The Implementation of a Poster Conference Activity in Thailand’s EFL Classes: English and Dialogic Teaching Implications for Practice

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to investigate the use of a poster conference as a teaching methodology in EFL classes in Thailand’s universities. Specifically, the study firstly examined how the poster conference was administered in Thai universities’ EFL classes, and secondly examined whether or not it could promote dialogic education and students’ English speaking skills. Qualitative data were collected through classroom observations and interviews among four Thai EFL lecturers and twelve of their students. It was found that in Thailand’s universities the poster conference activity was adopted as group-based assignment size of groups were large, up to 9-10 students/group, and the medium language used during the process of creating a poster and presenting it at the conference was mostly Thai. Findings suggest that the poster conference activity can promote dialogic teaching as it creates multiple ranges of circumstances which require students to talk and interact with their groupmates as well as with their lecturer in a dialogic way. However, the poster conference might not be able to improve Thai students’ oral English communication skills as interactions, talks, questions, and argumentations occurring while students accomplish tasks relevant to the poster are conducted in the students’ native language. The study offers practical insights that lecturers should consider when designing and implementing a poster conference activity as a teaching tool in their English class.