English Language Teaching and Learning in Thailand
in this Decade
Arunee Wiriyachitra
Abstract
The importance of English as a world language, the advance of technology and education reform envisaged by the new Thai Constitution are key determinants for new developments for English language teaching and learning in Thailand in this decade.
This paper will first focus on the role of English and the problems of English language teaching in Thailand. It will also touch on the part of education reform which is related to English language teaching. Then, it will state what has been planned or already done to improve the English language teaching and learning situation in Thailand, now and in the future.
The role of English in Thailand is quite important as it is in many other developing countries. New technology and the adoption of the internet have resulted in a major transition in terms of business, education, science, and technological progress, all of which demand high proficiency in English. With the economic downturn in Thailand a few years ago, a large number of Thai companies have embraced cooperation regionally and internationally. Mergers, associations, and takeovers are common and English is used as the means to communicate, negotiate and execute transactions by participants where one partner can be a native speaker of English or none of the partners are native speakers of English.
However, Thailand has always been a country with one official language, Thai. We are proud that we have never been colonized. Another reason for having been a country with one language is the concept of national stability. There have been proposals to make Thailand a country with two languages, Thai and English, but this has never materialized due to the abovementioned reasons. English can, therefore, be at most the first foreign language that students must study in schools. Hence, Thais’ level of English proficiency is low in comparison with many countries in Asia (e.g. Malaysia, Philippines, and Singapore). According to the speech given by the Minister of the Ministry of University Affairs on March 6, 2000, the average TOEFL scores of Thais are the same as for Mongolians but higher than for North Koreans and Japanese.
Researchers on the topics of needs and wants of English in workplaces have also suggested that the English curriculum in Thai universities cannot meet the demands for English used in the workplace. The skills used most at this level are listening and speaking which are not the focus skills in the Thai tertiary education English curriculum.
It can be said that up to now English language teaching in Thailand has not prepared Thais for the changing world. Thailand will lag behind in the competitive world of business, education, science and technology if the teaching and learning of English is not improved. Here are some comments concerning the importance of English and the problems of English language teaching in Thailand. Dr. Rom Hiranyapruek, director of Thai Software Park, stated that English is as important to the domain of information technology as other infrastructures. Thais have high proficiency in technology but because of our below average English competence, we cannot make much progress in terms of science and technology.
Mrs. Arunsi Sastramitri, director of the Academic Training Section of the Tourist Authority of Thailand, stated that tourism is the main source of income in our country. However, Thai graduates who are in the tourism industry have a poor command of English. This has contributed to misunderstanding and a negative attitude towards Thailand.
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What has caused the difficulties in English language teaching and learning in Thailand especially in the primary and secondary schools? According to Biyaem, 1997, the teachers and learners face the following difficulties:
For teachers, there are many obstacles such as :
- heavy teaching loads.
- too many students in a class (45 – 60)
- insufficient English language skills and native speaker cultural knowledge.
- inadequately equipped classrooms and educational technology.
- university entrance examinations which demand a tutorial teaching and learning style.
As for the learners, they wish they could speak English fluently but most of them think that English is too challenging for them to be competent because of these difficulties:
- interference from the mother tongue (Thai) particularly in pronunciation, syntax, and idiomatic usage.
- lack of opportunity to use English in their daily lives.
- unchallenging English lessons.
- being passive learners.
- being too shy to speak English with classmates.
- lack of responsibility for their own learning.
However, it is not only the level of English competence that inhibits Thailand from being able to keep pace with the rapid changes that are taking place everywhere around us, Thai education, as a whole, does not enable Thais to cope with this fast changing world. Thailand’s new constitution, adopted in 1997 has, therefore, established the National Education Act which creates the most radical education reform in Thai history.
This education reform to be implemented between 1996 and 2007 involves four main areas: school, curriculum, teacher and administrative reform. Its main concern is that learners have the ability to learn and develop. Learners are the most important component and life-long learning must be encouraged. A twelve-year basic education will be provided free to all Thai students. In 2005, there will be an Office of Quality Assurance, whose task is to oversee the quality control of education at every level and in every aspect. Schools are to be given more autonomy. There will be greater involvement by families and local communities in school policy and administration. An independent and learner–centered approach is a must, and analytical learning instead of rote learning will be incorporated. Teacher education will also be a focus. Teachers will have to undertake research and develop teaching abilities as well.
With the importance of English as a world language and the changes that come with the National Education Act, plus the challenges of new technology, what follows will discuss the English language teaching and learning scenario in Thailand in this decade.
1. More international programs
As of last year, there were 56 international schools around the country. There were three foreign colleges and universities in Thailand. In private Thai universities, there were 77 undergraduate, 30 graduate and five Ph.D curricula using English as the language of instruction. In governmental higher education institutions, there were 143 undergraduate, 205 graduate and 77 doctoral international programs in English which have been established either independently by Thai institutes or have links with overseas institutes. It is expected that most new programs to be opened in universities in the future will be international programs.
3
2. Changes in English teaching and learning in school
2.1 Curriculum change
In the new curriculum, English will be a compulsory foreign language subject starting from level 1 in primary education (6 years of age). It is one of the eight compulsory strands that students will have to take in the core and elective courses. It is to be divided into four levels. Level 1 (Preparatory Level) and 2 (Beginning Level) are in primary education; level 3 (Expanding Level) is in lower secondary education and level 4 (Expanding Level) is in upper – secondary education.
There are three objectives in either core or elective English courses. These are knowledge, skill, and positive attitude towards English. Knowledge involves how to use English language in communication, learning and understanding the culture of native speakers, knowing the differences between Thai and the English language, being able to use English to gain information in other subjects, being able to use English to do lifelong learning, to find pleasure and to use it in their work. Skill involves communication strategies, thinking skills, critical and creative thinking, self-evaluation, learning skills, knowledge seeking skills, technology skills and how to work with others. A positive attitude includes appreciating the English language and its culture.
There are various concepts incorporated in English language teaching and learning e.g. focus on learners and for communication. Communicative Approach is still used but with more focus on listening and speaking. Integrated, cooperative, holistic learning, content, task-based and problem-based learning are also applied.
Only descriptions of strand, standard (content and performance standard) and benchmark for each level are specified in the national curriculum. Teachers will have to write their own course materials with content related to real-life situations in the community. Credits can be transferred and students can also learn English outside of school (e.g. in language schools in Thailand or overseas).
2.2 Teacher development
Teacher development is a main concept in the education reform. Teachers will be offered continuous training with some form of training every two years. In English language teaching, there are several projects being set up for this purpose (e.g. INSET). INSET’s objectives are to provide training for teachers in order to develop professionally and keep up with new teaching methodologies. Teachers have to improve their English proficiency. Training methods are in the form of cascade training. Another example of a teacher training project is the project run by Thai TESOL through the Royal Project on Distance Learning. This program is broadcast to schools especially in remote areas and on satellite TV.
3. Changes in English language teaching and learning in universities.
This year the Ministry of University Affairs has issued the reform of English language teaching and learning in Thai higher institutions. This reform has been done through the proposal
ภาษาอังกฤษสอน และเรียนในประเทศไทยในทศวรรษนี้อรุณี Wiriyachitraบทคัดย่อความสำคัญของภาษาอังกฤษเป็นภาษาโลก ล่วงหน้าของการปฏิรูปการศึกษาและเทคโนโลยี envisaged โดยรัฐธรรมนูญไทยใหม่เป็นดีเทอร์มิแนนต์ที่สำคัญสำหรับการพัฒนาใหม่ในภาษาอังกฤษที่สอน และการเรียนรู้ในประเทศไทยในทศวรรษนี้กระดาษนี้จะแรกเน้นปัญหาของภาษาอังกฤษที่สอนในประเทศไทยและบทบาทของภาษาอังกฤษ นอกจากนี้มันยังจะสัมผัสในส่วนของการปฏิรูปการศึกษาที่เกี่ยวข้องกับการสอนภาษาอังกฤษ แล้ว มันจะระบุอะไรได้วางแผน หรือดำเนินการเพื่อปรับปรุงภาษาอังกฤษสอน และเรียนรู้สถานการณ์ในประเทศไทย ตอนนี้ และในอนาคตบทบาทของอังกฤษในประเทศไทยมีความสำคัญค่อนข้างจะเป็นในประเทศกำลังพัฒนาอื่น ๆ เทคโนโลยีใหม่และยอมรับอินเทอร์เน็ตมีผลในการเปลี่ยนแปลงที่สำคัญในธุรกิจ การศึกษา วิทยาศาสตร์ และเทคโนโลยีระหว่าง ดำเนินการ ที่ต้องการความเชี่ยวชาญสูงในอังกฤษ กับเศรษฐกิจชะลอตัวในประเทศไทยเมื่อไม่กี่ปีที่ผ่านมา บริษัทไทยจำนวนมากได้กอดความร่วมมือในระดับ ชาติ ครอบงำ สมาคม และ takeovers ทั่วไป และภาษาอังกฤษใช้เป็นวิธีการสื่อสาร เจรจาต่อรอง และทำธุรกรรม โดยผู้เข้าร่วมที่บริษัทหนึ่งสามารถพูดภาษาอังกฤษ หรือไม่มีหุ้นส่วนเป็นเจ้าของภาษาอังกฤษอย่างไรก็ตาม ไทยได้เสมอหนึ่งทางภาษา ประเทศไทย เราภูมิใจที่เรามีไม่ถูกยึดครอง มีประเทศหนึ่งภาษาอีกเหตุผลคือ แนวคิดของความมั่นคงแห่งชาติ มีข้อเสนอให้ไทยเป็นประเทศสองภาษา ไทยและอังกฤษ แต่นี้ไม่มี materialized เนื่องจากสาเหตุดังกล่าวข้างต้น อังกฤษ ดังนั้น ได้มากที่สุดภาษาต่างประเทศแรกที่นักเรียนต้องเรียนในโรงเรียน ดังนั้น ระดับภาษาอังกฤษของคนไทยมีน้อยเมื่อเปรียบเทียบกับหลายประเทศในเอเชีย (เช่น ฟิลิปปินส์ สิงคโปร์ และมาเลเซีย) ตามเสียงที่กำหนด โดยรัฐมนตรีของกระทรวงมหาวิทยาลัยกิจการบน 6 มีนาคม 2000, TOEFL คะแนนเฉลี่ยของคนไทยเหมือนกัน กับ Mongolians แต่สูงกว่าสำหรับชาวเกาหลีเหนือและญี่ปุ่นนักวิจัยในหัวข้อของความต้องการและต้องการใช้ภาษาอังกฤษในการทำงานยังได้แนะนำว่า หลักสูตรภาษาอังกฤษในมหาวิทยาลัยไทยไม่สามารถตอบสนองความต้องในภาษาอังกฤษที่ใช้ในการทำงาน ทักษะที่ใช้มากที่สุดในระดับนี้เป็นการฟัง และการพูดซึ่งเป็นทักษะที่เน้นในหลักสูตรการศึกษาระดับมหาวิทยาลัยไทยอังกฤษไม่มันสามารถจะกล่าวว่า ถึงตอนนี้ภาษา สอนในประเทศไทยมีไม่เตรียมคนไทยโลกเปลี่ยนแปลง ประเทศไทยจะล้าหลังกว่าในการแข่งขันของธุรกิจ การศึกษา วิทยาศาสตร์ และเทคโนโลยีถ้าครูและการเรียนรู้ภาษาอังกฤษจะดีขึ้น บางข้อคิดเห็นเกี่ยวกับปัญหาของการสอนเป็นภาษาไทยภาษาอังกฤษและความสำคัญของภาษาอังกฤษได้ ดร. Rom Hiranyapruek กรรมการไทยซอฟต์แวร์ปาร์ค ระบุว่า อังกฤษเป็นเป็นเรื่องสำคัญที่โดเมนของเทคโนโลยีสารสนเทศโครงสร้างพื้นฐานอื่น ๆ คนไทยมีความชำนาญสูง ในเทคโนโลยี แต่เนื่องจากของเราต่ำกว่าความสามารถเฉลี่ยอังกฤษ เราไม่สามารถทำให้ความคืบหน้ามากในด้านวิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยีนาง Arunsi Sastramitri ผู้อำนวยการส่วนการฝึกอบรมทางวิชาการของการท่องเที่ยวแห่งประเทศไทย กล่าวว่า การท่องเที่ยวแหล่งที่มาหลักของรายได้ในประเทศของเรา อย่างไรก็ตาม บัณฑิตไทยที่อยู่ในอุตสาหกรรมการท่องเที่ยวมีคำสั่งไม่ดีภาษาอังกฤษ นี้มีส่วนที่เข้าใจผิดและทัศนคติเชิงลบต่อประเทศไทย2สิ่งเกิดความยากลำบากในภาษาอังกฤษที่สอน และการเรียนรู้ในประเทศไทยโดยเฉพาะอย่างยิ่งในหลักและโรงเรียนมัธยม ตาม Biyaem, 1997 ครูและผู้เรียนเผชิญปัญหาต่อไปนี้:ครู มีอุปสรรคมากมายเช่น:-สอนการใช้งานหนัก-นักเรียนมากเกินไปในชั้นเรียน (45-60)-ภาษาอังกฤษไม่เพียงพอและรู้วัฒนธรรมของเจ้าของภาษา- inadequately equipped classrooms and educational technology.- university entrance examinations which demand a tutorial teaching and learning style.As for the learners, they wish they could speak English fluently but most of them think that English is too challenging for them to be competent because of these difficulties:- interference from the mother tongue (Thai) particularly in pronunciation, syntax, and idiomatic usage.- lack of opportunity to use English in their daily lives.- unchallenging English lessons.- being passive learners.- being too shy to speak English with classmates.- lack of responsibility for their own learning.However, it is not only the level of English competence that inhibits Thailand from being able to keep pace with the rapid changes that are taking place everywhere around us, Thai education, as a whole, does not enable Thais to cope with this fast changing world. Thailand’s new constitution, adopted in 1997 has, therefore, established the National Education Act which creates the most radical education reform in Thai history.This education reform to be implemented between 1996 and 2007 involves four main areas: school, curriculum, teacher and administrative reform. Its main concern is that learners have the ability to learn and develop. Learners are the most important component and life-long learning must be encouraged. A twelve-year basic education will be provided free to all Thai students. In 2005, there will be an Office of Quality Assurance, whose task is to oversee the quality control of education at every level and in every aspect. Schools are to be given more autonomy. There will be greater involvement by families and local communities in school policy and administration. An independent and learner–centered approach is a must, and analytical learning instead of rote learning will be incorporated. Teacher education will also be a focus. Teachers will have to undertake research and develop teaching abilities as well.With the importance of English as a world language and the changes that come with the National Education Act, plus the challenges of new technology, what follows will discuss the English language teaching and learning scenario in Thailand in this decade.1. More international programsAs of last year, there were 56 international schools around the country. There were three foreign colleges and universities in Thailand. In private Thai universities, there were 77 undergraduate, 30 graduate and five Ph.D curricula using English as the language of instruction. In governmental higher education institutions, there were 143 undergraduate, 205 graduate and 77 doctoral international programs in English which have been established either independently by Thai institutes or have links with overseas institutes. It is expected that most new programs to be opened in universities in the future will be international programs.32. Changes in English teaching and learning in school2.1 Curriculum changeIn the new curriculum, English will be a compulsory foreign language subject starting from level 1 in primary education (6 years of age). It is one of the eight compulsory strands that students will have to take in the core and elective courses. It is to be divided into four levels. Level 1 (Preparatory Level) and 2 (Beginning Level) are in primary education; level 3 (Expanding Level) is in lower secondary education and level 4 (Expanding Level) is in upper – secondary education.There are three objectives in either core or elective English courses. These are knowledge, skill, and positive attitude towards English. Knowledge involves how to use English language in communication, learning and understanding the culture of native speakers, knowing the differences between Thai and the English language, being able to use English to gain information in other subjects, being able to use English to do lifelong learning, to find pleasure and to use it in their work. Skill involves communication strategies, thinking skills, critical and creative thinking, self-evaluation, learning skills, knowledge seeking skills, technology skills and how to work with others. A positive attitude includes appreciating the English language and its culture.There are various concepts incorporated in English language teaching and learning e.g. focus on learners and for communication. Communicative Approach is still used but with more focus on listening and speaking. Integrated, cooperative, holistic learning, content, task-based and problem-based learning are also applied.
Only descriptions of strand, standard (content and performance standard) and benchmark for each level are specified in the national curriculum. Teachers will have to write their own course materials with content related to real-life situations in the community. Credits can be transferred and students can also learn English outside of school (e.g. in language schools in Thailand or overseas).
2.2 Teacher development
Teacher development is a main concept in the education reform. Teachers will be offered continuous training with some form of training every two years. In English language teaching, there are several projects being set up for this purpose (e.g. INSET). INSET’s objectives are to provide training for teachers in order to develop professionally and keep up with new teaching methodologies. Teachers have to improve their English proficiency. Training methods are in the form of cascade training. Another example of a teacher training project is the project run by Thai TESOL through the Royal Project on Distance Learning. This program is broadcast to schools especially in remote areas and on satellite TV.
3. Changes in English language teaching and learning in universities.
This year the Ministry of University Affairs has issued the reform of English language teaching and learning in Thai higher institutions. This reform has been done through the proposal
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