- Budi Waluyo is an Assistant Professor of English Language Teaching at School of Languages and General Education, Wala... moreBudi Waluyo is an Assistant Professor of English Language Teaching at School of Languages and General Education, Walailak University, Thailand. He finished his M.A. at the University of Manchester, U.K. and Ph.D. at Lehigh University, U.S.A. He received International Fellowships Program from Ford Foundation, USA, and Fulbright Presidential Scholarship from the U.S. government. His research interests involve education policy, educational technology, ELT, and international education.edit
While Chinese has been taught as a school subject outside of China for decades, there is little research on how Chinese subjects are taught in secondary schools outside of China’s mainland with regard to the use of active learning and the... more
While Chinese has been taught as a school subject outside of China for decades, there is little research on how Chinese subjects are taught in secondary schools outside of China’s mainland with regard to the use of active learning and the impact of professional development events on teachers’ professional growth in classroom Chinese teaching. This article explored Thai Chinese teachers’ use of active learning methods at public and private secondary schools in the south of Thailand. It also examined the impact of a government-administered Chinese teaching seminar on their professional development. A sequential mixed-methods explanatory design was employed, involving focus group interviews and pre- and post-tests. The phenomenological approach with thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data from the focus group interviews, while the Wilcoxon test was run to compare the pre- and post-test data. Findings revealed the application of active learning with discussion and rol...
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This study investigated to what degree students can be autonomous in EFL classroom by deploying different digital technologies, including Google Form, Quizizz, Quizlet, Kahoot!, and Socrative, and the efficacy of these tools in online... more
This study investigated to what degree students can be autonomous in EFL classroom by deploying different digital technologies, including Google Form, Quizizz, Quizlet, Kahoot!, and Socrative, and the efficacy of these tools in online English classrooms. Utilizing a quasi-experimental research design, a sample of 48 first-year railway mechanical technology students from an Indonesian polytechnic was used and assigned to control and experimental groups. Data was gathered through a survey questionnaire and two tests (pre- and post-test), and was analyzed using descriptive statistics, the N-gain formula, the paired-sample t-test and ANCOVA. The results revealed learner autonomy in listening, structure, and reading skills, encompassing self-reliance, information literacy, linguistic confidence, and learning strategy. Digital classes incorporating Google Form, Quizizz, Quizlet, Kahoot!, and Socrative were more effective than traditional classes in terms of learning outcomes. Therefore, t...
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Recently, Willingness to Communicate (WTC) has been explored and proposed to be one of the key concepts for identifying when one decides to initiate communication in the target language. The attention, nonetheless, has been concentrated... more
Recently, Willingness to Communicate (WTC) has been explored and proposed to be one of the key concepts for identifying when one decides to initiate communication in the target language. The attention, nonetheless, has been concentrated on how WTC interacts with other learners’ variables. This study, on the other hand, intends to offer empirical evidence on the direct roles of affective variables (self-confidence, anxiety, motivation, and grit) and WTC variables (WTC inside the classroom, WTC outside the classroom, and WTC in a digital setting) in Thai students’ English-speaking performance. The data were obtained from 35 undergraduate students (17.1% males; 82.9% females) using a survey questionnaire. Then, a speaking test was taken from an English Communication Skills course and was analysed using correlation and hierarchical regression. The results disclosed positive correlations among self-confidence, motivation, grit, WTC in a digital setting, WTC inside the classroom, WTC outs...
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One of the persistent challenges in vocabulary teaching is that EFL students must learn a certain number of words to operate in English, yet class time is limited. While the usage of gamification applications may alleviate some of these... more
One of the persistent challenges in vocabulary teaching is that EFL students must learn a certain number of words to operate in English, yet class time is limited. While the usage of gamification applications may alleviate some of these issues, research on the usefulness of gamification apps and their potential to assist student vocabulary learning outside of the classroom is currently limited. This study used a quasi-experimental method to investigate the effects of gamified vocabulary learning using an application called Quizizz. It compared the learning outcomes of experimental and control groups, as well as the usefulness of gamification in boosting learner autonomy in vocabulary learning. Multiple independent t-tests revealed non-significant differences between students’ overall vocabulary test results in both groups (t (2, 98) = 1.920, p = 0.06) with a modest effect size (Cohen’s d = 0.3). Significant differences were noticed in the results of vocabulary tests 2 (t (2, 98) = 3...
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In the last decade, there has been a growing interest in exploring why teachers decide to and not to use a technological tool in their teaching practices. Teachers’ beliefs have appeared to be one of the influential factors, yet still... more
In the last decade, there has been a growing interest in exploring why teachers decide to and not to use a technological tool in their teaching practices. Teachers’ beliefs have appeared to be one of the influential factors, yet still little is known about what causes both consistencies and inconsistencies between teachers’ beliefs and their classroom practices, especially on the use of technology. Thus, to address such a gap, this study examined teachers’ beliefs about video and their use of video in English Language Teaching (ELT) along with the key factors causing the inconsistencies between teachers’ pedagogical beliefs about video and their classroom practices. A qualitative research design with semi-structured interviews involving English teachers at a private educational institution in Indonesia was employed. The collected data were analyzed by using individual topic codes and emerging themes. The findings revealed that teachers’ beliefs about the use of video in ELT were pos...
Research Interests: Psychology, Language Education, Educational Technology, Teaching English as a Second Language, Teacher Education, and 10 moreVideo Games, Pedagogy, Classroom Management, English language teaching, Article, TESL/TEFL, Teachers Beliefs, Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL), English Language Teaching, and Reading Process
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Despite extensive studies on self-regulated learning in the past three decades, there is still little research exploring self-regulated learning on foreign language vocabulary acquisition. Therefore, in a classroom-based context, this... more
Despite extensive studies on self-regulated learning in the past three decades, there is still little research exploring self-regulated learning on foreign language vocabulary acquisition. Therefore, in a classroom-based context, this study explores the effectiveness of a course design that promotes self-regulated learning coupled with formative assessment and the use of Socrative on students’ vocabulary acquisition. The study involves the first-year students (N = 136) taking a general English course at Walailak University, Thailand. On CEFR levels, 68 of them are considered basic users (beginner), while the others are independent users (intermediate). Students’ pre- and post-tests scores as well as students’ total scores from 10 vocabulary tests were examined by using Wilcoxon signed-rank and Mann-Whitney tests. The results disclosed the effectiveness of the course design in enhancing EFL learners’ vocabulary acquisition (Z = -4.055, p = .001, r = .35); however, significant differe...
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Interests in examining the roles of receptive vocabulary knowledge and collocational knowledge and competence on EFL learners’ proficiency have grown considerably; yet, the extent of how EFL learners’ receptive knowledge of noun,... more
Interests in examining the roles of receptive vocabulary knowledge and collocational knowledge and competence on EFL learners’ proficiency have grown considerably; yet, the extent of how EFL learners’ receptive knowledge of noun, verb-noun collocations, and noun-preposition collocations impact their English skill performances is still insufficiently researched. To address such gaps, this study specifically explored Thai EFL learners’ receptive knowledge of nouns and collocations and its impact on English skill performances. Three types of receptive vocabulary tests were created by using high-frequency nouns taken from the Academic Vocabulary List (AVL), which became the basis of selecting verb-noun lexical collocations and noun-preposition grammatical collocations. The tests were validated by a pilot study, then distributed to the 2 nd year students ( N = 135; 28 males; 107 females) at Walailak University, Thailand. The results of the tests were analyzed by using descriptive statist...
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Despite the crucial role of vocabulary in foreign language acquisition, little is known about its influence on speaking and writing development from self-regulated learning concept. Thus, by employing a path analysis, this study examines... more
Despite the crucial role of vocabulary in foreign language acquisition, little is known about its influence on speaking and writing development from self-regulated learning concept. Thus, by employing a path analysis, this study examines the influence of vocabulary acquisition through self-regulated learning on beginner (N = 215) and intermediate (N = 195) students’ speaking and writing development at Walailak University, Thailand. The findings suggest significant paths from vocabulary acquisition to students’ speaking and writing development, but noting the influence of proficiency level. These findings contribute to the development of research in vocabulary acquisition and self-regulated learning with regards to speaking and writing development.
Research Interests: Psychology, Second Language Acquisition, Language Acquisition, Academic Writing, Vocabulary, and 15 moreEnglish, Applied Linguistics, Writing, Self Regulation, Self-Regulated Learning (Education), Vocabulary Acquisition, Vocabulary Learning, Speaking, Article, Speaking Fluency, Language Teaching Education, English and Foreign Languages University, Self Regulated Learning, Vocabulary development, and Speaking Skill Development
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This study investigated the EFL classroom learning environment at a university in Thailand from the perspective of low-English proficiency students. Using structural equation modelling, five hypotheses involving variables generated by... more
This study investigated the EFL classroom learning environment at a university in Thailand from the perspective of low-English proficiency students. Using structural equation modelling, five hypotheses involving variables generated by students and teachers were investigated (SEM). According to the findings, task orientation in low-proficiency students was the key to boosting students' English course grades. In the case of low-proficiency students, equity, teacher support, and student cooperation were not found to be important. Student cohesion was also found to be an unreliable predictor of students' English grades. Because research on the classroom learning environment engaging low students is still limited, these findings suggest future investigation.
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Integrating task and game-based learning into an online TOEFL preparatory course during the covid-19 outbreak at two Indonesian higher education institutions.
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This review seeks to provide an alternative online platform for running an online writing class inside and outside the classroom. It focuses on Writeabout.com, which enables the integration of different modes of instruction, types of... more
This review seeks to provide an alternative online platform for running an online writing class inside and outside the classroom. It focuses on Writeabout.com, which enables the integration of different modes of instruction, types of feedback, and collaborative activities that are necessary for providing an effective writing class. Its features allow teachers to create virtual classes and add students by using codes or importing from Google Classroom. The other features enable teachers to monitor the progress of each student's writing and give both oral and written feedback synchronously and asynchronously. Writeabout.com provides some stimulating ideas to inspire students to start writing. This review also elaborates on the pedagogical applications of Writeabout.com inside and outside the classroom in a self-access context and for developing learner autonomy in writing.
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Human agency theory has been known for more than two decades, but the applications in EFL learning are still insufficiently researched and the roles in enhancing English proficiency are still little explored. This study, thus, examined... more
Human agency theory has been known for more than two decades, but the
applications in EFL learning are still insufficiently researched and the roles in enhancing English proficiency are still little explored. This study, thus, examined learners’ agency in English learning and investigated the role in English proficiency. Using a quantitative research design, it collected data from 13 nonEnglish disciplines of schools at a university in the south of Thailand. The total number of participants was 389 undergraduate students (22.4% male; 76.9% female; .8% prefer not to say) involving 43.4% 2nd and 56.6% 1st-year students with levels of proficiency ranging from A1 to B1 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The data were analysed by using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, bivariate correlation, multiple linear regression, and mediation analysis. The results indicated a higher level of learners’ agency for learning with some variations by year of study and
proficiency level. Thai EFL learners’ agency for learning had predictive roles on their proficiency, yet no potential mediators were observed.
applications in EFL learning are still insufficiently researched and the roles in enhancing English proficiency are still little explored. This study, thus, examined learners’ agency in English learning and investigated the role in English proficiency. Using a quantitative research design, it collected data from 13 nonEnglish disciplines of schools at a university in the south of Thailand. The total number of participants was 389 undergraduate students (22.4% male; 76.9% female; .8% prefer not to say) involving 43.4% 2nd and 56.6% 1st-year students with levels of proficiency ranging from A1 to B1 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The data were analysed by using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, bivariate correlation, multiple linear regression, and mediation analysis. The results indicated a higher level of learners’ agency for learning with some variations by year of study and
proficiency level. Thai EFL learners’ agency for learning had predictive roles on their proficiency, yet no potential mediators were observed.
Research Interests:
Recently, Willingness to Communicate (WTC) has been explored and proposed to be one of the key concepts for identifying when one decides to initiate communication in the target language. The attention, nonetheless, has been concentrated... more
Recently, Willingness to Communicate (WTC) has been explored and proposed to be one of the key concepts for identifying when one decides to initiate communication in the target language. The attention, nonetheless, has been concentrated on how WTC interacts with other learners' variables. This study, on the other hand, intends to offer empirical evidence on the direct roles of affective variables (self-confidence, anxiety, motivation, and grit) and WTC variables (WTC inside the classroom, WTC outside the classroom, and WTC in a digital setting) in Thai students' English-speaking performance. The data were obtained from 35 undergraduate students (17.1% males; 82.9% females) using a survey questionnaire. Then, a speaking test was taken from an English Communication Skills course and was analysed using correlation and hierarchical regression. The results disclosed positive correlations among self-confidence, motivation, grit, WTC in a digital setting, WTC inside the classroom, WTC outside the classroom, and speaking performance, and negative correlations among self-confidence, anxiety, and grit. However, motivation was the only significant predictor of speaking performance. The findings offer some implications for English teachers in improving students' English-speaking performance.
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This review seeks to provide an alternative online platform for running an online writing class inside and outside the classroom. It focuses on Writeabout.com, which enables the integration of different modes of instruction, types of... more
This review seeks to provide an alternative online platform for running an online writing class inside and outside the classroom. It focuses on Writeabout.com, which enables the integration of different modes of instruction, types of feedback, and collaborative activities that are necessary for providing an effective writing class. Its features allow teachers to create virtual classes and add students by using codes or importing from Google Classroom. The other features enable teachers to monitor the progress of each student's writing and give both oral and written feedback synchronously and asynchronously. Writeabout.com provides some stimulating ideas to inspire students to start writing. This review also elaborates on the pedagogical applications of Writeabout.com inside and outside the classroom in a self-access context and for developing learner autonomy in writing.
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Among the high number of studies on vocabulary, little attention has been given to high school students, even though EFL students begin to learn and use vocabulary in academic settings more complex at a high school level in non-English... more
Among the high number of studies on vocabulary, little attention has been given to high school students, even though EFL students begin to learn and use vocabulary in academic settings more complex at a high school level in non-English speaking countries. To fill this gap, this study examined high school students' vocabulary use in English essay writing. The target words involved 70 among the most frequently occurring words in academic settings from the Academic Vocabulary List (AVL). The data set consisted of 233 essays collected in Thailand as part of an English proficiency test and analyzed using quantitative statistical analyses. The results of descriptive statistics disclosed the 48 words known and used by the high school students. The independent t-test and one-way ANOVA revealed the effects of gender and proficiency levels for certain words. Yet, students' academic vocabulary knowledge and use were found to be unrelated to their writing achievement, overall English proficiency, and specific English skills including reading, speaking, and writing. It was assumed that nonacademic words might have played a more significant role in student essays than academic words did.
Research Interests: Vocabulary, Vocabulary Acquisition, Vocabulary Learning Strategies, Vocabulary Instruction, English language teaching, and 4 moreVocabulary Learning in ESL, Teacher Education in Teaching English to Speakers of Second/Foreign Languages (TESOL), TESL/TEFL, and Developing Conversation and Vocabulary Skills
This study examined both factors underlying the digital divide among Thai EFL students and factors affecting the implementation of synchronous online learning in English courses at a university level in Thailand during the COVID-19... more
This study examined both factors underlying the digital divide among Thai EFL students and factors affecting the implementation of synchronous online learning in English courses at a university level in Thailand during the COVID-19 situations. Using a mixed-method design, it distributed a survey questionnaire to 306 undergraduate students (81.2% Female; 17.8% Male) and conducted an interview with 8 voluntary students. The results of the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) for digital divide unveiled two factors that counted for 57.207% of the total variance, validated by Bartlett's test of sphericity (χ2 (55) = 1916.309, p < .001), and these identified factors were aligned with the interview data. This study also found two underlying factors from parents (χ2 (28) = 1356.981, p < .001), students (χ2 (55) = 2211.475, p < .001), and teachers (χ2 (55) = 1916.309, p < .001 that affected the expediency of online learning at a university in Thailand. Each factor could explain more than 60% of the total variance in the outcome variables. The qualitative data also strengthened the quantitative findings.
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Since the 1980s, reading, alongside listening, has been considered as a receptive skill, and the learning process should precede productive skills including speaking and writing in L2 learning (Van Parreren, 1983). However, teaching... more
Since the 1980s, reading, alongside listening, has been considered as a receptive skill, and the learning process should precede productive skills including speaking and writing in L2 learning (Van Parreren, 1983). However, teaching reading classes and making learners enjoy
reading texts in an L2 such as English are not easy tasks. Apart from personal factors including reading habit and motivation, there are differences amongst learners’ target language knowledge that have to be recognized encompassing different levels of vocabulary and grammatical knowledge, which can significantly affect learners’ levels of reading comprehension and enjoyment (Torppa et al., 2020).
reading texts in an L2 such as English are not easy tasks. Apart from personal factors including reading habit and motivation, there are differences amongst learners’ target language knowledge that have to be recognized encompassing different levels of vocabulary and grammatical knowledge, which can significantly affect learners’ levels of reading comprehension and enjoyment (Torppa et al., 2020).
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Research into the relationship between English proficiency and academic achievement was built upon the concern of the academic success of international students studying in English-speaking countries, raising the question if such a... more
Research into the relationship between English proficiency and academic achievement was built upon the concern of the academic success of international students studying in English-speaking countries, raising the question if such a relationship exists in domestic EFL learners studying at a university in their home country. This study, therefore, expands the exploration to the investigation among EFL learners in a non-English speaking country, i.e., Thailand by considering the variables at a micro-level across general English courses involving course grade and academic achievement-grade point average (GPA). The analysis involved the data of 2,150 students studying six different English courses from various academic majors. These results revealed significant correlations and strong predictive powers of students' grades in English courses on their GPAs across a year of study and proficiency. The findings sustain the argument that although various factors affect students' academic achievement, English proficiency seems to have predictive power. Nowadays English-medium instruction (EMI) has attracted a myriad of interests from universities in non-English-speaking countries. Therefore, the findings of this study suggest that improving students' English proficiency would lead them to obtaining better academic achievement. Resumen Estudios sobre la relación entre el dominio del inglés y el rendimiento académico se basan en la preocupación por el éxito académico de los estudiantes internacionales que estudian en países de habla inglesa. Esto plantea la pregunta ¿existe tal relación en los estudiantes nacionales de inglés como lengua extranjera que estudian en una universidad de su país de origen? Así, este estudio busca ampliar la investigación para incluir estudiantes de inglés como lengua extranjera en un país que no habla inglés, , Tailandia, al considerar las variables a un nivel micro en los cursos de inglés general que involucran la calificación del curso y el rendimiento académico. El análisis incluyó los datos de 2,150 estudiantes que cursaban seis cursos de inglés diferentes de diversas especialidades académicas. Estos resultados revelaron correlaciones significativas y altamente predictivas entre las calificaciones en los cursos de inglés en el promedio de calificaciones ene general a lo largo de un año de estudio. Los hallazgos sustentan el argumento de que, aunque varios factores afectan el rendimiento académico de los estudiantes, el dominio del inglés parece tener poder predictivo. En la actualidad, la instrucción a través del inglés ha generado interés en universidades de países de habla no inglesa. Por lo tanto, los hallazgos de este estudio sugieren que mejorar el dominio del inglés de los estudiantes los llevaría a obtener un mejor rendimiento académico. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of a Creative Commons Attibution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) license.
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The important roles of help-seeking avoidance and the social climate of the classroom have been confirmed by research in the past two decades, yet little is known about how these two variables interact with each other. EFL students and... more
The important roles of help-seeking avoidance and the social climate of the classroom have been confirmed by research in the past two decades, yet little is known about how these two variables interact with each other. EFL students and classrooms at the university level in Asian countries have also been neglected by preceding research despite their large number and strong presence. On this premise, an investigation was conducted on 427 EFL students (76.6% females, 23.4% males) at a university in Thailand. It explored the patterns of help-seeking avoidance among EFL students and the social climate of EFL classrooms. The results of the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) indicated the dimensionality of help-seeking avoidance and the six underlying factors of the social climate of EFL classrooms, with the existence of gender differences. Nonetheless, a direct connection between EFL students' help-seeking avoidance and the social climate of their EFL classrooms was not identified. It was in the two-model hierarchical regression that the classroom social climate emerged as a significant predictor.
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This study examined the interplay among self-confidence, teacher feedback, and English proficiency in terms of developing students' English oral presentation competence. The study involved learners in the fields of Sciences and... more
This study examined the interplay among self-confidence, teacher feedback, and English proficiency in terms of developing students' English oral presentation competence. The study involved learners in the fields of Sciences and Technology, and Humanities and Social Science (N=390; 75% female; 26% male). It looked at how presentation courses, which are structured to include various stages of presentation preparation as well as teacher feedback over the course of a semester (12 weeks), can help Thai EFL students improve their self-confidence and oral presenting skills. The collected data consisted of students' presentation scores, results of an English proficiency test, and survey data concerning students' self-confidence and teacher feedback regarding students' presentation performances. The data analyses involved descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, multiplelinear regression, and mediation analysis. The results revealed 1) two underlying factors regarding self-confidence, are situational and potential confidence and communication confidence, and one underlying factor regarding teacher feedback, named perceived teacher feedback practice and 2) English proficiency as the only significant predictor of students' presentation performance. Although it may seem intuitive that English proficiency scores are a strong predictor, this study indicates that students' self-confidence and instructor evaluation have no direct link to students' English presentation performance, which was perhaps unanticipated. The small effects of self-confidence and instructor feedback are likely due to the large number of low-level students in the study. Additionally, variables such as student gender and field of study did not make significant differences. This study contributes to the development of research in the area of oral presentations in English. Aunque puede parecer intuitivo que los puntajes de dominio del inglés son un fuerte predictor, este estudio indica que la autoconfianza de los estudiantes y la evaluación del instructor no tienen un vínculo directo con el desempeño en las presentaciones en inglés de los estudiantes, lo cual quizás no fue anticipado. Los pequeños efectos de la confianza en uno mismo y la retroalimentación del instructor probablemente se deban a la gran cantidad de estudiantes de bajo nivel en el estudio. Además, variables como el sexo del alumno y el campo de estudio no presentaron diferencias significativas. Este estudio contribuye al desarrollo de la investigación en el área de presentaciones orales en inglés. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of a Creative Commons Attibution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) license.
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In the last decade, there has been a growing interest in exploring why teachers decide to and not to use a technological tool in their teaching practices. Teachers’ beliefs have appeared to be one of the influential factors, yet still... more
In the last decade, there has been a growing interest in exploring why
teachers decide to and not to use a technological tool in their teaching
practices. Teachers’ beliefs have appeared to be one of the influential
factors, yet still little is known about what causes both consistencies and inconsistencies between teachers’ beliefs and their classroom practices, especially on the use of technology. Thus, to address such a gap, this study examined teachers’ beliefs about video and their use of video in English Language Teaching (ELT) along with the key factors causing the inconsistencies between teachers’ pedagogical beliefs about video and their classroom practices. A qualitative research design with semi-structured interviews involving English teachers at a private educational institution in Indonesia was employed. The collected data were analyzed by using individual topic codes and emerging themes. The findings revealed that teachers’ beliefs about the use of video in ELT were positive but inconsistent with their use of video in practices. Four key factors underlying the inconsistencies between teachers’ pedagogical beliefs about video and their use of video in classroom teaching were identified, which involved teaching philosophy, teacher’s knowledge and skill, facility, and reading literature. Therefore, pedagogically, the findings implicate that teachers’ beliefs and classroom practices can be bridged by addressing the four underlying factors.
teachers decide to and not to use a technological tool in their teaching
practices. Teachers’ beliefs have appeared to be one of the influential
factors, yet still little is known about what causes both consistencies and inconsistencies between teachers’ beliefs and their classroom practices, especially on the use of technology. Thus, to address such a gap, this study examined teachers’ beliefs about video and their use of video in English Language Teaching (ELT) along with the key factors causing the inconsistencies between teachers’ pedagogical beliefs about video and their classroom practices. A qualitative research design with semi-structured interviews involving English teachers at a private educational institution in Indonesia was employed. The collected data were analyzed by using individual topic codes and emerging themes. The findings revealed that teachers’ beliefs about the use of video in ELT were positive but inconsistent with their use of video in practices. Four key factors underlying the inconsistencies between teachers’ pedagogical beliefs about video and their use of video in classroom teaching were identified, which involved teaching philosophy, teacher’s knowledge and skill, facility, and reading literature. Therefore, pedagogically, the findings implicate that teachers’ beliefs and classroom practices can be bridged by addressing the four underlying factors.
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Interests in examining the roles of receptive vocabulary knowledge and collocational knowledge and competence on EFL learners' proficiency have grown considerably; yet, the extent of how EFL learners' receptive knowledge of noun,... more
Interests in examining the roles of receptive vocabulary knowledge and collocational knowledge and competence on EFL learners' proficiency have grown considerably; yet, the extent of how EFL learners' receptive knowledge of noun, verb-noun collocations, and noun-preposition collocations impact their English skill performances is still insufficiently researched. To address such gaps, this study specifically explored Thai EFL learners' receptive knowledge of nouns and collocations and its impact on English skill performances. Three types of receptive vocabulary tests were created by using high-frequency nouns taken from the Academic Vocabulary List (AVL), which became the basis of selecting verb-noun lexical collocations and noun-preposition grammatical collocations. The tests were validated by a pilot study, then distributed to the 2 nd year students (N = 135; 28 males; 107 females) at Walailak University, Thailand. The results of the tests were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, ANOVA, and multiple linear regressions. It was revealed that Thai EFL learners, who participated in this study, had insufficient knowledge of noun, either in form or in meaning, and encountered complexities in identifying lexical and grammatical collocations. Receptive knowledge significantly predicted learners' performance in reading tasks. The findings of this study indicate the urgent need to include collocations into English teaching as Thai EFL learners seem unable to acquire them on their own; besides, the insufficient knowledge of the form and meaning of nouns may imply a deeper problem in Thai EFL learners' proficiency in grammatical structure. Therefore, it is important to emphasize that English teaching and learning materials, e.g., textbooks and modules, as well as course design and instruction at the university level in Thailand need to include explicitly integrated lessons of nouns (form and meaning) and collocations to facilitate the development of knowledge in such areas.
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During the last decade, vocabulary learning has gradually moved from paper-based to digital flashcards. The elements of gamified learning seem to have brought some distinctive excitement into learning English words, which is commonly... more
During the last decade, vocabulary learning has gradually moved from paper-based to digital flashcards. The elements of gamified learning seem to have brought some distinctive excitement into learning English words, which is commonly perceived as tedious and repetitive. However, gamified vocabulary learning has mostly been conducted in-class, while the class-hour is normally limited, the number of the words that have to be learned are numerous, and low-proficiency students have their own typical pace of learning. Therefore, using an action classroom research, this study implemented a two-cycle of vocabulary learning for 10 weeks at a university in Thailand, involving very low-level students (N = 65; 18.5% male and 81.5% female), who previously did not pass the university proficiency test and had to take a basic English remedial course in their first academic term. The target vocabulary was 500 academic English words at the A1-A2 CEFR levels. Quizlet was selected as the gamification tool since its potential had been indicated by preceding research. In the first cycle of the study (5 weeks), the students learned vocabulary without Quizlet support, then in the second cycle, they learned vocabulary with Quizlet support provided by the teacher. Quizlet support was designed to assist students in their vocabulary learning at home. The students' learning outcomes were measured by using in-class vocabulary tests weekly. The results of paired-sample t-tests disclosed significant improvement in both conditions: before and after Quizlet activities were performed and pre-and post-test vocabulary scores. These results suggest that gamified vocabulary learning can be integrated into vocabulary learning instruction as it can address key issues in vocabulary learning.
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Undeniably, Individual Differences (IDs) between more and less proficient EFL learners are noticeable, yet there is still little known about factors underlying individual differences that make learners become more and less proficient as a... more
Undeniably, Individual Differences (IDs) between more and less proficient EFL learners are noticeable, yet there is still little known about factors underlying individual differences that make learners become more and less proficient as a result of their English language learning. This study, hence, explores three factors, involving beliefs, learning strategies, and autonomy that are presumed to be the causes of IDs among Thai EFL learners. Using BALLI, SILL and Learner Autonomy surveys, this study collected information from 722 (72.15% female, 26.73% male, 1.11% unidentified) university students studying General English (GE) courses in the Academic Year of 2019/20 at Walailak University, Thailand. The data were examined by using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Independent t-test, and Multiple-linear School of Languages and General Education, Walailak University, Academic Building 5, 222 Thai-Buri sub-district, Thasala District, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand The Asian EFL Journal January 2021, Volume. 25 Issue 1 49 regression. It was found that more and less proficient Thai EFL learners significantly differ across factors underlying their beliefs, learning strategies and autonomy. These underlying factors were also significant predictors of Thai EFL learners' proficiency levels in overall and in specific skills.
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Despite the growing interest in using online quizzes with Student Response System (SRS) for assessment, knowledge and empirical evidence about learner acceptance and risk of cheating are still limited in the literature. Hence, to address... more
Despite the growing interest in using online quizzes with Student Response System (SRS) for assessment, knowledge and empirical evidence about learner acceptance and risk of cheating are still limited in the literature. Hence, to address such gaps, this study explored Thai EFL learner acceptance and perceived risk of cheating of using Socrative for vocabulary tests. The participants (N = 461, 77.4% female, 22.6% male) attended a General English (GE) course that required them to learn fifty English words every week. The vocabulary tests took place in the first ten minutes of the class for ten weeks delivered by using Socrative. At the end of the course, this study investigated learner acceptance and perceived risk of cheating using a set of survey constructed based on Davis (1989) and collected the data of vocabulary learning outcomes and proficiency levels. The data were, then, analysed by using independent t-test, correlation, and multiple regression analyses. The results indicated Thai EFL learner acceptance of Socrative with the risk of cheating during vocabulary tests. Learner acceptance was influenced by proficiency level and predicted a small amount of learning outcomes. These results have some implications for instructional course designs adopting online quizzes for testing.
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This study examined the influence of ICT support, language learning orientation, and cultural perception on Thai EFL learners' willingness to communicate (WTC) inside and outside classroom in a path analysis model. Three indexes, root... more
This study examined the influence of ICT support, language learning orientation, and cultural perception on Thai EFL learners' willingness to communicate (WTC) inside and outside classroom in a path analysis model. Three indexes, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), Tucker-Lewis index (TLI), and comparative fit index (CFI) were utilized to assess the model fit. The results showed that high levels of ICT support and cultural perception were predictors of low degrees of willingness to communicate inside and outside classroom among Thai EFL learners, while language learning orientations had a significant effect on Thai EFL learners' WTC inside and outside classroom. The examined model significantly explained 96% of both the variability in learners' willingness to communicate inside classroom (R 2 = .96, SE = .01, p < .001) and outside classroom (R 2 = .96, SE = .01, p < .001). The findings of this study suggest that Thai EFL learners' WTC inside and outside classroom are not enhanced by various ICT supports; it is only the type of ICT supports stimulating and facilitating communications that can potentially enhance Thai EFL learners' WTC. Thai EFL learners also do not perceive that their cultural backgrounds impede their WTC inside and outside classroom; in this instance, attention should be paid to interactions and contextual factors which can address communication anxiety and topic relevancy to students' interests. Nevertheless, language learning orientations influence Thai EFL learners' WTC inside and outside classroom which is consistent with the findings of previous studies.
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This study attempts to initiate discussions on integrating the concepts of smart classroom and active learning into general English course design. It examines students' learning outcomes after studying a general English course involving... more
This study attempts to initiate discussions on integrating the concepts of smart classroom and active learning into general English course design. It examines students' learning outcomes after studying a general English course involving ICT integration, integrated-skills approach, and formative assessment, developed from the concepts of smart classroom and active learning. The data were collected during the 3rd academic term (January-May 2018) that consisted of students' pre-and post-tests scores on vocabulary, listening, grammar, reading and writing. There were 983 students (77.8% female and 22.2% male) involved with various educational backgrounds and English proficiency levels. The data were examined by using paired-samples t-test, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA and analyses of students' improvement by changes of levels. The results indicate significant differences in students' scores in total and across skills. These results shed light on curriculum and course design with regards to the integration of ICT, integrated-skills approach, and formative assessment.
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Interests in the adoption of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) for English teaching and learning have been growing among countries beyond Europe since 2001. The framework offers practical interpretations of... more
Interests in the adoption of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) for English teaching and learning have been growing among countries beyond Europe since 2001. The framework offers practical interpretations of language proficiency levels relating to real-life situations and is open to multimodality and adaptations in various educational contexts. However, little research has been conducted on English proficiency and CEFR with a specific focus on a country or region. Therefore, this study intends to address such gap by examining the English proficiency of Thai EFL learners on CEFR levels. By using Walailak University-Test of English Proficiency (WU-TEP), a comprehensive university standardized test framed by the Classical Test Theory (CTT) and CEFR, this study, conducted in July 2018, measured the English proficiency of 2248 Thai EFL learners (74% female and 26% male). The results of the analyses revealed that 77.3% of the students were at the levels of basic users (A1 and A2) in CEFR. Such levels are equal to the abilities of primary and junior high school students in the Thai education system. This study, further, suggests the implementation of a school level-focused curriculum development for future improvements.
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While task-based language teaching has received considerable attention from both researchers and educational policy makers, the effective implementation in the classroom is still a matter of question. Thus, this classroom-based research... more
While task-based language teaching has received considerable attention from both researchers and educational policy makers, the effective implementation in the classroom is still a matter of question. Thus, this classroom-based research attempts to contribute to the practice of task-based teaching in actual classrooms. It proposes theme-based role-play as an alternative in developing EFL learners' communicative competence in task-based teaching. This study explores student progress (N = 782) in theme-based role-play performances throughout one academic term-12 weeks-and examines the impact on student achievement in the final speaking exam. The findings confirm the hypothesis that students' performances in theme-based role-play predict the development of their communicative competence. However, topics and contents of role-play activities, roles of students and teachers as an individual and a group, and teachers' provision of support may play key roles in implementation .
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The purpose of this study is to measure the impact of international scholarship programs for social justice – a case study of the Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program (IFP), the first model of scholarships for social justice.... more
The purpose of this study is to measure the impact of international scholarship programs for social justice – a case study of the Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program (IFP), the first model of scholarships for social justice. The human capability approach advanced by Amartya Sen is selected to conceptualize the measurement of the impacts. This study attempts to propose an alternative approach, which allows scholarship sponsors to see scholarship impact on the matter of people’s capabilities, rather than economic growth. By using the data from the 2012 IFP Alumni surveys (n = 1,794, 49.4% female, 50.6% male) and the fellows data (n = 422, 47.6% female, 52.4% male) collected in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006 by the Center for Higher Education Policy Studies, this study examined the relationships of the very foundational rationale behind the creation of IFP as well as the proposed structural equation model built upon the human capability approach with fellows’ impacts on social justice in their home country. Structural equation modelling was employed as the statistical technique. The results of the analyses revealed that: (a) fellows’ success of choices were positively related to fellows’ impacts on social justice; and (b) fellows’ capabilities and achieved functionings positively predicted fellows’ impacts on social justice. The proposed structural equation model was proved to be theoretically sound and explain the data well.
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If there are areas that have received significant impacts of ICTs, education is one of them as ICTs have stimulated major differences in the teaching approaches and the ways students learn (Yuen, Law, & Wong, 2003); however, World Bank... more
If there are areas that have received significant impacts of ICTs, education is one of them as ICTs have stimulated major differences in the teaching approaches and the ways students learn (Yuen, Law, & Wong, 2003); however, World Bank unexpectedly excludes ICT from the key focus areas in their ESS 2020, a guideline that may be adopted by developing countries for improving national education policies and agendas. Thus, by using hierarchical linear modeling and the latest PISA results, the present study examines the effects of student's use of ICT and school's resources on achievement in the third world countries. The analyses disclosed that (1) students' frequencies of ICT use outside of school as well as at home were negatively related to student achievement, (2) school's resources were positively related to student achievement on science at school level and cross-level interactions, (3) the availability of ICT for students to use at school was also significantly associated with student achievement. The exclusion of ICT from World Bank ESS 2020 does not show that ICT no longer plays significant role in student learning process and no longer has a positive effect on student achievement; rather, ICT is probably falling out of favor because of the litigation surrounding it nowadays (McGrath, 2012).
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Despite the crucial role of vocabulary in foreign language acquisition, little is known about its influence on speaking and writing development from self-regulated learning concept. Thus, by employing a path analysis, this study examines... more
Despite the crucial role of vocabulary in foreign language acquisition, little is known about its influence on speaking and writing development from self-regulated learning concept. Thus, by employing a path analysis, this study examines the influence of vocabulary acquisition through self-regulated learning on beginner (N = 215) and intermediate (N = 195) students' speaking and writing development at Walailak University, Thailand. The findings suggest significant paths from vocabulary acquisition to students' speaking and writing development, but noting the influence of proficiency level. These findings contribute to the development of research in vocabulary acquisition and self-regulated learning with regards to speaking and writing development.
Research Interests: Second Language Acquisition, Academic Writing, Vocabulary, English, Self-regulated Learning, and 12 moreApplied Linguistics, Writing, Self-Regulated Learning (Education), Vocabulary Acquisition, Vocabulary Learning, Self-regulation, Speaking, TESL/TEFL, Speaking Fluency, Teaching Oral Skills to EFL Learners, English and Foreign Languages University, and Speaking Skill Development
Despite extensive studies on self-regulated learning in the past three decades, there is still little research exploring self-regulated learning on foreign language vocabulary acquisition. Therefore, in a classroom-based context, this... more
Despite extensive studies on self-regulated learning in the past three decades, there is still little research exploring self-regulated learning on foreign language vocabulary acquisition. Therefore, in a classroom-based context, this study explores the effectiveness of a course design that promotes self-regulated learning coupled with formative assessment and the use of Socrative on students' vocabulary acquisition. The study involves the first-year students (N = 136) taking a general English course at Walailak University, Thailand. On CEFR levels, 68 of them are considered basic users (beginner), while the others are independent users (intermediate). Students' pre-and post-tests scores as well as students' total scores from 10 vocabulary tests were examined by using Wilcoxon signed-rank and Mann-Whitney tests. The results disclosed the effectiveness of the course design in enhancing EFL learners' vocabulary acquisition (Z =-4.055, p = .001, r = .35); however, significant differences were also found across basic and independent users (U = 448.5, p = .001, r = .70). The findings support the ideas that formative assessment reinforces students' self-regulated learning strategies and students' levels of English proficiency influence the extent of their self-regulated learning development and involvement.