Role of the CEFR and English Teaching in Thailand: A Case Study of Rajabhat Universities

Abstract

In 2016, Thai Ministry of Education (MOE) has announced the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages or the CEFR (Council of Europe, 2001) as a guideline for teachers in primary and secondary schools. This has inevitably affected Rajabhat Universities (RUs) in the country that have major roles and responsibilities in producing pre-service English teachers. This paper presents the results of an investigation of English teachers’ perceptions at Rajabhat universities in Bangkok and suburban areas. Participants were 67 teachers in total. A mixed-methods approach was employed for data collection. Research tools are a set of questionnaire and an individual semi-structured interview. An interview was conducted with 6 teachers in 6 RUs, each was purposively selected. Data analysis employed frequency, means, and standard deviation, while Grounded theory (Strauss & Corbin, 1999) was used for interview data analysis. Findings indicate the participants mostly agreed with the MOE’s launching the CEFR policy and reflected they could apply the CEFR as a guideline in teaching and learning management. However, data from the in-depth interview revealed both advantages and disadvantages of the CEFR. This study might be a kind of mirror for policy makers and practitioners at both policy and classroom pedagogy levels who advocate the CEFR policy in Thailand.