Rajabhat and traditional universities: institutional differences in Thai students’ perceptions of English

Abstract

This research explores the perceptions students at three traditional university campuses and four Rajabhat university campuses in Central-Western Thailand have of English. The students were surveyed on (1) their backgrounds, (2) their thoughts about English in general, (3) their thoughts about their own ability in English, and (4) their thoughts about their current English teachers. The researchers found that traditional university students had better backgrounds in English. Additionally, most students at both types of institutions thought positively about English and their teachers, but didn't think so positively about their own English ability. However, the differences in students' responses were small and therefore any implications from the institutional differences in students' perceptions are limited.Keywords Student perceptions of English Á English backgrounds of students Á Thai universities Á Institutional differences Á Student evaluations of teaching English is the globally dominant language of our time (Crystal 1997). English has been taught for generations to students from all over the world. Even in countries where English is not the daily medium of communication, university students study in English, in part, so that students can compete in the global economic environment. Yet with this worldwide focus on English, perspectives vary on the usefulness of learning English and the reasons ). It has been suggested that these differences in perspective toward English can be related to a variety of factors including personal attitude and motivation to learn (Masgoret and Gardner 2003). This research examines the backgrounds and perspectives of Thai students studying English and the differences that exist between students at two of Thailand's higher education institutional structures, Rajabhat universities and traditional universities.The present research includes surveyed responses from freshmen students at four Rajabhat university campuses and three traditional university campuses all located within the Central-Western Thai provinces of Nakhon Pathom, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, and Phetchaburi. Random groups of students from the seven campuses answered questions regarding their backgrounds and responded to statements about their thoughts about English, their own ability in English, their current English teachers. The goal of this project was to determine whether there were any differences in the background and perceptions of students who are attending traditional universities and those who are attending Rajabhat universities. Results from the research should facilitate insights into students' backgrounds and perceptions of the English that they are taught and how those insights may ultimately shape the future development of English as a significant component of most Thai university curriculums.This study involved a multi-campus investigation of perceptions of English among university students at two types of Thai higher educational institutions, traditional universities and Rajabhat universities, within the ...

The competence and warmth of Thai students’ attitudes towards varieties of English: the effect of gender and perceptions of L1 diversity

“…Sixty-two males and one hundred and forty-two females took part in the study (mean age=19.49 years, SD=1.78), similar to the gender imbalance found throughout higher educational establishments in Thailand (Grubbs, Chaengploy and Worawong, 2009). All participants had studied the language for a minimum of 15 years at school as a compulsory subject and, at the time of the data collection, all were studying English alongside other subjects.…”

Experiences and Challenges Perceived by Indonesian EFL Teachers as Non-Native English Speaker Teachers (NNESTs) in Thailand

“…English has been a part of the curriculum and becomes a compulsory subject from primary school onward in Thailand (Chamcharatsiri, 2010). The presence of English subject in formal schools has been for around 150 years since King Rama IV ordered that English be a part of the training for royal children (Grubbs, Chaengploy, & Worawong, 2009). Since then, Thai people consider English as a foreign language, which is mainly used for business, tourism, and educational purposes.…”

Willingness to Communicate in English: A Case Study of EFL Students at King Khalid University

“…English is spoken worldwide, and it is the language of business communication. According to Grubbs et al (2009), "It is the language to compete in the global economic environment." Saudi Arabia is one of the top destinations for international labor and foreign investment in the world; therefore, there is a need to use English as a tool for international and intercultural communication, which may explain the interest in WTC.…”