Evaluating the Quality of MLE Program Delivery in Classrooms in Northern Thailand

Janice Hillmer, Payap University4th International Conference in Language and EducationBangkok, Thailand. November 7, 2013

MLE at Ban Pui Public School: Thailand

Collected Data:4 Site Visits (June, 2012 – March,

2013)17 hours of classroom videoAudio recordingsParent & Teacher InterviewsNotes & Observations

The Plan:

Pwo52%

Thai45%

Eng.3%

Scheduled Language Use in Grades 1 &

2

Subject Minutes of study/week

Pwo Language 225Thai Language 450English Language

50

Math 225

Other Subjects

440

Other* 200TOTAL 1590

Observed Language Use (I)

Pwo52%

Thai

45%

Eng.3%

Scheduled Language Use in Grades 1 &

2

Pwo 70%

Thai25%

Eng. 5%

Language Distri-bution: Grade 1

Observed Language Use (II)

Pwo52%

Thai45%

English3%

Scheduled Language Use in Grades 1 &

2

Pwo63%

Thai36%

English1%

Language Distri-bution: Grade 2

How Language is Used (I)

Teachin

g79%

Seat-work7%

Mgmt9%

Other5%

Thai Processes Grade 1 (25% of

class time)

Teaching20%

Seat-work66%

Mgmt2%

Other12%

Pwo Processes Grade 1 (70% of

class time)

How Language is Used (II)

Teaching

18%

Seat-work67%

Mgmt4%

Other12%

Pwo Processes Grade 2 (63% of

class time)

Teachin

g85%

Mgmt12%

Other2%

Thai Processes Grade 2 (36% of

class time)

ObservationsStudent/Teacher Interaction

◦Forms of Address◦Topics Covered

Thai

TT: Who’s not here today?

SS: [names of absent students]

TT: Where are they?

S1: Eating pork.

S2: At a wedding.

TT: Eh?

S1: Eating pork.

TT: Eating pork?

S2: At a wedding.

TT: Ah, you have to say where they are, don’t you?

S3: At a wedding.

TT: Ahhh! At a wedding.

Pwo

S1:Ohh,during the school break, that’s so faaaar in the future.

PT: During the term, I’m not free. I come here to teach you.

S1:If two women get married, maybe they would be happy.

PT: Ah, they wouldn’t be happy, hahaha.

S2: It wouldn’t be good. They won’t be happy.

PT: I will surely invite all of you. Nong Neui, maybe I will make you wash the dishes, hahahaha.

S1: A long time ago, my teacher gave me a dinner tray to wash, and then dishes too!

PT: Many many people will drink too much alcohol and get drunk. It’s not good.

S2: Ah, when people get drunk, they wander around.

S3: Oh, [Student] drinks alcohol? Haha.

ObservationsTeacher/Teacher Interaction

◦Forms of Address◦Topics Covered

ImplicationsQuantity vs. Quality of InstructionStudent Participation Student Perception