre-service teachers integrate technology for online learning activities and their views on students when integrating technology during teaching-learning activities. The qualitative case study was used in this research, using observation, interviews, and document analysis as the instrument to collect data. Two students in the 5th semester from the English department participated in an internship held from June to March 2021. The results are participants have recognized and used various kinds of technology that are usually used in learning activities. The use of videos, and PowerPoint are the most frequently used by participants because of the ease of use, which impact students’ understanding positively on the material being taught and become more active in class. Moreover, the various technologies used in teaching and learning activities can make it easier for teachers to find and deliver learning materials.

(Re)Contextualizing English language teaching in Thailand to address racialized and ‘Othered’ inequities in ELT

ABSTRACT ‘Race applied to human beings is a political division: it is a system of governing people that classifies them into a social hierarchy based on invented biological demarcations’ (Roberts, 2011, p. x). Foregrounding our racialized histories, we show how our lives intersect in a doctoral seminar in Thailand. Combining traditional academic structures and collaborative autoethnography, we describe the context and share our stories. Using intersectionality and raciolinguistics as theoretical lenses, we argue that in Thailand, and throughout Asia, culture/ethnicity and class are often proxies for race or color, and as a result English language teaching (ELT) reflects institutions that fail to challenge the hegemonies of whiteness, Europeanism and Americanism, and English. To contextualize ELT and our role in it, we overview Thailand’s racialized/colorized past and present, linking this to globalization and thirst for English. Our stories provide a framework for discussing our racialized selves and let us get to the culture of race in Thailand and ELT. What emerges is our advocacy for using critical pedagogies in ELT that reflects the contextual realities of teachers’ and students’, their ethno-racial and socio-cultural identities, and as well, their socio-historic lives. (188 words)

The Training Mode of Local Chinese Language Teachers in Thailand: An Exploratory Analysis

The provision of Chinese language teaching in Thailand has rapidly increased over the period. After analyzing a survey of 60 local Chinese teachers based in Thailand, we find that teachers are primarily focused on improving their teaching methodology and classroom management skills, and their own general awareness of Chinese history and culture. In seeking to meet their training needs and enable them to resolve difficulties they encounter when teaching Chinese as a world language in Thailand, we establish a new and progressive QCLIF training mode and apply it to training practice. QCLIF is an abbreviation taken from the first letters of ‘question-oriented’; ‘case-study-based’; ‘learning and teaching’; ‘input and Output’; and ‘flipped classroom’. The QCLIF training mode is taken from the standards and requirements of world language education in various countries, and the actual demands of local world language teachers. It adopts flipped classrooms to deepen the understanding that teachers have of target languages and related cultures. It also improves the creativity, occupational quality and overall professional knowledge of Chinese language teachers. New teachers also gain experience and develop through multi-dimensional training that enhances knowledge and develops teaching methodologies related to culture, intercultural communication and target languages. Training also helps to establish an on-line country-specific workshop for Chinese language teachers that provides sustainable support to their vocational development. All training practices prove that the QCLIF mode, when based on the actual demand of local Chinese language teachers in Thailand, can effectively improve teachers’ teaching ability and related professional qualities. In addition, the online workshop that brings together local Chinese language teachers from different schools and regions in Thailand further promotes sharing and exchange between teachers, and plays an active role in the benefits obtained from learning, sustainable support and teaching. It has also recorded a 90 percent satisfaction level.

A Study of Communicative Strategies of Thai and Filipino Teachers of English

There are many non-native English language teachers communicating with each other on a daily basis in English. The communicative strategies of non-native English language teachers can be easily identified. This study investigated the communicative strategies used by Thai and Filipino teachers. This research focused on the teacher’s interaction, the framework of communicative strategies of ASEAN English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) speaker, and the lack of studies in communicative strategies. In addition, the study aimed to investigate the significant relationship and communicative strategies between intercultural teaching personnel. The population sample consisted of Thai and Filipinos teachers who provide classroom instruction in English. The research tools used to collect data included a questionnaire, observations during two pair speaking tasks, and a Jigsaw task. A stimulated recall interview was performed after the tasks. All conversations and interactions were recorded and then transcribed. The results revealed that as listeners, “Listen to the message” was ranked the highest among the communicative strategies used by both the Thai and Filipino teachers. “Non-verbal language” was ranked the highest for the Thai teachers; while, “Persuasion” was most frequently used by the Filipino teachers. A Chi-square test showed that there was a statistically significant relationship between communicative strategies used by the Thai and Filipino teachers. Based on the findings of the study, communicative strategies identified in this study should be incorporated into English curriculums and English language teaching in Thailand. Educators, teachers, and non-native English learners should adopt these communicative strategies to promote mutual understandings in the ELF context.

A Case Study on the Pattern of Classroom Discourse in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language

Based on the IRF (initiation, response, and feedback) classroom discourse structure model proposed by Sinclair and Coulthard, this research analyzes and studies the actual corpus of Chinese classroom teaching in Thailand, focusing on the structural model of teacher-student communication discourse, mainly from two aspects of teachers’ feedback. On the one hand, it investigates whether IRF is fully applicable to Chinese classroom teaching and whether there are special situations to it. On the other hand, it attempts to summarize the discourse structure model of Chinese classroom teaching and explores the application of the research results in helping Chinese teachers improve their teaching quality in hope that constructive suggestions can be proposed for teaching Chinese as a foreign language.

Role of the CEFR and English Teaching in Thailand: A Case Study of Rajabhat Universities

In 2016, Thai Ministry of Education (MOE) has announced the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages or the CEFR (Council of Europe, 2001) as a guideline for teachers in primary and secondary schools. This has inevitably affected Rajabhat Universities (RUs) in the country that have major roles and responsibilities in producing pre-service English teachers. This paper presents the results of an investigation of English teachers’ perceptions at Rajabhat universities in Bangkok and suburban areas. Participants were 67 teachers in total. A mixed-methods approach was employed for data collection. Research tools are a set of questionnaire and an individual semi-structured interview. An interview was conducted with 6 teachers in 6 RUs, each was purposively selected. Data analysis employed frequency, means, and standard deviation, while Grounded theory (Strauss & Corbin, 1999) was used for interview data analysis. Findings indicate the participants mostly agreed with the MOE’s launching the CEFR policy and reflected they could apply the CEFR as a guideline in teaching and learning management. However, data from the in-depth interview revealed both advantages and disadvantages of the CEFR. This study might be a kind of mirror for policy makers and practitioners at both policy and classroom pedagogy levels who advocate the CEFR policy in Thailand.

Lessons Learned: A Comparative Study about the Perceived Satisfaction of Emergency Remote Teaching in Thailand

The sudden shift from physical classroom education towards emergency remote teaching (ERT) in higher education during the unprecedented global pandemic caused an abrupt change in the learning environment for students and educators alike. The disruptive overnight change and conversion of entire courses to emergency remote teaching caused concern for not only educators, but also students that had little time to adapt to the new circumstances. While the embedment of technologies in the classroom is not a new concept, this quantitative research expands a case study that sought to examine the perceived satisfaction of undergraduate students with the emerging paradigm of ERT. Responses (n=669) based on empirical data as well as secondary data were analyzed to conclude that, in particular, younger freshmen students struggled more with online emergency remote teaching than their older peers. Furthermore, the study identified numerous similarities between both data samples. The current research informs educators about student perceptions and preferences during these extraordinary circumstances of uncertain duration. Furthermore, the paper concludes with recommendations that aim to provide institutions and educators with practical guidance on how to tackle the outlined issues.

PREPARATION PROGRAM FOR ENHANCING COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING ABILITY

English language teaching in Thailand has shifted the paradigm to implement the Communicative Language Teaching approach and focus on who is expected to understand and be able to create activities for them. Although the English teaching practicum provides an internship for all pre-service teachers, it is found that they lack sophisticated professional knowledge and skills. Pre-service teachers have anxiety about “how” and “what” to teach, the communicative language teaching activity for supporting students' communication. The Faculty of Education is aimed to train pre-service teachers before teaching in the real context. Preparation programs can prepare pre-service teachers to develop their knowledge and skills of teaching and learn how to competently apply these in the teaching practicum by teacher training. The purpose of this study is to investigate how to enhance pre-service teachers’ communicative language teaching ability through a designed three-day preparation program for teaching practicum. This qualitative research employed self-reflection to collect the data. Twelve pre-service teachers were selected to participate through purposive sampling. The data were analyzed by using content analysis as the coding technique for grounded theory. The results from the training session phases showed seven topics: confidence, speaking ability awareness, CLT classroom activities, awareness on learners’ language abilities, error tolerance, accuracy and fluency, and grammar discovery. In conclusion, the designated three-day program enhanced pre-service teachers' CLT regarding their knowledge and awareness of how to apply CLT to their future teaching practicum rather than gaining tangibly improved CLT performance. However, future study, such as on monitoring the pre-service teachers' teaching at the real professional context, i.e., during teaching practicum, is highly suggested to seek empirical evidence of their CLT ability.

The Construction of Ideological Subjects: Siamese Students in Anna Leonowens’ English Classroom

ABSTRACTThe history of English language teaching in Thailand is recorded in Anna Leonowens’ Orientalist text. In 1862, Leonowens came to Siam to work as an English teacher for King Mongkut’s children. She retired from her teaching position and left the country in 1867. Leonowens wrote an account of her experience in Siam, publishing it under the title The English Governess at the Siamese Court in 1870. Similar to other Orientalist texts about the East, Leonowens’ story of Siam is imbued with the Orientalist representation of the Orient. Siamese students are described as benighted Orientals who, under the English teacher’s guidance, are transformed into noble savages. The transformation process is reflected in the author’s depiction of her English classroom as a contested site of conflict between Siamese and Western ideologies, which finally gives way to the triumph of Western ideology. The purpose of this article is to explore how Leonowens’ Orientalist representation powerfully constructs Siamese students as ideological subjects. Although Leonowens’ text is set in nineteenth century Siam, it can be used as a metaphor to make understandable Thai students’ internalisation of Western ideology that gains their consent and directs their mind to the West.

Current policy and practice concerning multigrade teaching in Thailand

This study explored current policy and practice concerning multigrade teaching (MGT) and proposed policy options for improving the quality of MGT in Thailand. The study consisted of: 1) a review of policy documents and research about MGT; and 2) a qualitative study collecting data through classroom observations, individual interviews, and focus group discussions in four small schools with best practice in MGT. The qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that there was no national policy on MGT in Thailand. MGT existed only as one strategy to improve the education quality of small schools. There was some MGT training for in-service teachers, but no MGT course for pre-service teachers. The teachers, school administrators, school boards, parents, and students had a good understanding and awareness of MGT in promoting quality education for students in small schools. They gradually developed positive attitudes toward MGT from their appreciation of the increased quality of school and student learning achievement. The stakeholders’ understanding and awareness of MGT were key factors for the successful implementation of MGT in small schools. A school administrator was regarded as a key person leading to best practice in MGT. Based on the results of this study, continual development is urged regarding MGT and the inclusion of MGT in the national policy and pre-service teacher education of Thailand.

‘A2 is Normal’ – Thai Secondary School English Teachers’ Encounters with the CEFR

Thailand has seen several English language curriculum reforms over the last 20 years, all of which were found to have failed to lift Thai students’ standard of English language proficiency across all levels of study. In 2014, the Thai Ministry of Education announced the introduction of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), in combination with Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), as its latest policy to improve the standard of English learning and teaching in Thailand’s schools. The establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015 and concerns about the economic competitiveness of the Thai labour force were provided as the underlying rationale for this policy change. This case study, using Grounded Theory Methodology combining semi-structured in-depth interviews, a questionnaire and document analysis, addresses the question of how this education policy change was experienced and perceived by English language teachers at state secondary schools across four provinces in the south of Thailand. A marked divergence in individual teachers’ knowledge and appreciation of the policy plans was observed, with the majority of respondents displaying indifference to and ignorance of the policy. The Ministry had in 2015 tested all civil servant English teachers in a CEFR-referenced online placement test, where 94% had failed to reach the targeted proficiency level of B2. Consequently, the framework was perceived primarily as an English proficiency test for teachers, a European assessment scale which had been applied to them, but which had had no further application to either classroom teaching or student assessment. These findings are framed in the wider context of curriculum reform and English language teaching in Thailand. Comparisons with other English curriculum reform policies based on the CEFR are made, and the emphasis on testing teachers’ language proficiency is reflected upon through the wider debate on language teacher proficiency.

Applying CLIL to English language teaching in Thailand: Issues and challenges

Applying CLIL to English language teaching in Thailand: Issues and challenges