rEFLections

Learning while Walking the Streets of Rayong: Combining Linguistic Landscape and Language Awareness through Action Research with Children

Kusuma Bangkom — 2024-09-03

This paper presents the outcomes of an action research study that implemented a linguistic landscape (LL) unit as an English language learning activity at the secondary school level in Rayong, Thailand. The theoretical framework employed in this study draws upon Lefebvre’s (1991) conceptualization of space, adapted for pedagogical purposes as explained by Malinowski (2015). The study places particular emphasis on cultivating students' awareness of the LL in their neighborhood throughout a six-week instructional session. The instructional activities were designed to investigate the potential of LL in enhancing English language acquisition and promoting cultural sensitivity. Data collection involved the utilization of questionnaires and on-site observations. Two main conclusions may be drawn from the action research project's findings. First of all, the students showed signs of a greater sense of familiarity with their neighborhood, which suggests that they are more aware of the LL around them and that they understand LL to be a useful instrument for language learning. Secondly, the students identified a discrepancy between the LL of Rayong and the city’s vibrant economic activity as well as its diverse ethnic and linguistic composition, suggesting that the existing LL does not adequately reflect these dynamic facets of the city.

Effects of Video-based Shadowing on Suprasegmental Features: EFL Learners' Pronunciation Performance and Attitudes

Van Phan Thi Tuyet — 2024-09-10

The study was conducted to investigate the effects of video-based shadowing on pre-intermediate EFL learners' pronunciation performance of suprasegmental features as well as explore their attitudes toward the technique. The study employed three instruments including pre-and post-tests, a questionnaire, and semi-structured interviews, to triangulate the data. The results showed that participants made an improvement in their pronunciation performance of suprasegmental features, especially intonation. In other words, video-based shadowing has positive effects on the participants' pronunciation performance of suprasegmental features. Besides, they had positive attitudes toward video-based shadowing and outlined some benefits of using the technique. Furthermore, the participants' preference for how to practice video-based shadowing was also discovered.

Metacognitive Reading Strategy Usage among Vietnamese University Students and its Relationship with Reading Comprehension Performance

Van T. T. Dang — 2024-09-25

The concern about learners' use of reading strategies during the reading process for better reading comprehension prompted this investigation, especially at the research site where reading skills play a pivotal role in the student's overall learning process. The main aims of the study included examinations of (1) the frequency of metacognitive reading strategy usage (MRSU), (2) differences among students of IT, Economics, and English Studies in MRSU, and (3) the relationship between MRSU and final reading test scores. The study utilized the knowledge monitoring assessment (KMA) theory, a framework used to evaluate an individual's ability to accurately judge their knowledge and understanding, to explain the MRSU-reading score relationship. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was conducted on 297 participants who responded to the Survey of Reading Strategies (SORS) in the first phase and ten respondents in semi-structured interviews in the second. The quantitative data analysis revealed nearly 60% of moderate reading strategy users, statistically significant differences among IT, Economics, and English Studies majors in MRSU, and no statistically significant relationship between MRSU and reading test scores. Further explanations from qualitative information disclosed that reading test scores were affected by multiple factors, both internal and external, and this result is a practical contribution of the study. No statistically significant relationship between MRSU and reading scores is a theoretical contribution of the study. This finding disproves the KMA theory, which proposes that individuals' accurate self-assessment can predict better performance. Pedagogical implications for instructors and students were also discussed.

Teacher Factors as a Mediator between Teaching and Testing at the Higher Education Level

Chuenjit Athiworakun — 2024-09-30

The washback effects of high-stakes tests have become conspicuous and prevalent in Thai educational contexts. Yet, researchers in language assessment still have much to strive towards to understand the nuanced role of teacher factors as a mediator between the washback effects of high-stakes tests and teaching. This study aimed to investigate how teacher factors mediated between the Srinakharinwirot University Standardized English Test (SWU-SET), an exit examination for undergraduate students at a Thai public university in Thailand, and teaching. A mixed-methods design was implemented in this study. The researchers asked 25 full-time university teachers to complete a questionnaire, and five of them were purposively selected to be the informants for an interview and reflective journals. Descriptive statistics and content analysis were employed for data analysis. The main findings revealed that teacher factors (i.e., knowledge, beliefs, and experience) mediated between the SWU-SET and teaching. A smorgasbord of teacher knowledge of such tests and assessment literacy, beliefs in test writer integrity and professionalism, and experience in test development and taking tests could help induce the intended washback. Finally, this study also proposed a model of mediating factors and the washback effects of the SWU-SET on teaching to help stakeholders make informed decisions on teaching.

“I think I speak without hesitation”: Learning-Oriented Assessment to Enhance English Oral Communication of Thai Pre-Service Teachers

Tatchakrit Matyakhan — 2024-09-30

Learning-oriented assessments have been implemented in the English language classroom to maximize students’ ability to acquire a language through their involvement in assessment processes. Nevertheless, empirical studies investigating the oral communication ability of students using learning-oriented assessments remain limited. This study aims to investigate the effects of a learning-oriented assessment on the English oral communication ability of Thai pre-service teachers and to explore their attitudes towards the model. Thus, the study employed a mixed-methods research design. The participants of the study were 60 first-year students divided into two groups: the control group (N = 30) and the experimental group (N = 30) were selected through convenience sampling. The data were collected for 10 weeks using an oral communication test, a questionnaire, and interview questions. The results of the test were analyzed using a paired sample t-test and an independent sample t-test. The results of the questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive statistics. In addition, the qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. The quantitative results showed positively significant effects on the development of students’ oral communication ability in the aspects of range, accuracy, fluency, interaction, coherence, and pronunciation, with a medium effect size. Additionally, the students positively reported the benefits of learning-oriented assessments as being helpful in improving their oral communication ability. Therefore, this study shows that learning oriented assessments could serve as one of many alternative approaches to developing English oral communication ability.

Enhancing Active Grammar Learning in a Synchronous Online EFL Undergraduate Classroom: Development and Assessment of the LPCR Online Instructional Model

Sasa Watanapokakul — 2024-10-07

In synchronous online EFL classrooms, students often exhibit passive participation and boredom when learning grammar. This research study presents the development of an online active grammar learning instructional model, named LPCR, which incorporates Byrne’s Presentation-Practice- Production (PPP) approach and Fink’s holistic view of active learning. LPCR was employed as an eclectic approach for teaching grammar and utilized four online applications in a synchronous online classroom. The study involved 40 second-year nursing students enrolled in an EFL undergraduate course at a public university in Thailand from January to April 2022. The effectiveness of LPCR was assessed through a grammar test, a questionnaire, and semi-structured interviews. The students’ grammar scores were analyzed using the Paired Samples t-Test and Cohen’s d, which revealed the positive effect of LPCR with a medium effect size. Also, students’ attitudes toward LPCR were assessed through a seven-point Likert-scale questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, employing the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as the theoretical framework. The results indicated that, on average, students considered LPCR useful and easy to use, and they had positive attitudes toward using LPCR and behavioral intention to use it. Additionally, the results of a path analysis with the students’ questionnaire responses showed both significant and non-significant direct and indirect effects of the four TAM variables: perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude toward use, and behavioral intention to use. Pedagogical and research implications are drawn from the findings, and recommendations for implementing LPCR in future instances of English grammar instruction in synchronous online classrooms are offered.

Tensions at the University and Living in Liminality: English Language Teachers Navigating through New Research Expectations

Daron Benjamin Loo — 2024-10-21

This study examined tensions affecting university English language teachers, and subsequently the liminal space they occupied. In this study, tensions arose because of the introduction and promotion of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) for conducting language pedagogical research. This move had inadvertently displaced existing research perspectives and approaches and compelled a reconfiguration of the teacher’s professional sense of self. There were four English language teachers involved in this study, all of whom were teaching different types of English courses for academic purposes in a public university in Singapore. Data for this study comprised reflections written by the participants, which were analyzed as case studies. Through the examination of tensions and liminality affecting the participants, it became apparent that distinct strategies and coping mechanisms were enacted. There were those who sought to distinguish existing research perspectives, and those who embarked on a productive journey to navigate through the new research requirement. All these constituted professional development for the participants in personalized ways. The examination of the case studies also indicated how top-down research endeavors may be challenged, especially in a field like English language education, given its long-standing and established research traditions. Yet, the circumstance which saw novel research approaches being introduced illustrate how the professional community of English language teachers in the higher education setting remain on the fringes of academia. Future studies should consider taking an ecological approach to examining tension to gain a more comprehensive understanding of English language teachers’ professional identity.

Challenges and Implications of Blended Learning Adoption in the Age of Communication Technology: A Case Study of Vietnamese Universities During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Ho Thi Thao Nguyen — 2024-11-11

The pervasive influence of communication technology has profoundly shaped contemporary life, significantly impacting global education. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of technologies like social media platforms and massive open online courses (MOOCs) as substitutes for traditional in-person education, exposing shortcomings, particularly in regions with limited online infrastructure. Although extensive research exists on online education, including blended learning models, the challenges associated with their effective implementation remain underexplored. This study aims to address these gaps by examining the adoption of blended learning within Vietnamese universities during the pandemic through the lens of Activity Theory. This framework, which analyzes the dynamic interactions between individuals, tools, and their sociocultural environment, provides a deeper understanding of how students, educators, and institutions navigate blended learning. This study employed semi-structured interviews with administrators, lecturers, curriculum developers, and students across four campuses of a university in Vietnam. The findings highlight key challenges related to student engagement, academic dishonesty, and constraints in institutional infrastructure, underscoring the need for targeted strategies to enhance blended learning outcomes.

Unveiling Critical Thinking Pedagogy: Classroom-Based Assessment Strategies in Higher Education

Nguyen Thi Thanh Tam — 2024-11-14

Promoting critical thinking (CT) skills has largely attracted the concern of numerous relevant stakeholders, including teachers, students, and policymakers, with the assumption that CT is a vitally learned skill needed by graduates. This study explores the extent of classroom-based assessment strategies used to promote the CT ability of undergraduate students in Vietnam. Qualitative research approaches were employed through in-depth interviews, classroom observations, and assignment analysis with a curriculum review of the Global Citizens Program at Swinburne Vietnam Alliance Program with FPT Education. The findings show that teachers have widely applied a couple of assessment techniques to increase the CT capability of students, including peer review, reflective writing, case study analysis and evaluation, teamwork projects, research-type assessments, and problem-solving. Furthermore, lecturers who are more aware of the importance of CT and those who are more flexible and skilled in testing self-developing techniques have more strategies for incorporating CT into their assessments. The study reveals that if CT is explicitly stated in the program learning outcomes and incorporated into the course outlines, it is more likely to be implemented.