Roles of Thai Language (L1) and English Language (L2) in an EFL classroom: A case study from teacher’s and students’ voices
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Abstract
This study aims to explore teachers’ and students’ voices on the role of Thai and English in classrooms where English is a foreign language. Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and university students provided the qualitative data. Two research questions were addressed in this study: 1) What role do Thai and English play in a classroom where English is a foreign language, and 2) what are their perspectives on Thai and English language teachers and students in a university where English is being taught as a foreign language? The qualitative analysis of the data indicates that in a classroom where English is a foreign language, Thai, English, and bilingual integration are indispensable. Participants in the study accepted that learning Thai strengthens the interaction between teachers and students in the classroom and decreases learners’ anxiety, tension, hesitation, and pressure. The English language is critical for learners to develop their speaking and pronunciation skills. The participants in the study also accepted that combining the two languages increases teacher teaching and that English language teachers should apply the research findings.
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