A Research Synthesis of Thai Language Teaching: Trends in the Development of Listening and Speaking Skills

Abstract

     This study aimed to synthesize research on Thai language instruction focusing on the development of listening and speaking skills conducted during 2015–2025. The data were drawn from master’s theses and doctoral dissertations from nine universities, namely Chulalongkorn University, Khon Kaen University, Thaksin University, Naresuan University, Burapha University, Mahasarakham University, Ramkhamhaeng University, Silpakorn University, and Srinakharinwirot University. These studies were retrieved from university thesis repositories and the ThaiLIS database, yielding a total of 217 studies. The researcher recorded preliminary information and essential content using Cornell Notes and then purposively selected only those studies specifically aimed at developing listening and speaking skills for synthesis through inductive content analysis together with descriptive statistics.
     The findings revealed that only 7 studies, accounting for 3.23 percent of all studies reviewed, focused on listening and speaking skills. The approaches used to develop these skills were diverse, including the use of storytelling and role-play at the early childhood level, the think-pair technique at the primary level, cooperative learning integrated with local information at the secondary level, and the integration of self-efficacy theory and communicative language teaching with electronic media for foreign learners. The synthesis further indicated that the development of listening and speaking skills should involve learning activities that provide learners with opportunities for interaction, active participation, and continuous feedback. In addition, the findings suggest the need for further research on listening and speaking skills in order to build a more comprehensive body of knowledge across all educational levels and to support learners’ essential communicative competence in the twenty-first century.