issues
Factors that affect the
foreign teachers
Factors affecting the
learning interest of Thai
students
Students’ attitudes toward
the foreign teachers
Common problems in the
classroom
Thai students Foreign teachers
Figure 1. Cross-cultural issues on language learning in Thai classrooms.
gaps among them. To illustrate this multicultural use of English, this paper has explored the effects of
the cross-cultural issues on language learning in Thai classrooms.
Figure 1. Cross-cultural issues on language learning in Thai classrooms.
The second language learning of English in Thailand, for example, has indeed motivated me to
conduct this fi eld of study, as more and more foreign teachers nowadays are engaged to teach
English language in Thai classrooms. This is because foreign teachers in fact include not only ‘farang
teachers’ (or Westerners), but also Asian teachers. Indeed, I personally have experienced teaching the
language to Thai students for about fi ve years along with a number of both native and non-native
English speaking teachers. Thai students have obviously shown different attitudes and feelings
toward the foreign teachers, especially towards the Western native speakers of English. Unique accent
and perfect English have always been tagged to them. Most students demonstrate positive attitudes
towards the so-called “farang teachers”. These are just a few of my observations in Thai classrooms
which I think in one way or another will affect language learning among Thai learners.
This dynamic reality at one point has further pushed me to explore the effects of the
cross-cultural issues on language learning in Thai classrooms. This study aimed at helping prepare
Thai students to face, interact and learn the language with the foreign teachers. English programs and
international schools in Thailand have been increasing, so that more foreign teachers are needed. With
this background, it would be interesting to understand how foreign teachers may affect Thai students’
learning outcomes.
Research Questions
This research investigated and answered the following research questions:
1. What are the attitudes / feelings of Thai students toward foreign teachers of English?
What is the general attitude of foreign teachers toward the students?
Do these affective issues affect their learning outcomes? If so, how?