Local Wisdom: Creative Integration in Active Learning Management of Thai Language for Grade 1 Students, Khon Kaen Primary Educational Service Area Office 2

Abstract

The purposes of the research were to 1) investigate the local wisdom of Thai language learning and teaching of grade 1 students under KhonKaen Primary Educational Service Area Office 2, 2) analyze the problems of Thai language learning and teaching of grade 1 students under KhonKaen Primary Educational Service Area Office 2, and 3) integrate the local wisdom into Thai language learning and teaching of grade 1 students based on the core basic curriculum of 2008. The research areas were 18 primary schools under Khon Kaen Primary Educational Service Area Office 2 in Chonabot District, Ban Pai District, Manjakiri District, Ban Haed District, Puaynoi District, and Khok Phochai District. The primary schools were selected from six large size schools, six medium size schools and six small size schools from six districts.  The research participants consisted of sixty four key informants: teachers, students, students, parents, administrators, local philosophers; ninety local experts, fifty four practitioners and eighteen general informants. The research instrument was an observation form, a survey form, and interview form, a group discussion note-taking form, and a form of workshop. The data were collected by documentary studies and field studies. The cultural qualitative research was employed for the study. The data was analyzed based on the research objectives and the descriptive analysis was used to present the research results.

Results of the research were as follows:

1. The research study showed that the local wisdom used for teaching and

learning Thai language of grade 1 students consisted of silk weaving, rice farming through translating and the dialect language into the standard Thai language and practicing pronunciation. The instructional process focused on practicing Thai language through 1) the actual situations, 2) rites in community, 3) Buddhism based daily life, 4) knowledge exchange of people in community, 5) trials, 6) imitation, 7) folk tale telling, folk songs and poems, and 8) traditions or taboos.

1. The research findings indicated that the major problems about teaching

and learning Thai language of the students regarding reading and writing skills were using their dialect language with Thai language, and they did not knowledge the meaning of Thai language. 

1. The findings showed that integrating the local wisdom with the active learning activities for the grade 1 students through group works, pair works and individual works consisted of 1) problem-based situation, 2) acquiring knowledge, 3) building knowledge through collaborative method, 4) presenting the knowledge, and 5) participating public activities.