Grassroots need English skills

Co-funded by the Kasetsart University Research and Development Institute and the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Science, Kasetsart University, our research project is run under the title of English Curriculum Development for Adult Learners in Doem Bang Nang Buat, Suphan Buri, with the ultimate goal of developing an English curriculum based on the learner-centered approach.

Before its final submission of the project proposal, we first started taking several field trips to Doem Bang Nang Buat to explore the potential of the community and the English needs of people. Then we employed all the information collected as a guide to our project proposal drafting. After that, it was done through the steps of writing: prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing. Finally, the proposal was approved and funded.

Do field trips really matter?
The answer is "yes". Taking two or more field trips is very necessary to know more about the potential of its community, and it can also be viewed as a way to get closer to the community. We would have been incapable of doing this project without the close contact with people. That's why we have now taken several trips to the community. One of the things we have gained from the trips is that it helps us equip with some information about their way of life, activities, ceremonies, handmade products, services, experiences, knowledge and skills.

All the exploration-based information benefits our curriculum development as it is mainly designed and developed based on the needs of people, and now the learner-centered curriculum well designed and developed by our team is done and used as a guide to getting them trained in four basic English skills, with an additional portable English handbook. The handbook has five units consisting of sample conversations with both English and Thai translations and descriptions provided.

On March 15, 2020, Assistant Professor Prapaisri Wisetsookpong, Assistant Professor Dr. Siraprapha Premcharoen and Ajahn Khajit Foythong kindly accepted the invitation to join and lead our English training project. At first, the project was set to run until April 26, but now it needs to keep it short by finishing it by March 30, due to the coronavirus spreading all across the world right now.

As for the first week of our training, participants were satisfied with English training activities, both in pairs and groups, held by the three invitees. To recap what we did last Sunday,  please see the following photos.