Local context-based English lessons: forging Northern Thai knowledge, fostering English vocabulary
Globalisation and regionalisation have culminated in the highlighted role of the English language for diverse realms of people across the world, including the ASEAN region and Thailand. To a number of scholars, the spread of English may result in negative consequences, possibly subjugating and men...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
2018
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| Online Access: | http://journalarticle.ukm.my/12891/1/23010-78335-2-PB.pdf http://journalarticle.ukm.my/12891/ http://ejournal.ukm.my/3l/issue/view/1096 |
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| Summary: | Globalisation and regionalisation have culminated in the highlighted role of the English language for diverse
realms of people across the world, including the ASEAN region and Thailand. To a number of scholars, the
spread of English may result in negative consequences, possibly subjugating and menacing the national culture
and identity of the English language learners. Thus, a burgeoning issue that emerges in the Thai context is how
the students’ English language can be improved while maintaining their Thai identity. Given that young Thai
learners tend to have relatively limited exposure to the national Thai identity due to their young age, this study
focuses on a specific local identity – northern Thailand. This paper aims to demonstrate that a set of northern
Thainess-based instructional innovations designed for Grade 4 students in the northern region of Thailand can
boost not only northern Thainess knowledge but also English vocabulary knowledge related to northern
Thailand. This set of the English lessons, as well as the corresponding northern Thainess and English
vocabulary pretests and posttests, was constructed and implemented in four elementary schools in the northern
part of Thailand. A comparison of the pretest and posttest scores on northern Thainess and vocabulary
revealed that the students’ Thainess and vocabulary knowledge substantially increased, demonstrating the
potential positive impacts of local Thainess-based instructional materials. The findings demonstrate a reverse
perspective regarding the role of English in relation to Thai identity. Pedagogical implications regarding
English material construction can be informed to ameliorate elementary English education in Thailand. |
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