Teaching Chinese reading in primary Thai schools : the teachers perceptions and practices

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to identify how Chinese native teachers taught Thai students to read Chinese and to collect information about certain reading techniques that could be used based on the Chinese native teachers’ perceptions. The sample group of the study consisted of 36 Chinese native teachers, who came from Huaxing Chinavia Language Institute in Bangkok, Thailand. The research adopted a mixed methods research. The study was carried out in October, 2020. The data for the study were collected from 36 questionnaires and 8 semi-structured interviews. The results of the questionnaire surveys revealed that most of the teachers preferred Bottom-up reading technique, Role-play reading technique and Story reading technique. The data from each interviewee were analyzed and interpreted using Litchman (2013)’s 3 Cs content analysis technique. Secondly, in this young group of Chinese native teachers’ perceptions, Bottom-up reading technique, Roleplay reading technique and Story reading technique can be used to teach reading. However, these teachers had their special ways of implementing their chosen techniques. It is recommended that these teachers be trained with updated teaching theories and techniques as well as conduct classroom researches on their chosen techniques