To listen to teachers’ voices on the learner-centred approach, case study data were
collected between November, 2004 and March, 2005 from five public secondary
school in-service EFL teachers working in the Udon Thani province using audiotaped
interviews, at least five classroom observations (three of which were videotaped)
and self-reporting questionnaires. It is important to note that all the teachers
who participated in this study were recognised by the schools’ principals as good,
active and hard-working in developing the newly required student-centred teaching
and learning processes, and that the study focused on how they perceived the new
policy and how they put it into practice in their local contexts.
The participants were in their thirties and forties, were all BA or BEd graduates
who had studied in the field of English and were teaching in secondary grades 8 or
9. They had taught English between 11-26 years, and like other Thai teachers,
besides teaching English, they were also required to do extra work to meet the
criteria for salary increments and promotion.
Amorn* taught in School A, which was the only school located in a provincial
city. It was well known for its academic strength and regarded as one of the leading
schools in the city. The typical classes in this school were over-crowded with an
average of 65 students. Family backgrounds of the students varied but the majority
of them were middle class including professionals, merchants, government officers,
employees and farmers. The students’ motivation for studying was high with 80-90
per cent of students from this school doing further studies at university level. (*Note
that all teachers’ names are pseudonyms.)
Benja*, Charoen*, Duangjia* and Emon* taught in Schools B-E which were
located in rural areas. Schools B and D were district schools while Schools C and E
were sub-district schools. The majority of the students in all four schools were from
medium to low income families. Most of their parents were farmers and employees.
Students had low motivation and the per cent of the students going on to further
studies at university level was medium to low