A culture-based instructional program for teaching Thai language to foreigners
Date
2018-06-28
Authors
Potter, Kritchada
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Abstract
The purpose of this study is to examine and develop an instructional program for
teaching the Thai language and culture to foreigners. This program combines the teaching
of the Thai language and culture together in the belief that learning them together helps
one to learn a second language effectively.
The program is designed to teach communication through speaking and listening
for a specific target audience, namely Westerners whose mother tongue is English, or
who understand English very well. The content of the language and culture in this
program emphasises Thai words based upon the basic needs of daily life, and the
necessary phonological and syntactical patterns. The content of Thai culture is based upon
the basic needs of daily life influenced by Buddhism and the Ramayana.
The program Is designed for learners to complete in a relatively short time. It
contains 15 units, each of which has a language part and a culture part. Each unit is
designed for completion in approximately two hours, plus extra practice time. The
program can be used in three ways: self-instructionally, tutorially, and in Thai language
and culture classes. The program is suitable for foreigners who require a basic
knowledge of the Thai language and culture prior to visiting Thailand.
The design of this instructional program is based upon the four steps of a systems
approach to instruction: (1) analysis, (2) synthesis, (3) modelling and (4) simulation.
The analysis step begins with a brief description of the present relationship
between Thailand and the West, pointing out that foreigners who have business dealings
with Thailand may now find it useful to learn basic Thai language and culture prior to
visiting Thailand. At the present time there are few if any appropriate materials or
methods for effectively teaching the Thai language and culture to foreigners.
The synthesis step provides the design and development of an Instructional
program relating the theories and practices of teaching Thai as a second language, to
instructional technology.
The modelling step comprises the design of the organization and presentation of
program materials, including organization of the content of selected language and culture
parts in each unit to fit appropriate instructional media.
Simulation involves evaluating the instructional program to make sure that it
works in real-life situations.
The complete lesson plans for the first six units of the program are in Appendices
A and B.
This program has been evaluated twice by five Thai academic judges. Between
1989 and 1991 it was evaluated by three groups of adult students in Thai Language and
Culture classes at the University of Victoria; with a group of sixteen students of the
Pacific Rim project: Future Partners; and with individual students in private, tutorial
and self-instructional situations in Victoria who required basic knowledge of the Thai
language and culture prior to visiting Thailand The results of these evaluations are
included in Appendix C.
Recommendations for the implementation of this program have been provided.
Suggestions for further study have been indicated.
Description
Keywords
Thai language, Study and teaching, Foreign speakers