A Development of a Teaching Module for Enhancing Interactional and Intercultural Competence of Aviation Undergraduate Students
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
The study aimed to develop a teaching module based on conversation analysis in order to promote aviation students’ interactional and intercultural competence. Firstly, the needs analysis was conducted to investigate the communication problems and English skills in terms of interactional and intercultural competence needed in the aviation industry in Thailand among aviation personnel working at Suvarnabhumi Bangkok International Airport by using questionnaires and interviews. The teaching module was then developed by employing the needs analysis results in conjunction with the principle of conversation analysis (Sacks et al., 1974): turn-taking, adjacency pairs, sequences and repairs and intercultural competence (Barrett et al., 2013). The implementation of the teaching module was later conducted in the course called English for Aviation Communication with undergraduate students for the period of 10 weeks through the cycles of interactional learning practice (Wong & Waring, 2010) and the cycles of intercultural learning practice (Liddicoat & Scarino, 2013). The findings of the t-test demonstrated that there was a statistically significant difference between the mean of the pre-scores and the post-scores which implied that the teaching module developed based on the principles of conversation analysis could promote aviation students’ interactional and intercultural competence. Moreover, the teacher’s reflective notes, the students’ opinions from the questionnaire and interviews towards the implementation of the teaching module were positive showing the teaching module helped enhance students’ English skills in terms of their interactional and intercultural competence. The learning and communication practices presented in this study can be applied as tools for helping learners communicate effectively and successfully in terms of interactional and intercultural communication competence.
Article Details
References
Anthony, L. (2018). Introducing English for specific purposes. Routledge.
Ashford-Rowe, K., Herrington, J. & Brown, C. (2014). Establishing the
critical elements that determine authentic assessment. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 39(2), 205-222.
Barrett, M., Byram, M., Lázár, I., Mompoint-Gaillard, P., & Philippou, S.
(2013). Developing intercultural competence through education.
Council of Europe Publishing. https://rm.coe.int/developing-intercultural-enfr/16808ce258
Bennett, J. M. (1993). Towards Ethnorelativism: A developmental model
of intercultural sensitivity. In M. Paige (Ed.), Education for the
intercultural experience (pp. 109-135). Intercultural Press.
Bennett, J. M. (2008). Transformative training: Designing programs for
culture learning. In Moodian, M. A. (Ed.), Contemporary leadership and intercultural competence: understanding and utilizing cultural diversity to build successful organizations. SAGE.
Byram, M. (1997). Teaching and assessing intercultural communicative
competence. Multilingual Matters.
Byram, M. (2008). Foreign language teaching and intercultural
citizenship. Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research, 1(3),
-62.
Cahyani, A. P. & Drajati, N. A. (2017). English communication problems
and needs from social engagement perspective as experienced by airport passenger-handlers. English Education: Jurnal Tadris Bahasa Inggris, 10(2), 179-193. https://doi.org/10.24042/ee-jtbi.v10i2.1744
Cheng, A. & Laurence, A. (2014). ESP research in Asia. English for Specific
Purposes, 33, 1-3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2013.07.002
Council of Europe. (2001). Common European Framework of Reference
for Languages: Learning, teaching and assessment. Cambridge University Press. https://rm.coe.int/16802fc1bf
Council of Europe. (2018). Common European Framework of Reference
for Languages: Learning, teaching and assessment - Companion Volume with new descriptors. Council of Europe Publishing. https://rm.coe.int/cefr-companion-volume-with-new-descriptors-2018/1680787989
Council of Europe. (2020). Common European Framework of Reference
for Languages: Learning, teaching and assessment – Companion Volume. Council of Europe Publishing. https://rm.coe.int/common-european-framework-of-reference-for-languages-learning-teaching/16809ea0d4
Crystal, D. (2012). English as a global language (2nd ed.). Cambridge
University Press.
Ekwannang, P. (2004). A study of verbal cross cultural communication
barriers among Western expatriates and Thai staff in Thailand. [Unpublished master’s project, Srinakharinwirot University].
Evans, C. (2013). Making sense of assessment feedback in higher
education. Review of Educational Research, 83(1), 70-120. https://doi.org/10.3102%2F0034654312474350
Foley, J. (2005). English in Thailand. RELC Journal, 36(2), 223-234.
https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0033688205055578
Hengsadeekul, C., Hengsadeekul, T., Koul, R., & Kaewkuekool, S. (2010).
English as a medium of instruction in Thai universities: A review of
literature. Selected Topics in Education and Educational Technology, 89-94.
Jefferson. G. (1978). Sequential aspects of storytelling in conversation. In
J. Schenkein (Ed.), Studies in the organization of conversational interaction (219-248). Academic Press.
Kachru, B. B. (1990). World Englishes and applied linguistics. World
Englishes, 9, 3-20. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-
X.1990.tb00683.x
Khamkaew, S. (2017). Developing oral communication materials for Thai
immigration officers. [Unpublished doctor’s thesis, Assumption University].
Liddicoat, A. J. & Scarino, A. (2013). Intercultural language teaching and
learning. Wiley-Blackwell.
Loedlukthanathan, S., Premmanisakul, V. Mahasap, N., Apichatiyakul, K. &
Griffiths, T. S. (2020). English oral communication skill improvements and needs from foreign tourists engagement perspective as duty notion by Thai airport passenger-handlers and flight attendants of Thai aviation and airports. Journal of Social Academic, 13(2), 19-27.
Mehan, H. (1979). Learning lessons: social organisation in the
classroom. Harvard University Press.
Nunan, D. (1992). Research methods in language learning. Cambridge
University Press.
Phongpichitphoom, P. (2017). English communication problems affecting
Thai employees’ performances in international online travel agencies. [Unpublished master’s thesis, Srinakharinwirot University].
Phungmanee, N. (2016). Problems in English language communication
perceived by sales people at a telecommunication company in Bangkok, Thailand. [Unpublished master’s thesis, Thammasat University].
Ruben, B. D. (1976). Assessing communication competency for
intercultural adaptation. Group and Organization Studies, 1, 334-
https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1177/105960117600100308
Sacks, H., Schegloff, E. A., & Jefferson, G. (1974). A simplest systematics
for the organization of turn-taking for conversation. Language,
(4), 696-735. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/412243
Sert, O. & Seedhouse, P. (2011). Introduction: Conversation Analysis in
applied linguistics. Novita-ROYAL (Research on Youth and Language), 5(1), 1-14.
Sidnell, J. (2010). Conversation analysis: An introduction. Wiley-Blackwell.
Sinicrope, C., Norris, J., & Watanabe, Y. (2007). Understanding and
assessing intercultural competence: A summary of theory,
research, and practice (technical report for the foreign language program evaluation project). Second Language Studies, 26(1), 1-58.
Sukhathummo, K., Chutisilp, P. & Wiriyachitra, A. (2005). Executive
summary need analysis for the usage of the English language among the personnel of the industrial groups. English Language Development Center.
Teng, B. & Sinwongsuwat, K. (2015). Teaching and learning English in
Thailand and the integration of Conversation Analysis (CA) into the classroom. English Language Teaching, 8(3), 13-23.
Tomlinson, B. (2011). Introduction: Principles and procedures of
materials development. In B. Tomlinson (2nd ed.). Development
materials for language teaching. Cambridge University Press.
Wiggins, G. (1998). Education assessment: Designing assessments to
inform and improve student performance. Joey-Bass Publishers.
Wong, J. & Waring, H. Z. (2010). Conversation analysis and second
language pedagogy: A guide for ESL/EFL Teachers. Routledge.
Wu, Y. (2013). Conversation analysis – A discourse approach to
teaching oral English skills. International Education Studies, 6(5), 87-91. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/ies.v6n5p87
Young, R. F. (2008). Language and interaction. Routledge.