Chapter 1
Introduction
1.1 Rationale
Over the years, a number of the study investigated the English language teaching in
Thailand, found that the Thai students' level of knowledge and ability to study English is low
and worrisome (Chudwiroj, 2001; Wiriyachitra, 2002, citing Biyaem, 1997; Geringer, 2003;
Rumphai, 2005; Dhanasobhon, 2006; Punthumasen, 2007; Laopongharn & Sercombe, 2009;
Sangvatanachai, Sriroengla, Pothavorn, Wannangam, & Suchaiya, 2009). The empirical
evidence indicated the effectiveness of low education was seen as a bad performance as
showing in compare TOEFL international test results in recent years (2018). Thailand scores
lower than regional competitors that is Thailand has an average score of 78 points from 120
points, which is lower than neighboring countries in the ASEAN Association, namely
Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam and Myanmar, with an average score
of 98, 90, 88, 86, 83, 81 points respectively. Thailand is ranked No. 7 in ASEAN which only
higher than Cambodia and Laos. So, Thailand is considered that did not score as well as it
should be (Educational Testing Service [ETS], 2018). According to the studies above
regarding the problem of teaching and learning English in Thailand can be summarized the
causes into various issues as follows:
Firstly, the problem is about students themselves that is students are not aware of the
importance of learning English as they should. They do not have a goal of learning English
and have a bad attitude towards learning English. Most students have the ability and skills in
using English are at a low level when compared to the test scores according to international
standards. Second, the problems of teaching and learning management, the teaching and
learning of English has not yet integrated all 4 skills. The practice is not enough because of
the most focused on teaching grammar and vocabulary which affect students are unable to
use English to communicate despite the efforts of hiring foreign teachers (Both native and
non-native speakers) to be teachers in schools. However, most schools where are able to
teach English Program courses are often large schools in the big city and high tuition fees.
Students from moderate families or poor families have limited opportunities to study in
schools with foreign teachers teaching conversations. In addition, teaching methods are not
diverse and are not consistent with the student's basis. moreover, the number of students in
the class is too high causing the teacher unable to take care or facilitate for students to
practice thoroughly. Third, in term of teachers, over 80% of English language teachers in
elementary school do not graduate in the English major and have a workload to teach many
subjects as well as having a lot of other work than teaching. Most of the teachers are still poor
in language skills especially communication, teaching skills, and lack of a good attitude
towards English language teaching. Teachers are not able to create lesson plans, produce
media, and manage diverse teaching and learning situations inconsistent with real context.
Most teachers arrange to teach based on the textbook and choose only some activities that can
be taught. The most important is teachers lack of supporting for continuous and systematic
development. Fourth, the environment that conducive to learning. Thailand mainly uses Thai
language and only learn English at school which is not enough to practice English
communication skills. Language skills need to be practiced frequently and consistently. The
environment in Thailand is not favorable for students to practice the language like in the
Philippines, India, and Malaysia, where the population has to use English as a common
language in parallel with the use of local languages. Fifth, the assessment of English language
skills. Students are evaluated by the exams that tend to focus on English grammar especially
at the lower secondary and upper secondary levels. The result is that Thai children do not pay
enough attention to speaking skills, fluently writing stories or essays. A number of parents
also focus on school exam scores. Many families prefer to give their children extra class to
increase grades in schools rather than encouraging children to enable to listen to English,
speak, read, and write the sentences fluently. Finally, the English language curriculum is not
flexible and suitable for students who are different. That is, using the same curriculum with
all context of students who differ in both capacity and readiness. For example, Students in the
remote rural areas are taught English from unqualified teachers that is the cause of teachers
being unable to transfer knowledge to students as they should. It is absolutely different from
Students in the big schools in the large city who are taught by qualified teachers and have the
opportunity to study with foreign teachers. However, students from both schools must be
evaluated from the same test.
From the problems mentioned above teachers are seen as the key to solving this
problem. A number of educators have described the importance of teachers in a similar way
that problems of lack of qualified teachers or teachers who lack expertise in teaching English
in all 4 skills are listening, speaking, reading, writing. Teachers can only teach reading and
grammar, which is why the teaching and learning of English are not as advanced as it should
be, causing one of the failures in teaching English. The teacher should receive an education,
proper training to help in term of teaching and learning more effective (Kanda Na Thalang,
1976; Sangwian Saridikul, 1978; Somsak Chareonsuk, 1982; Wilas Hannakarin, 1970; E. V.
Gatenby, 1979; Atagi, 2002; Zeichner, 2003; Sparks, 2004; Foley, 2005; Bonner, 2006;
Punthumasen, 2007; Colbert, Brown, Choi & Thomas, 2008; International Reading
Association, 2008; Baker, 2008; Prapaisit de Segovia & Hardison, 2009)
Many years ago, The Thai government has always paid attention to resolving this
problem. The Ministry of Education has implemented projects and policies to develop
English language skills in order to increase the efficiency of teaching and learning of teachers
in various forms such as 1) Encourage all schools to use English as the main for teaching
English 2). Expand and support the operation of the English Program and Mini English
Program in schools that support poor students who are unable to pay for tuition fee. 3) Set all
schools to organize English camps as an activity every year. 4) Develop teachers to teach
English at the elementary level, high school level, and vocational training to gain knowledge,
ability, and skills up to the specified criteria. 5) Establish an English Language Teaching
center and Development English Resource and Instruction Center (ERIC) along with
developing a self-access learning center. 6) Supporting scholarships for Thai teachers to
observational study both local and aboard 7) Create electronic books (e-book) in English 8)
Generate English Television programs and television for distance education via satellite 9)
support pedagogical by e-learning 10) Support the Internet to access various media
thoroughly. 11) Support teachers to produce media by themselves, organize activities to
enhance the atmosphere of learning English Including support teacher training in various
forms.
The English teacher training programs are operated by the Ministry of Education is
currently available are 2 projects, namely 1) the Regional English Teacher Training Center
(Boot Camp) in which teachers must attend intensive communication teaching techniques for
15 days provided by speakers from the British council. The training centers were set up
throughout the country. English teachers from all over the country will participate in the
training, divided into 20 cohorts, but there are many teachers who are unable to participate in
the training program due to the small number of training, insufficient for the number of
teachers. In addition, according to the long training period affect teachers who are in small
schools that teachers cannot leave students and participate in the program. 2) Coupon for
Teacher Development" project (CTDP) the characteristics of this program is freedom
training, that is, teachers will receive a coupon of ten thousand baht per person in order to
purchase the training courses that they are interested in. The training courses will be screen
by the Kuru Pattana Agency, an agency that is under the supervision of OBEC, follow to
standards before the operation. There are a number of training courses that are sufficient for
the needs of teachers. the Ministry of Education has a policy to teacher development and
quality of education in order to meet the needs for development that is consistent with the
problem of each school as much as possible. Due to each school has different problems,
needs, visions, and development goals. This training aims to teacher development, therefore,
uses the process for teachers to have the opportunity to choose courses that will be developed
as their need. However, it must first be approved by the school director (OBEC, 2016). In the
training not only to improve the potential of teachers in teaching English but it has also been
designated as one of the academic promotion criteria. All teachers must participate in this
training project 12-20 hours per year. The government intends to continue using this project
which is considered that is an interesting project for investigating the performance and
progress of teacher professional development.
After the implementation of the CTDP from 2016 until 2018, the student's English
learning achievement is not good as it should be. It seems to be perceived that these policies
do not have the expected impact in terms of improving the interaction patterns in the
classroom to be better in accordance with the new teaching methods gained from the training
(Kosonen, 2008; Prapaisit de Segovia & Hardison, 2009; Punthumasen, 2007) As the CTDP
is a training project that the Ministry of Education has been operating to date and will
continue in the future. It also has an effect on the professional progress of teachers. There are
few studies that have studied this training project and there are very few studies that follow
the application of the knowledge after training in the classroom. That is after the teacher
finished the training course, there will be a set of satisfaction questionnaire of the training
course for the participants to fill out but very few training courses follow up on how to apply
knowledge in the classroom. Therefore, it cannot be known whether the training program is
effective or not, what is its advantages and disadvantages, what are the problems of the
training program in real practice. As mention above that there are little studies have done in
the school context, So, this study will conduct in the school context to investigate the
application of training knowledge in the real context.
The researcher will collect data from 1) Studying relevant documents to obtain
sufficient information for this study Including the study of pre-existing education 2) in-depth
interviews to gain about the ideas about the pros and cons of the training program, the
implementation in the classroom, the problems encountered during use, how to solve
problems, including the needs of teachers what they want to suggest in the curriculum. 3)
Observation without participation to get information in the classroom. The results of
interviews and observations may be obtained from the use of the knowledge learned in the
classroom. It may not be able to suggest new concepts entirely but it will be able to suggest
the curriculum creators how to improve better training courses to meet teachers need in the
real context.