Designing Competency-Based Language Instruction to Teach Thai Culture for Chinese Teachers in Thailand

Abstract

This study investigates how undergraduate students in a Chinese language teacher education program developed intercultural communication competence through competency-based language instruction.
Intercultural communicative competence was defined in terms of three key components: (1) knowledge of local and global cultural contexts, (2) teaching skills for real-world tasks, and (3) attitudes, especially regarding Chinese teachers' perspectives on Thai culture. The research aimed to (1) create a competency-based Chinese language learning model focused on teaching Thai culture, (2) assess its effectiveness, and (3) evaluate the satisfaction of student teachers with the model. Seven Chinese language student teachers participated in the study, designing and practicing lessons that integrated Thai cultural content into Chinese language teaching during micro-teaching sessions in urban public schools. Data were collected using lesson plan evaluations, teaching evaluations, teacher supervision forms, and satisfaction survey on teaching using the competency-based language teaching model (CBLT).
Quantitative analysis, including mean and standard deviation, demonstrated strong alignment with CBLT principles, with an average score of 4.14 for lesson design and execution, and 4.09 for teaching competencies. Qualitative analysis of classroom observations identified key teaching strategies for promoting intercultural communicative competence. The overall satisfaction score of 4.40, gained from the satisfaction survey on teaching using the CBLT model, indicated that the model was highly effective and well-received by student teachers, further reinforcing the success of competency-based education in fostering intercultural competence in language teacher training.