ERIC Number: EJ832752
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009-Apr
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0951-0893
EISSN: N/A
Implementing Education Reform: EFL Teachers' Perspectives
de Segovia, Lakhana Prapaisit; Hardison, Debra M.
ELT Journal, v63 n2 p154-162 Apr 2009
The National Education Act of 1999 in Thailand mandated a transition from teacher- to learner-centred instruction for all subjects including English. This shift was associated with the development of communicative ability in English to meet the needs of globalization. The current study investigated the policy behind and implementation of the reform in English teaching following Johnson's (1989) decision-making framework for a coherent curriculum. Several observations of English classes (grades 5-6) revealed no evidence of communicative language use. Stimulated recall and interviews with teachers revealed confusion about the reform's principles and their application. Teachers were concerned about their English proficiency, insufficient training, and inadequate resources and professional support. Of the four interviewed supervisors, one felt that the reform's principles were not suitable for teaching English. Findings point to areas of the curriculum in which coherence can be lost during reform.
Descriptors: Global Approach, Educational Change, Foreign Countries, Grade 6, Grade 5, English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, Second Language Instruction, Communicative Competence (Languages), Educational Legislation, Educational Policy, Language Teachers, Language Proficiency, Interviews, Administrator Attitudes
Oxford University Press. Great Clarendon Street, Oxford, OX2 6DP, UK. Tel: +44-1865-353907; Fax: +44-1865-353485; e-mail: jnls.cust.serv@oxfordjournals.org; Web site: http://eltj.oxfordjournals.org/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education; Grade 5; Grade 6
Audience: Teachers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Thailand
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A