Factors and Processes Contributing to Grade 6 Students’ English Achievement in the Ordinary National Educational Test (O-NET) of Peripheral Schools in Thailand

Abstract

The aims of this study are 1) to explore factors contributing to Grade 6 students’ English achievement in the Ordinary National Educational Test (O-NET) of peripheral schools and 2) to compare processes of developing students’ English achievement in O-NET of peripheral schools. A conceptual framework in this research employed the perspectives of educational psychology and sociology of education. The research design of multiple case study approach and collecting qualitative data by interviews, field notes, and document analysis were produced in 20 participants in 4 schools. Thematic analysis technique for within-case analysis emerged factors of School A, B, C, and D that contributing to Grade 6 students’ English achievement in O-NET of peripheral schools were similarly organic collaborative teams, characteristics of professional teachers, brain-based instruction, sense of challenge toward educational problems, and changing teaching practices. Only characteristics of innovative teacher and collective action were factors of School C that distinguished from other schools. Using cross-case analytical procedure, this finding revealed that process of developing student’s English achievement in all case studies were associated with process of transformative learning theory. Moreover, one school from all cases reflected entirely to process of decolonizing the educational framework which expressed stages that differ from other schools: systemic solving with deep of the illiteracy, and developing students goes beyond O-NET to English literacy. The results contribute to changing teaching practices of teachers and school directors in their own classrooms and school even slightly, the academic achievement of students living in poverty, low socioeconomic background, and educational inequality can improve and succeed outstandingly in English literacy.