Enhancing Autonomous Learning for International Communication in a Thai Context

Abstract

Enhancing autonomous learning for international communication in an English language classroom is a challenge for Thai education as a whole. This study aimed to examine the effects of consciousness-raising instruction (CRI) as a theoretical guidance for autonomous learning in this study and computer-assisted program (CAI) as a tool for self-access learning on Thai learners‘ autonomous learning for international communication, with three specific purposes: (1) to examine the effects of the CRI and CAI on Thai learners‘ listening development, (2) to explore the learners‘ attitudes toward CRI and CAI in enhancing autonomous learning for international communication, and (3) to determine whether CRI and CAI can enhance autonomous learning for international communication in a Thai context effectively. A pretest-posttest, quasiexperimental design with two experiment groups and one control group was used for data collection which lasted twelve weeks. The subjects were ninety students. The elicitation instruments which were constructed based on the TOEIC Test (Test of English as International Communication) and the English Discoveries Program (a computer-assisted program for English language learning in a classroom and as a self-access) consisted of CRI+CAI, CAI-only, item-by-item and overall pretests and posttests, questionnaire, and journal log. The statistical analysis for quantitative data was ANCOVA. Journal log were used for
qualitative data analysis. The results revealed that, first, the subjects‘ scores of the two experiment groups were significantly higher than those of the control group both on the item-by-item and overall posttests. Of the two experiment groups (CRI+CAI and CAI-only), the posttest scores of the CRI+CAI group were slightly higher than those of the CAI-only group on both item-by-item and overall posttests. Second, the two experiment groups showed more positive attitudes toward autonomous learning than the control group. However, of the two experiment groups, the attitudes of the CRI+CAI group were more positive than those of the CAI-only group. Finally, to enhance autonomous learning for international communication, the instructions should enhance the opportunity to notice the target language and apply what the students noticed into skill practice in various internationally communicative situations.