A Study of Problems in Developing Thai Conversation in 01363132 Thai Conversation in Everyday Life I: With Special Reference to the Students in Kasetsart University Student Exchange Program (KUSEP)

Abstract

Throughout a study of problems in developing Thai conversation in 01363132 Thai Conversation in Everyday Life I: with special reference to the students in Kasetsart University Student Exchange Program (KUSEP), the objectives of this research were to survey the problems in learning Thai conversation in 01363132 Thai Conversation in Everyday Life I of those KUSEP students and to find the way to solve the problems in learning Thai conversation in such the subject. It was carried out through the qualitative and quantitative research methods. There are populations totally 96 KUSEP students studying 01363132; 82 students from the first semester and 14 students from the second semester in academic year 2014. The research tools used in this study were; 1) rating-scale questionnaire 2) structural in-depth interview and 3) participatory observation. It was found that Thai conversation problems of KUSEP students were; 1) a lack of confidence 2) inadequate knowledge of Thai vocabulary 3) being worried while having the practical Thai conversation with their own pairs due to inadequate knowledge and a lack of Thai conversation skill 4) a lack of practical conversation with others after class and 5) the development of Thai conversation that mostly used among the students was done by following of the practical examples of a good Thai conversation via YouTube, movies and television. Moreover, the KUSEP students’ serious practices of Thai conversation in class under feedback supervised individually made the students feel more confident and improve their Thai conversation. Furthermore, field trip that brought KUSEP students to have the cultural exploration and experience including the practical conversation with native Thais through such the field trip was also a good way that helped KUSEP students improve their Thai conversation skill