THAITESOL Journal

Writing-to-Think Learning Logs for Developing Critical Thinking in L2 Discussion Classes

Megumi Uemi — 2026-07-07

This study investigates how writing-to-think learning logs can support the development and articulation of critical thinking (CT) in Japanese university L2 discussion courses. Writing-to-think is conceptualized as using writing not only to record but to generate and clarify reasoning, and is integrated with CT-infused instruction, which explicitly teaches reasoning and evaluation within language learning tasks. Implemented over one academic year with CEFR A2–B1 learners (analytic sample: n = 24 from a larger cohort of N = 79), the study employed three recurring log tasks—opinion expression (OE), text summarization (TS), and evaluation of viewpoints (EV)—that prompted students to articulate reasoning in writing before and after class discussions. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was adopted. Quantitatively, rubric-based ratings of learning-log entries (focus, logic, and content) were analyzed across three time points (Sessions 2, 9, and 16). Results showed significant improvement in OE and EV, with larger gains observed in EV, while TS remained stable. Qualitatively, thematic analysis of representative students’ entries revealed four developmental patterns: a shift from fragmented to coherent reasoning, growth in evaluative thinking, more relevant examples, and continued difficulty distinguishing reasons from examples. Overall, CT growth was observed in association with the integration of explicit reasoning demands and iterative writing cycles that slowed and structured thinking, making reasoning visible and open to reflection. Learning logs thus functioned as both scaffold and research artifact, offering a practical means to make CT teachable and traceable in L2 discussion classrooms.

Integrating Task-Based Learning and Total Physical Response to Develop Listening Comprehension among Primary School EFL Learners in Thailand

Sermsak Srasri — 2026-07-15

This quasi-experimental study evaluated the effectiveness of integrating Task-Based Learning (TBL) with Total Physical Response (TPR) to improve listening comprehension among Thai Primary 6 EFL learners. Sixty students aged 11–12 from a primary school under the Nonthaburi Primary Educational Service Area Office 1 were assigned to an experimental (n = 30) or a control (n = 30) group using cluster sampling. The experimental group received 6 hours of integrated TBL-TPR instruction, whereas the control group received conventional Presentation–Practice–Production (PPP) instruction. Listening comprehension was assessed using a validated test (KR-20 = 0.72; IOC = 1.00) at pre-test and post-test. The experimental group demonstrated significant gains, with a 30.2% increase in listening scores (p < .05) and outperformed the control group by a mean difference of 1.83 points (15.1% relative to the control group’s post-test mean; d = 1.21; p < .05). The control group also demonstrated significant within-group improvement (15.6%), though the magnitude was substantially smaller than the experimental group. The findings indicate that TBL-TPR integration effectively enhances listening comprehension by leveraging motor-based learning, reducing affective barriers, and facilitating authentic communication. This study provides one of the few controlled empirical investigations into the synergistic effects of integrating TBL and TPR on listening comprehension in primary EFL contexts characterized by limited exposure to the target language and elevated language anxiety.

Promoting English Speaking in First-Aid Content through the TSC-DPM Instruction in Thai CLIL-Oriented Health Teacher Education

Thana Kruawong — 2026-07-31

English is essential for communicating safety-critical health information, yet Thai EFL health education pre-service teachers often have limited technical vocabulary and few opportunities to practice authentic first-aid demonstrations. This study examined the effects of an integrated Teaching Speaking Cycle-Demonstration-Performance Method (TSC-DPM) intervention on speaking-for-demonstration and explored the processes underlying performance change. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was used with 25 second-year health education pre-service teachers at a public university in Bangkok, Thailand. The quantitative strand comprised one-group pretest-posttest speaking performances scored by content and language instructors using an analytic rubric. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were conducted, with effect size r calculated from the number of non-zero paired differences. Reflective journals collected during the nine-week intervention and video-stimulated recall interviews conducted after the posttest provided macro- and micro-level qualitative evidence. Quantitative results showed significant gains in all assessed domains except presentation skills in the content instructor’s ratings; significant effects were large for the improved domains. The raters’ total scores showed a moderate association at pretest and a stronger association at posttest. Qualitative findings indicated that procedural vocabulary, rehearsal, feedback, multimodal demonstration, audience awareness, and affect regulation supported clearer and more confident performance. TSC-DPM therefore offers a context-responsive approach to developing English speaking for first-aid demonstrations within CLIL-oriented health teacher education, where language use remains accountable to disciplinary accuracy and procedural clarity.

Making Education Sustain Aspirations: Challenges and Coping Strategies in EMI Tertiary Education in Macao

Xing Fang — 2026-08-16

The global spread and use of English have attributed immense value to the language and established its status as a popular international language. Today, making English the medium of school instruction is no longer confined to English-speaking countries but widely implemented around the world to fulfill the needs and aspirations of non-native English learners. Given this shifting global context of education, this study aims to conduct a literature review to sort out the benefits and challenges of teaching non-language courses through English in contexts where English is usual-ly not spoken as a native or first language. It intends to further explore tertiary education in Eng-lish in Macao and seeks to approach the challenges therein with coping strategies recommended by literature concerning the local and wider educational contexts. It is anticipated that with joint efforts from learners, teachers and institution administrators, English-medium education in Macao or similar contexts may sustain learners’ passion for academic achievements, encourage teachers’ professional development, and enable institution administrators to further calibrate management policies and development plans.

Evaluating Academic Reading Input in Vietnamese EFL Textbooks: Lexical, Syntactic, and Cohesive Evidence for Materials Design and Classroom Pedagogy

Quang Vo — 2026-08-26

The acquisition of academic vocabulary and complex linguistic structures is essential as learners move from general English proficiency toward academic literacy. In many Asian EFL contexts, textbooks remain a major source of lexical and structural input. This study presents a multi-dimensional corpus-based evaluation of 72 reading passages in the Global Success textbook series for Vietnamese upper-secondary students. Using TAALED, TAALES, TAASSC, and TAACO, the passages were analyzed as separate text-level units to examine lexical diversity, lexical sophistication, syntactic complexity, and cohesion across grades. Mean Academic Word List (AWL) coverage showed a non-linear descriptive pattern, declining from 5.90% (SD = 2.98) in Grade 10 to 5.41% (SD = 2.94) in Grade 11 before rising to 6.95% (SD = 3.52) in Grade 12. Mean Measure of Textual Lexical Diversity (MTLD) scores increased descriptively from 70.64 (SD = 14.55) to 74.04 (SD = 17.50) and 79.24 (SD = 21.15), respectively. However, Kruskal–Wallis tests found no statistically significant between-grade differences in AWL coverage or MTLD. Syntactic and cohesion measures also showed substantial passage-level variation, with only small descriptive differences in grade-level means. Overall, the findings do not support a uniform progression across Grades 10–12 and are better characterized by considerable heterogeneity among individual passages. The study demonstrates how text-level corpus analysis can identify areas that may warrant consideration for additional vocabulary and structural support in Vietnamese upper-secondary reading instruction.