Phramaha Gumpone Sugunto . An interaction in English between native English speaking teachers and student monks at Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University Chiang Mai Campus. Master's Degree(English). Chiang Rai Rajabhat University. Academic Resources and Information Technology Center. : มหาวิทยาลัยราชภัฏเชียงราย, 2009.
An interaction in English between native English speaking teachers and student monks at Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University Chiang Mai Campus
Abstract:
The study aimed to scrutinize interaction in English between native English
speaking teachers and student monks in four classes who were studying English major as a second language. The target group of the study included 2 native English speaking teachers and 42 third year student monks and 32 fourth year student monks who were studying English major as a second language, in their 1st semester, at the Faculty of Humanities at Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Chiang Mai Campus, in the academic year 2008. Furthermore, this study was to identify and describe the ways in which native English speaking teachers and student monks interact with each other in their classrooms while teaching and learning English.
Data collections consisted of by using the observation forms, audio and
video recordings, interview questions (evaluative data). The analysis processes were drawn by a narrative style, grouping, summary, and reporting.
The findings of the study were as follows : The results of the main themes of discourses patterns of the two classes appeared 6 categories. These included: 1. Introduction to a lesson, 2. Providing New Knowledge, 3. Assigning Group Work Presentation, 4. Sharing Experience, 5. Giving Feedback and finally, 6. Homework Assignment. Within these main themes of discourse was discovering on how the language functions and language features
which both of the native English speaking teachers and the student monks used for interact with each others. The results of analyzing the data of interactional patterns indicated that the two teachers language functions and the student monks language functions appeared as follows : first, the language functions used by the two teachers included 64 functions: for instance, asking questions, checking students understanding, calling for preparedness, encouraging students to use English. Second, language functions used by the student monks included 31 functions: for instance, demonstrating feelings,responding to questions, asking questions. The native English speaking teachers used English for interacting with their students in the classes. Their usage was characterized in this study in a variety of ways. Most of their background did not provide difficulties for speaking in front of
the classes. Moreover, as they are native English speakers, their speech offered natural sound, good volume with very good tone of voices. The two teachers sometimes decreased the volume of their speech. They tried to speak slowly to help all students get more understanding. From the two classes observed, this maybe made their speech become broken English (incorrect model). They used a form of degraded, modified English to take account of the abilities and levels of comprehension of the students. While the native English speaking teachers probably offer intrinsically good models of English conversation, their use, in the classroom, of ungrammatical constructions, incomplete sentences, simplified expressions and elementary vocabulary do not present good models of English usage to their students. This indicated failure to provide good models. The results indicated that there were different types of language functions: the teachers language functions were different types from the students. This result depended on the teachers role and syllabus or course which the teachers used. Another result depended on students language functions were used much less than the teachers. This depended on the students cultural background. An interesting revelation of the study indicated that students misinterpretation: many times, some of them did not understand the concepts which the teachers introduced in the objective of the courses. On language application, most of the student monks used English for basic communication without paying attention to grammatical rules. This ungrammatical language includes: short sentences, and incorrect structure. They usually felt nervous, embarrassed, and shy while they presented in front of the class. Examining the interaction in English between native English speaking teachers and student monks in classroom helped such to understand the enormous difficulty of cross cultural teaching of language and found the obstacles they faced. Furthermore, it is a very useful way of increasing their involvement in the English learning process and it is also of tremendous benefit to Thai monks modern educational.
Chiang Rai Rajabhat University. Academic Resources and Information Technology Center