Teachers’ Integration of Multimodality into 21st Century EFL Classrooms in Thailand: Practice and Perception

Abstract

In Thailand, there is a growing need for Thai undergraduate students to be well-equipped with necessary English skills that can be used in real life situations.  One way to prepare them is by introducing multimodality to English pedagogical practice.  Multimodality is associated with the use of visuals, sounds, texts, gestures, and technology that students can engage with as parts of their daily lives (Choi & Yi, 2016; Jones, 2012; Kress, 2010; Van Leeuwan, 2015).  To date, there is no research on whether multimodality in Thailand helps Thai undergraduate students improve their English. This study, therefore, aimed at exploring university English teachers’ integration of multimodality into their English classroom practices as well as investigating both Thai university English teachers’ and undergraduate students’ perceptions towards the integration of multimodality into English classroom practices. 10 English teachers at the university level from different regions across Thailand were observed to explore the actual classroom practices and 317 students enrolled in English courses with them were asked to complete a questionnaire. The findings revealed that English teachers at the university level in Thailand integrate multiple semiotic modes in their classroom practices which contribute to enhancing students’ English skills and enabling them to apply their knowledge and skills to real life situations. Consequently, the application of the multimodal approach is encouraged for the 21st century English language classroom.