The Effectiveness of Explicit Instruction on Thai Reading Skills of Chinese Students Learning Thai as a Second Language

Abstract

               This study aimed to 1) examine the achievement in Thai reading skills of Chinese students learning Thai as a second language before and after receiving explicit instruction and 2) compare the reading achievement between students taught using explicit instruction and those taught using the traditional method. The study employed an experimental research design using a Pretest - Posttest Control Group Design model. The sample consisted of 42 Chinese students majoring in Thai, divided into an experimental group and a control group, with 21 students in each group. The research instruments included explicit instructional lesson plans, traditional lesson plans, and a Thai reading skill test consisting of 100 items. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and t-tests.

               The findings revealed that 1) students who received explicit instruction demonstrated significantly higher posttest scores compared to their pretest scores at the .01 level, and 2) the experimental group outperformed the control group at the .01 level of statistical significance. These findings suggest that explicit instruction effectively enhances Thai reading skills among Chinese students learning Thai as a second language. The findings also provide pedagogical implications for curriculum development in Thai language programs for international students at the higher education level.