Bulletin De L' Association Thaïlandaise Des Professeurs de Français

The flipped classroom in FFL class : Impacts on learners, teacher's role, and strategies for successful implementation

2024-07-08T22:36:11+07:00

Traditional teaching, which privileges the one-way transmission of knowledge, is often questioned about its effectiveness in fostering active learning and classroom engagement. In contrast, the flipped classroom has been considered as a method that can enhance learning. Indeed, the flipped classroom emphasizes in-class activities, after learners have studied the contents online. This sequence promotes active learning, which is a central element of learner-centered teaching. Although the flipped classroom is popular in many countries, its development in Thailand, particularly for French as a Foreign Language, remains limited. The research on this topic is also rare. This study introduced the flipped classroom to our Thai students learning French. Our research revealed a positive change in students' perceptions towards this teaching and learning method. Furthermore, this approach encouraged active learning, which involves supports from teachers. In the study, watching videos beforehand allowed learners to familiarize themselves with the subjects at their own pace, anytime and anywhere. However, this transformation in learners' roles might not completely align with teachers' expectations. The findings show the importance of having awareness in the precautions when implementing the flipped classrooms. The guidelines proposed in the conclusion are meant to optimize the effectiveness of teaching French that uses the flipped classroom.

Perspectives of Parents of French Language Undergraduate Learners towards the Learning Management regarding French for Professional Purposes in Thailand

2024-07-16T10:27:17+07:00

This research, entitled “Perspectives of Parents of French Language Undergraduate Learners towards the Learning Management regarding French for Professional Purposes in Thailand”, aimed to examine 1) the learning management of undergraduate courses in French for Professional Purposes in Thailand, and 2) the perspectives of parents of French language learners regarding the learning management of undergraduate courses in French for professional purposes in Thailand. This study utilized a mixed-method approach, combining quantitative and qualitative research methodologies through the use of questionnaires and interviews. The participants in this study comprised 188 parents of French language undergraduate students. Twenty participants were interviewed. Research findings revealed that most of the parents perceived that 1) courses in French for Professional Purposes provided by their children’s universities were relevant to the world’s current changes and teaching and learning activities were student-based as active learning was implemented; and 2) it should be the responsibility of teachers or the educational institutions to manage the undergraduate courses in French for Professional Purposes, and learning management of courses in French for Professional Purposes should incorporate activities such as lectures from professionals in the field, internship/cooperative learning, and related workplace visit.

ChatGPT and collaborative learning: A tool for enhancing reading comprehension

2024-07-08T22:32:08+07:00

The integration of ChatGPT into education has sparked debates about its pedagogical impact. This article explores, through an ethnographic study, this experience at Silpakorn University, which began in December 2022. This case study focuses on a course titled French Reading in Current Affairs, highlighting the challenges and opportunities of working with AI. The course was redesigned to leverage ChatGPT in developing students’ reading comprehension and writing skills through a task-based approach involving the creation of a weekly journal. Despite a somewhat mixed start, students made progress in formulating relevant queries and organizing their writing, establishing a collaborative working dynamic with both their peers and the AI. This approach fostered better comprehension and writing skills, encouraging active engagement and constructive feedback, particularly during assessments. This experience enabled students to strengthen their reading and writing abilities in French while developing critical analysis and evaluation skills for ChatGPT’s responses.

The game as a didactic and fun method adapted to Southern Thai students

2024-07-16T10:17:51+07:00

Since its creation, the Prince of Songkla University, Pattani campus, has offered French teaching. However, in recent years, the institution has faced a shortage of native speakers, affecting students' oral skills development. Located alongside Yala and Narathiwat, Pattani faces cultural, political, and security challenges. According to ethnologist Pierre Le Roux (1998), local communities, such as the Jawi, experience marginalization and attempts at assimilation by the state, fostering distrust toward foreigners and complicating exchanges. These dynamics hinder the recruitment of native teachers and slow the development of the educational landscape. In addition to cultural challenges, Pattani remains classified as a red zone by the French Embassy in 2024, with non-essential travel strongly discouraged by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This further limit the arrival of external participants, especially native teachers.

Since the beginning of her teaching in Pattani, the author observed that her students, from diverse religious backgrounds—both Buddhist Thais and Muslims—lack oral practice and fluency. While passionate about learning French, students find the traditional teaching approach tedious and monotonous, necessitating an adaptation of pedagogical practices.

In response to these challenges, a playful and interactive pedagogical approach was introduced, incorporating video games, board games, word games, and charades. This approach sparked students' curiosity, creativity, and motivation, promoting exchanges among them and enhancing their comprehension and retention of the language. This article presents an exploratory study on the impact of playful pedagogy in teaching French in a multicultural and security-sensitive context. The methodology is based on classroom observations, discussions with students, and an analysis of end-of-semester student evaluations. These evaluations provide qualitative feedback on the course methods and the chosen pedagogical approach, revealing that, although applied only partially in each session, this approach was perceived by students as motivating and engaging, fostering their learning and progress.