Location
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A large government secondary school in a medium sized, peaceful town in regional Thailand; it sits overlooking the Mekong River, mountains and farmland.
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The students
The course
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Approximately 90 final year students in the two highest academically graded classes of that year. Students are of mixed English language proficiency, averaging around high beginner/low intermediate. All of them have studied English language for at least 10 years, but only as an EFL subject. They've had few opportunities to use it authentically. Generally, they have similar rural or rural-urban backgrounds and speak the Issan language at home. They are all wonderful people.
A year-long, mandatory English as a foreign language, reading and writing subject with 3 hours per week. Formerly, this course was taught with an academic reading and writing focus. Flexible guidelines however allow for much teacher agency in deciding the direction and content of the course. Aspirationally then, this new iteration of the course will include a unit of inquiry.
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The requirements
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The school requires that 50% of the students' grades come from mid- and end-semester exams. For this course, that comprises of reading and writing tasks set by the teacher.
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The teacher
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I have been teaching EFL in this area of Thailand for approximately 10 years. I have a good working knowledge of written and spoken Thai language. Learner-centred approaches in conventional classrooms and intercultural pedagogies are academic interests and I value freedom and care.
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Challenges
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Opportunities
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Unit aims
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1. Increase the students' engagement with authentic English language use.
2. Increase the students' intrinsic motivation to learn English in and outside the classroom. 3. Increase the use of 21st Century skills in ways that allow the students to engage with their own identity development in socially responsible ways. |