Development of Thai Language Textbooks for Basic Communication for Chinese Learners Studying Thai as a Foreign Language

Abstract

Background and Aims: In the digital age, with the rapid development of borderless communication systems, language has become an important tool to convey ideas, thoughts, social values, and cross-cultural understanding. Foreign language learning is a way to enhance learners' effective communication and adaptability in a multicultural society. Developing basic communicative Thai textbooks for Chinese learners is a necessary condition to improve the learning quality and deepen the understanding of the Thai cultural context. The purpose of this study is to create a learning medium that can meet the specific needs of a learner of Thai as a foreign language in China. Its purposes are: 1) to develop and find Thai teaching materials, and to provide the basic level of communication for Chinese learners; 2) to compare the Thai communication ability of Chinese learners before and after learning using the developed basic Thai communication textbook; and 3) to study the satisfaction of Chinese learners toward using a basic Thai communication textbook in learning Thai.

Methodology: This research is experimental. The population and sample of this study consisted of 28 first-year Chinese students in the Bachelor of Arts Program in Aviation Business, School of Tourism and Hospitality, Suan Dusit University, who studied Thai as a foreign language in the second semester of the academic year 2018. The research instruments included a Thai language textbook for basic communication for Chinese learners studying Thai as a foreign language, a 40-item test to measure Thai communication ability in everyday life, 12 lesson plans using the communicative language teaching method with a Thai language textbook for basic communication, and a questionnaire on Chinese students’ satisfaction with the Thai language textbook for basic communication using a 5-point rating scale. The statistics used were the mean, standard deviation, textbook efficiency index (E1/E2), and t-test dependent.

Results: It was found that 1) the Thai language textbook for basic communication for Chinese learners studying Thai as a foreign language to promote the ability to speak Thai for communication was at the highest level of overall suitability (𝑥̅ = 4.78, S.D = 0.24) and had an efficiency value of 80.42/80.54, by the established criteria of 80/80. 2) The average post-test score of Chinese learners who studied using the developed textbook was higher than the average pre-test score at the statistical significance level of .05., and 3) Chinese learners were highly satisfied with the Thai language textbook for basic communication for Chinese learners studying Thai as a foreign language (𝑥̅ = 4.73, S.D = 0.14).

Conclusion: This Thai language textbook for basic communication is designed for Chinese learners who study Thai as a foreign language and can effectively enhance their Thai communication skills.