International Association of Educators   |  ISSN: 2834-7919   |  e-ISSN: 1554-5210

Original article | International Journal of Progressive Education 2022, Vol. 18(1) 1-21

A Study of English Intercultural Learning Experience of Thai Tertiary English Majors

Kewalin Jantadej

pp. 1 - 21   |  DOI: https://doi.org/10.29329/ijpe.2022.426.1   |  Manu. Number: MANU-2106-06-0002

Published online: February 01, 2022  |   Number of Views: 187  |  Number of Download: 516


Abstract

This study examined the English intercultural learning experience of 63 fourth-year Thai tertiary English majors through the students’ evaluation form, which included the Likert scale questionnaire, checklists, and open-ended questions. The questionnaire’s findings showed that the English majors evaluated gaining an English intercultural learning experience to a moderate amount. Then, the checklists’ findings informed that they mostly noticed learning cultures when the teachers used online media, shared experiences or viewpoints, and offered them to discuss cultural issues in the classroom. Finally, the open-ended questions’ results stressed that the participants required more opportunities to communicate in English, be familiar with varieties of English, and learn their native English teacher’s culture. Although they experienced learning target and foreign countries’ cultures from a Thai English language teacher to a large amount, they felt inferior to those countries and noticed the lack of promoting home cultural value in the classroom. The findings suggested that teachers should monitor themselves to ensure that they inspire students to be proud of their identity and nation before valuing others. Otherwise, students may be unable to express appreciation of their national identity to the world and lack a prerequisite qualification of the global-ready graduates—desirable national citizenship.

Keywords: English intercultural learning experience, Intercultural competence, English language learning, Global-ready graduates, English Majors


How to Cite this Article?

APA 6th edition
Jantadej, K. (2022). A Study of English Intercultural Learning Experience of Thai Tertiary English Majors . International Journal of Progressive Education, 18(1), 1-21. doi: 10.29329/ijpe.2022.426.1

Harvard
Jantadej, K. (2022). A Study of English Intercultural Learning Experience of Thai Tertiary English Majors . International Journal of Progressive Education, 18(1), pp. 1-21.

Chicago 16th edition
Jantadej, Kewalin (2022). "A Study of English Intercultural Learning Experience of Thai Tertiary English Majors ". International Journal of Progressive Education 18 (1):1-21. doi:10.29329/ijpe.2022.426.1.

References
  1. Baker, W. (2009). Intercultural awareness and intercultural communication through English: An investigation of Thai English language users in higher education. University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom. from http://eprints.soton.ac.uk [Google Scholar]
  2. Bennett, M.J. (1986). A developmental approach to training for intercultural sensitivity. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 10, 179-196. [Google Scholar]
  3. Bennett, M.J. (1993). Towards Ethnorelativism: A Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity. Education for the Intercultural Experience. Ed. R.M. Paige. 2nd edition. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press, 21-71. [Google Scholar]
  4. Bilash, O. (2011). Criteria for a communicative activity. Retrieved from http://www.educ. ualberta.ca /staff/olenka.bilash/best%20of%20bilash/ communicative%20activities.html [Google Scholar]
  5. Budharuksa, W. (2011). A perception of Thai EFL teachers to wards intercultural competence teaching: A study of secondary schools in Chiang Mai province. Master’s thesis. Mahidol University. [Google Scholar]
  6. Byram, M. (1997). Teaching and assessing intercultual communicative competence. Clevedon, United Kingdom: Multilingual Matters. [Google Scholar]
  7. Corbett, J. (2007). An intercultural approach to English language teaching. Clevedon, Great Britain: Multilingual Matters. [Google Scholar]
  8. Cotter, C. (2016). Controlled to Free Activities. Retrieved from http://www.headsupenglish. com/index.php/esl-articles/esl-lessonstructure/310-controlled-to-free-activities [Google Scholar]
  9. Cullen, B. & Sato, K.(2000). Practical Techniques for Teaching Culture in the EFL Classroom. The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. 6. Retrieved from http://iteslj.org/  [Google Scholar]
  10. Deardorff, D. K. (2012). Building an interculturally competent faculty. IIE Networker, p. 39. [Google Scholar]
  11. Deardorff, D. K., & Jones, E. (2012). Intercultural competence: An emerging focus in international higher education, The SAGE Handbook of International Higher Education. [Google Scholar]
  12. Dorathy, A. & Mahalakshmi, S. N. (2011). Second language acquisition through task based approach–role-play in English language teaching. English for specific purposes world, 11(33), 1-7. [Google Scholar]
  13. Ho Si Thang Kiet. (2011). An investigation of intercultural teaching and learning in tertiary EFL classrooms in Vietnam. Doctoral dissertation. Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. [Google Scholar]
  14. Hu, W. Z. & Gao, Y. H. (1997). Waiyu Jiaoxue yu Wenhua (foreign language teaching and culture). Changsha: Hunan Education Press. [Google Scholar]
  15. Jantadej, K. (2019). An Analysis of Perceptions and Practices of English Intercultural Teaching in Thai Secondary School Context. Doctoral dissertation. Mae Fah Luang University, Thailand. [Google Scholar]
  16. Jantadej, K., & Charubusp, S. (2018). A case study of Thai secondary school teachers’ English intercultural teaching and perception. International Journal of Progressive Education, 14(5), 39-56. doi: 10.29329/ijpe.2018.157.5 [Google Scholar] [Crossref] 
  17. Jon, J-E. (2009). Interculturality in higher education as student intercultural learning and development: A case study in South Korea. Intercultural Education, 20(5), 439-449. [Google Scholar]
  18. Kawsa-ard, A. (2018). Opportunity for developing intercultural competence in the EFL textbooks at secondary level in Thailand. Doctoral dissertation. Mae Fah Luang University, Thailand. [Google Scholar]
  19. Khosrowjerdi,  M., Sundqvist, A., and Byström, K. (2019). Cultural Patterns of Information Source Use: A Global Study of 47 Countries. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology. 71(6):711–724DOI: 10.1002/asi.24292. [Google Scholar]
  20. Klein, F. M. (2004). Culture in the foreign language classroom: Teacher’ beliefs, opportunities and practice. Doctoral dissertation. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. [Google Scholar]
  21. Kramsch, C. (2006). From communicative competence to symbolic competence. Modern Language Journal, 90(2), 249-252. [Google Scholar]
  22. Laopongharn, W., & Sercombe, P. (2009). What relevance does intercultural communication have to language education in Thailand. Annual Reviews of Education Communication and Language Sciences, 6, 59-83.  [Google Scholar]
  23. Martin Luther King, Jr. Quotes. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved January 13, 2021, from BrainyQuote.com Web site: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/martin_ luther_king_ jr_101309 [Google Scholar]
  24. Matsuda, A., & Friedrich, P. (2011), English as an International Language: A Curriculum Blueprint, World Englishes, 30(3), 332-344. [Google Scholar]
  25. McRae, N., Ramji, K. Lu, L., & Lesperance, M. (2016). Developing Global-Ready Graduates: The CANEU-COOP Experience. Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education, 17(4), 377-386. [Google Scholar]
  26. Newton, J. & Shearn, S. (2010). Intercultural language learning and teaching: A literature review. In J. Newton, E. Yates, S. Shearn & W. Nowiski (Eds.), Intercultural communicative language teaching: Implications for effective teaching and learning. Report to the Ministry of Education (pp. 6-61). Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand Government.  [Google Scholar]
  27. Office of National Education Council. (2016). An annual report year 2016 of the Office of National Education Council: The integration to national education plan. Bangkok: Officeof NationalEducation Council. Retrieved from http://www.onec.go.th [Google Scholar]
  28. Office of the Higher Education Commission. (2010). Manual for The Internal Quality Assurance for Higher Education Institutions. Retrieved 2021 from http://www.mua.go.th/users/bhes/bhes2/56-12-27%20Manual%20for%20the%20 Internal%20Final.pdf [Google Scholar]
  29. Rajani Na Ayuthaya, J. & Sitthitikul, P. (2016). World Englishes-based lessons: Their effects on anxiety and language achievement of Thai tertiary students. Arab World English Journal (AWEJ), 7(2), 201-233. [Google Scholar]
  30. Sercu, L. (2004). Culture teaching in foreign language education: EFL teachers in Spain as cultural mediators. Retrieved from http://dialnet.unirioja.es/dervlet/dcfichero_articulo? codigo_1130005&orden=8 8789 [Google Scholar]
  31. Sercu, L. (2006). The foreign language and intercultural competence teacher: the acquisition of a new professional identity. Intercultural Education, 17(1), 55-72.  [Google Scholar]
  32. Thumvichit, A. (2018). Cultural presentation in Thai secondary school ELT coursebooks: An analysis from intercultural perspectives. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 6(11), 99-112. [Google Scholar]
  33. Wannaruk, A. (2008). Pragmatic Transfer in Thai EFL Refusals. RELC journal, 39 (3), 318-337. [Google Scholar]
  34. Wichien, S. & Aksornjarung, P. (2011). Pragmatic features in English course materials used at a Thai university. Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Humanities and Social Sciences, Faculty of Liberal Arts, Prince of Songkla University (pp. 1-17). Songkla, Thailand. [Google Scholar]