Sripathum Noom-ura
Language Institute, Thammasat University, Thailand

Teaching Listening-Speaking Skills for Less-able Students at a University Level

This research study was an attempt to teach listening-speaking skills to students with low English proficiency for 60 hours over three weeks. These students are less able in English when compared to their peers. Participating students attend English classes with low expectations and motivation because of their low English ability. Such students are seemingly trapped in a vicious cycle of unsatisfactory language learning experience, dropping English as a subject of study as quickly as possible. The research presumption was that such students had participated unsuccessfully in the English classes that focused on integrated skills; the handling of all four skills at the same time was too difficult for them. Further, their English language needs required only the ability to communicate satisfactorily for basic use.

This study, therefore, emphasized listening and speaking, expecting that the students should find English learning enjoyable and then develop a better attitude in order to progress to an ESP course in the latter years of university. Twenty-eight students were randomly selected from Thammasat University students whose English scores from the national entrance exam were below 42. Three English teachers decided on the course content and created activities that seemed appropriate for the students, whose utterances were in words or memorized phrases with the pronunciation that native speakers of English could hardly understand unless they had been familiar with such students before. The data were collected from the pre-post tests, pre-post questionnaires, classroom observation, students’ self reflection, and course evaluation.

The study found that (1) the scores and the students’ readiness, interests, and confidence in learning and using English were significantly increased, (2) at the end of the course, twelve students showed their speaking ability at the level of 0 and 1 and sixteen students were rated as 1+ and 2 performers, (3) the classroom observation summary showed a good rapport between the teachers and the students, who actively and joyfully participated in class activities, (4) the analysis of the students’ self-reflection showed positive changes in cognitive, affective and behavioral domains, and (5) the students were satisfied with the course as a whole. Some recommendations for running such a course and for further study are also discussed.

Presenter

Sripathum Noom-ura, Assistant Professor, has been an instructor at the Language Institute at Thammasat University in Thailand since 1993 and now holds a position of the Assistant Director for International Affairs. Her interests range to include the teaching of listening-speaking, reading-writing, and ESP courses