ปัญหาการสอนวิชาภาษาศาสตร์เบื้องต้นสำหรับครู ในระดับชั้นประกาศนียบัตรวิชาการศึกษาชั้นสูง / เนาวรัตน์ ทรงวิทยา = Problems of teaching introduction to linguistics for teachers at the higher certificate of education level / Nawarat Songvitaya
Purpose The purpose of this research was to study the learning and teaching process and various obstacles that face the teachers of Introduction to Linguistics courses in regards to curriculum, teaching preparation, teaching methods, activities, teaching aids and testing. Also, suggestions were given to improve the teaching and learning Introduction to Linguistics. Questionnaires were sent to both teachers and students of the Introduction to Linguistics courses in twenty Teachers’ Colleges all over the country. 90.00%, 97.14% and 94.33% of the [questionnaires] were returned from the heads of the department, teachers and students respectively. The obtained data were computed by percentages, with mean and standard deviations. Conclusions Most heads of the department, teachers and students agreed that linguistics was a subject of great importance. Firstly, it enabled the students to improve their understanding of the characteristics of the Thai language. Secondly, its content was in accordance with the objectives of the curriculum of the Teacher Education Council 1976. In addition, students could make use of it in their everyday life. The instructional method most often used was distributing sheets with explanation. The two books in linguistics that most teachers used were: Dr.Udom Varotsikkhdit’s Introduction to Linguistics, and Prasit Kabbkorn’s The Studey of Thai through Linguistics Approach. Special lectures, discussions, and conferences were activities often arranged by teachers. These teachers encountered various problems: the curriculum required too much content; certain parts of the content were too difficult for the students; and there were no special language labs. Also, testing depended primarily on memory. These teachers, therefore, need help from the Educational Supervisory Division concerning texts, teaching methods, notes, and teaching aids The majority of teachers themselves had problems : they were not particularly trained to teach linguistics and had no chance to acquire new knowledge to improve their teaching. Problems also abounded on the students’ part. Most of them had moderate interest in this subject and studied it through lectures and dictations. As a result, [they] found the subject boring and too difficult to understand. The class in which teachers make use of a variety of techniques, teaching materials, and activities would be more favorable. The students finally agreed that emphasis should be put on training skill and actual practice.
