DOI: 10.5176/2251-3566_L316.82
Authors: Budsaba Kanoksilapatham
Abstract: Globally, English is used as a central means of communication; regionally, English has been endorsed as the working language for ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). Therefore, the need to improve Thai citizens’ English has become imperative. However, Thai learners’ English language performance, as assessed by national examinations and others, has been quite unsatisfactory. A number of variables have been identified to be responsible for this limited success, for instance, under-qualified teachers, students’ lack of opportunities to use English in an authentic situation, and inadequate and inappropriate instructional materials. AEC (ASEAN Economic Community) integration in 2015 and globalization have brought another concern that “Thainess” is being eroded due to external influences. Therefore, an effort to maintain, revive, and revitalize “Thainess” has been exerted. This study attempts to compromise the two seemingly conflicting forces by both enhancing Thai students’ global English and maintaining regional “Thainess” in the northeastern region. Procedural steps in this research were carried out, integrating regional community involvement whenever possible. First, based on the community’s prominent characteristics as expressed through the completion of a questionnaire, a set of instructional innovations for elementary English education was constructed. The innovations were subsequently implemented to a Grade Level 4 class at a school in the northeastern region. Two sets of pre and posttests were constructed and administered to estimate their knowledge of regional Thainess and English vocabulary at the beginning as opposed to towards the end of the instruction. Finally, the students performed a simulated tourguide task requiring them to demonstrate their integrated knowledge of Thainess and English. Their accomplished execution of the task demonstrated the ability to put their knowledge into practical use, contributing to a sense of pride in the region and a sense of achievement in their English proficiency. In short, with the instructional innovations necessitating community involvement, this research can address the pressing needs triggered by both globalization and regionalization.
Keywords: elementary education; English instructional innovations; Thainess; tourguide task
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