Ar Kimberly Bressan

Running Head: TO INCREASE SPEAKING CONFIDENCE IN THAI STUDENTS
Exploring ways to increase speaking confidence in Thai students
through a focus on the English as an International Language paradigm
Kimberly D. Bressan
University of San Diego

TO INCREASE SPEAKING CONFIDENCE IN THAI STUDENTS 2
Exploring ways to increase speaking confidence in Thai students
through a focus on the English as an International Language Paradigm
Introduction
A paradigm shift has occurred in the field of English language teaching. Due to the
rampant spread of English around the globe over the past 100 years, 80% of the English that is
spoken today takes place between global citizens who are non-native English speakers (McKay
2012). The variety of Englishes spoken today are many and varied: Spanglish (Spanish English),
Indian English, Singlish (Singaporean English), Kru English (Ghanaian Pidgin English).
Furthermore, English is the conduit through which a high percentage of global communication
takes place from websites to music to books. Indeed, “knowledge of English is necessary for
accessing many discourses at a global level from international relations to popular culture to
academia” (McKay, 2012, p. 18). Bennui & Hashim (2014) espouse this same sentiment in
revealing how specifically in Thailand, American English has been instrumental in disseminating
information “as it is linked to modern technology, mass media and popular culture” (p. 14). From
this spread of English, a new concept has arisen, English as an International Language or EIL.
Matsuda & Friedrich (2011) explain how EIL is not a new emerging variety of English but the
role that English plays in multilingual contexts. It is how people from diverse backgrounds learn
to communicate through a language that has been adapted in multiple ways. Many scholars have
claimed that due to this global spread of English, leading to the use of a variety of Englishes
around the world, EIL pedagogy is the most appropriate pedagogy for teaching English language
learners (Crystal, 2003; Matsuda & Friedrich, 2011; McKay, 2012; Molina, 2013; Zacharias,
2014). This pedagogy focuses on the effective means of communicating across cultures.
Learning English through the lens of EIL is important especially in English as a foreign language
(EFL) classrooms where the class demographic is monolingual, and students do not get a chance
to regularly interact in English with others outside their own culture. This becomes especially
vital in a country, like Thailand, where 17.7 per cent of the GDP derives from tourism. Those
students who will, in their future employment as tour guides, air hostesses, and business owners,
be tasked with the challenge of effectively communicating with people from around the world
need the skills that an EIL pedagogy provides.
In Thailand where this demographic exists, a second need is apparent concerning the EFL
classroom. In an interview with a professor at Ubon Ratchathani University (UBU) in
Northeastern Thailand, it was revealed that Thai university students are not driven to
communicate or to complete their homework because they lack the motivation necessary to do
so. Compounding their lack of motivation are the current technological advantages, such as
Google Translate, that allow them to get by in class without actually knowing or learning English
(Tieocharoe, personal communication, October 7, 2017.) Additionally, they do not see a reason
or any value in acquiring a language that they never practice outside the walls of higher
education (Prapaisit de Segovia & Hardison 2009; Suwannoppharat & Chinokul 2015; Nathan,
personal communication, October 6, 2017). Viewing English as a threat to national and cultural
identity can further curtail its attainment. This is the case in many countries around the world
including Thailand (Clement, Gardner, & Smyth 1980; Baker 2008; McKay 2012). Initially, I
used this data to inform my action research and created a plan to increase motivation through
teaching students Intercultural Communication Competence through an EIL lens. While this data
is accurate when considering Thai students in general (note that English in Thailand is
compulsory for all students through the completion of university), once I arrived in Ubon
Ratchathani and started teaching, I quickly realized my context was an exception to this.
Description of Context
At UBU, I am teaching English in the Faculty of Liberal Arts. English and
Communication II is an English speaking and listening course for students in their second
semester at the university. This class meets twice a week for a total of six hours. Twenty-four
students are enrolled in the course (23 girls and one boy). They are all first-year Tourism majors
aged 18-19 years old. Most have ambitions to be flight attendants, ground crew, or tour guides.
These students have clear motivation to learn English as it will help them advance in their chosen
careers. Almost immediately, I noticed my students, contrary to the literature I had read, did not
exhibit signs of low motivation. They came to class regularly and completed homework that
awards them no points. However, I was observing an extreme hesitancy from my students to
practice their English-speaking skills. One theory posits this is a result of anxiety.
How anxiety affects language learning is explained by Foss & Reitzel (1988) and Lucas (1984),
“Communicatively apprehensive people tend to shy away from conversations and are unwilling
to interact with others especially during social meetings. This reluctance rooting from anxiety
creates a big stumbling block for students in the ESL classroom” (as cited in Basilio & Wongrak,
2017, p. 586).
During week five of the semester, I had these students complete an initial needs
assessment survey where they self-reported low confidence in speaking English. They indicated
that this was mainly due to a perceived lack of grammar and vocabulary. Interestingly, they also
reported low levels of anxiety when faced with speaking English. My teacher observations from
the several weeks we had spent together confirmed these findings.
“Somehow it is week four already! I am still unsure of what the obstacle is that I need to
remove. They seem motivated, coming to class and doing their homework. As a whole,
they don’t appear overly anxious, although a couple students do actively avoid eye
contact with me and respond with nervous giggling if I call on them. Most of them seem
quite relaxed in class, but on asking questions or trying to engage in conversation, I

mainly get blank stares. This could be listening skills, lack of confidence, or Thai
classroom etiquette. Teacher talks, students listen.” (Teacher Journal, February 7, 2018).
Furthermore, skipping class and not completing homework tend to be behaviors commonly
found in anxious students (Liu, 2006 as cited in Basilio & Wongrak, 2017, p. 587). Again, my
students were not displaying these characteristics, so I felt validated in dropping anxiety from my
investigation. With the knowledge from this assessment coupled with my observations, I decided
to change my action research focus from increasing motivation to increasing confidence. After
much deliberation, I decided to implement a similar prescription to the one I had designed for the
initial lack of motivation concerns: teaching English through the lens of EIL. One of the reasons
I continued with this treatment is because the research indicates that many Thai students still
look to native English as a model, as ideal. Broken English is looked down upon, so unless
students speak fluently with a native accent, they do not want to embarrass themselves and speak
(Hilado-Deita). Boriboon (2011) validates this claim, “Thai students are afraid to speak English
for fear of discrimination if they cannot speak with a native speaker accent” (as cited in Na
Ayuthaya & Sitthitikul, 2016, p.204). This made me wonder if this may be one of the reasons my
students are hesitant to speak. Again, my students indicated on the initial feedback form that
their vocabulary and grammar were the biggest hindrances to speaking confidence. I thought it
would be helpful for them to understand the state of English today and the many accents and
varieties of English that exist and are used throughout the world. I believed that if they
understood this paradigm shift and felt that they were legitimate users and owners of the English
language, it might prove beneficial in increasing their speaking confidence. After all, as Crystal
(2003) relates, “When even the largest English-speaking nation, the USA, turns out to have only
about 20 per cent of the world’s English speakers, it is plain that no one can now claim sole
ownership” (p. 140-141).
Research Question
Therefore, this action research is designed to examine the mediating effects of the explicit
teaching of EIL on speaking confidence in Thai English students. In other words, how does
teaching English through an English as an International Language lens affect speaking
confidence in Thai students?
Review of the Literature
Confidence. When acquiring a language many affective variables are engaged. The three
most studied of these are anxiety, confidence, and motivation. Each of these can greatly
influence a person’s ability to learn and practice a language (Brown, 2014). When cultural
factors compound these vulnerabilities, speaking becomes even more of a hurdle. “Thai people
are also known to be a group of people that pay a huge attention to how they conduct themselves
in public, which makes them want to avoid mistakes at all costs especially when it comes to
social interactions such as those that need the use of language” (Basilio & Wongrak, 2017, p.
588).
Although, these affective variables do not exist independent of one another, it has been
suggested that, “One of the most important roles of successful teachers is to facilitate high levels
of self-efficacy in their students” (Brown, 2014, p. 146). Ghanbarpour, M. (2016) reported that
high levels of self-confidence have been linked to students’ willingness to communicate in EFL
contexts. This willingness to communicate is essential in learning a language especially in a class
that focuses on speaking and listening skills. Bandura (1994) developed a theory around self-
efficacy, which is a part of self-confidence, that can be used to inform best teacher practices to
help increase student confidence; to be sure, self-esteem is another component of self-confidence
(Martinez, 2017; Branden, 2006).
Theory of Self-Efficacy. Bandura (1994) writes that self-efficacy can be increased through
four main interventions.
• Mastery experiences – experience in overcoming obstacles teaches that determination is
needed to reach success
• Social models – observing those similar to you reach success increases your beliefs in
your own abilities to do the same
• Social persuasion – gaining the feeling that one has the capabilities to succeed in an
endeavor through the supportive encouragement of others
• Reduction in stress reactions – learning how to reduce stress and change your mindset
can increase your feeling of self-efficacy
In other words, having chances to practice a skill, having others demonstrate how a skill is
successfully accomplished, getting encouragement from others, and learning how to reduce
stress and handle negative self-talk can all help increase a person’s self-efficacy.
World Englishes Principles. As previously mentioned, most speakers of English are non-
native users of the language. The need to teach English through an EIL lens is evident because
these users must prepare to speak with others who are also from non-native English-speaking
countries. Matsuda & Friedrich (2011) identify the goal of EIL classrooms: “to prepare English
learners to become competent users of English in international contexts” (p. 334). They go on to
suggest that one variety of English should be chosen as the English of instruction whether this be
the local variety of English, the teacher’s variety of English, or one of the standard Englishes.
However, they also recommend that other varieties of English become a regular part of
classroom activities. This is important because “an instructor can make clear that in learning
English, we become part of an ecosystem of language in which different forces operate”
(Matsuda & Friedrich, 2011, p. 337). The following are the main principles that Matsuda &
Friedrich (2011) advocate for an EIL classroom:
• Awareness of and exposure to other Englishes – through the use of texts, audio, and
visual samples as well as international guest speakers
• Communicative strategies – learning how to negotiate meaning and repair
communication breakdowns
• Three cultures – gaining knowledge of one’s own culture, the culture of a variety of
countries and regions, and world culture
• The politics of English and the responsibility of EIL users – learning about the realities of
English and its effect on indigenous languages, its relationship to power, etc. to build
sensitivity in users
A classroom that focuses on the above principles can help to direct students to increased
confidence by making clear the realities of English today. Confidence again is a mix of self-
efficacy and self-esteem. Young (1999) relates how in English language learners, “low self-
esteem can be caused by learners’ unrealistic learning goals such as developing an accent that
approximates that of native speakers” (as cited in Na Ayuthaya & Sitthitikul, 2016, p.204). This
finding validates the need to impart to students the realities of English today and to expose them
to social models that demonstrate how to successfully communicate in English on a global
platform despite not having a native accent or speaking in what is termed standard English.
Increasing Confidence. Research has shown that confidence in students can be increased
through explicit classes on self-efficacy (Templin, Guile, & Okuma, 2001; Cave, Evans, Dewey,
& Hartshorn, 2018). Increasing language learner confidence specifically to speak has been
accomplished through learner-centered classrooms or student collaboration (Doqaruni, 2017;
Doqaruni, 2015); cross-cultural, computer assisted interactions (Wu & Marek, 2010); and the use
of double-output hypothesis (Yongmei Jiang, 2010). Although some research has been
conducted concerning increasing speaking confidence through the use of an EIL infused
curriculum (Na Ayuthaya & Sitthitikul, 2016), much more research needs to be conducted,
specifically in Thailand, in order to find answers to questions such as the following, “What could
be the reason for the Thai EFL students’ overwhelming communication apprehension? What
could be done to help students lessen or eradicate their unwillingness to communicate?” (Basilio
& Wongrak, 2017, p. 595).
Action and Assessment Plan
This action research took place in an English and Communication II speaking/listening
class with first-year Tourism major students at a university in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand. The
research was conducted during the Spring 2018 semester over the course of nine weeks using a
mixed-methods approach of both descriptive quantitative and qualitative data. Table 1 below
highlights the main components of the research and the dates of implementation.
Table 1: AR Timeline
Action and Assessment Plan Date Implemented
Pre-Assessment Initial Needs Assessment Feedback Forms February 14
Student One-on-One Conferences February 16/20
Teacher Journals Ongoing
Intervention EIL Mini-Lessons February 19-April 2
Post-Assessment Final Feedback Forms April 11
Student One-on-One Conferences April 17/19

Teacher Journals Ongoing
Pre-Assessment
The initial assessment was conducted through feedback forms (see Appendix A) given
during the fifth week of instruction. This assessment took place in week five due to a variety of
compounding factors. After the first day of classes, I was reassigned to a different classroom, so
my exposure to my students the first week was limited. Then after two more weeks of tracking
attendance and student homework completion, I came to the realization that motivation was not
an issue for this class. Over the next two weeks, I returned to the literature and continued to
record classroom observations. This informed a new action and assessment plan. I created a
feedback form by which I could validate this new hypothesis, and in the fifth week, these forms
were distributed for student completion. The feedback forms were produced in English and Thai
due to the proficiency level of the students. The form consisted of six questions with a focus on
student perceived levels of confidence and anxiety as well as individual concerns and challenges
in learning English. Additionally, one-on-one conferences (See Appendix C) were conducted
before the intervention was implemented. These conferences served various purposes. They
helped me 1) to understand and form a baseline of the students’ confidence levels in
speaking/listening with me individually, 2) to fill in some gaps from the initial feedback form
(mainly on motivation), and 3) to assess my own teaching methods and learn about the individual
learning styles and preferences of the students.
Action Plan
In order to facilitate confidence in speaking English, I developed and implemented four
EIL mini-lessons based on Bandura’s (1994) Theory of Self-efficacy and Matsuda & Friedrich’s
(2011) World English principles (see Table 2). The web links for the lessons are available in
Appendix A1. This development was in response to the results of the initial feedback form where
students self-reported that their hesitancy to speak English was due to low confidence. Self-
confidence is comprised of self-esteem and self-efficacy. As Bandura’s (1994) theory focuses on
four sources that contribute to increasing self-efficacy, I chose to inform my EIL lesson
development on these four sources: mastery experiences, social models, social persuasion, and
reduction in stress reactions. In addition to Bandura’s theory, the lessons were also influenced by
several of Matsuda & Friedrich’s (2011) World English principles: History, Politics and
Ownership of English; Awareness of and Exposure to Varieties of English; and Communication
Strategies. The lessons were given over a two-month period during the course of regular
classroom instruction. They ranged from in-class mini-lessons of approximately 10 minutes, to
longer in-class lessons containing several activities, to a full-day out-of-class activity.
Table 2: EIL Mini-Lessons to Increase Speaking Confidence in an EFL Setting
Lesson Objective Bandura’s Matsuda & Friedrich’s Principles
Theory
Lesson 1 Introduction to EIL – the state of English today Social History, Politics and Ownership of English
persuasion
Lesson 2 Reading Jigsaw and Poster Session – David Crystal’s Mastery History, Politics and Ownership of English
“English as a Global Language” experiences
Lesson 3 EIL in the world – locating incidences of EIL in everyday Social Awareness of and Exposure to Varieties
life persuasion of English
Lesson 4 English as an International Language – speaking practice Social models Awareness of and Exposure to Varieties
with guests from Japan, Timor-Leste, Rwanda and the of English; Communication Strategies
United States
*Lessons are hyperlinked to their corresponding Prezis
The entire basis of the mini-lessons was intended to reduce the affective filter. This was
attempted through the use of fun and engaging mediums like YouTube videos and Kahoot games
(online interactive quizzes which students participate in using their mobile phones), group work
in the jigsaw and poster project as well as during the international communication exchange, and
teacher guidance, encouragement, and support throughout.
Lesson Summaries. EIL Lesson #1. Objective: To learn about EIL and the existence of
varieties of English. Students brainstorm the many uses of English around the world. They are
then introduced to the idea of EIL through two videos. Students next write down 2-3 reasons
English is important to them; they share their ideas with a partner. After this, the main concepts
of EIL are reviewed through a Kahoot game. Homework: Read the assigned excerpt adapted
from David Crystal’s “English as a Global Language.”
EIL Lesson #2. Objective: To explore issues on both sides of the EIL phenomenon and to
take ownership of English. The EIL lesson starts with a review of basic EIL concepts. Students
re-watch one of the videos and play (an edited version) of the Kahoot game. Students then learn
about ways to ask for clarification. This is framed as a precursor to the upcoming EIL
international communication exchange. Students are informed that often times when speaking in
an EIL context different accents or varieties of English require that we seek clarification.
Students learn and practice different words and phrases that allow them to do this successfully.
Matsuda & Friedrich (2011) confirm that EIL users need to be able to “derive meaning from
context; to paraphrase, engage in circumlocution, and summarize; to inquire and ask for
clarification of meaning; to aid verbal communication through non-verbal communication; and
to display cultural sensitivity” (p. 339). Next, students get into groups to review their reading
assignments. The readings used were excerpts from “English as a Global Language” by David
Crystal. These readings were leveled by the researcher to a 6th grade reading level using the
Flesch-Kincaid Scale in Microsoft Word. The readings are jig sawed, and a poster tying together
the main themes from the four readings is created as the final outcome. The posters are displayed
in a gallery walk. Homework: Students are shown examples of EIL found in the local area and
asked to bring their own samples the following week.
EIL Lesson #3. Objective: To see EIL successfully functioning in our local environment.
Samples of EIL are shared. Teacher displays pictures on the board and discusses the reasons for
choosing them.
EIL Lesson #4. Objective: To have authentic conversation practice with other non-native
speakers in an authentic environment. “Through their behavior and expressed ways of thinking,
competent models transmit knowledge and teach observers effective skills and strategies for
managing environmental demands” (Bandura, 1994, p. 3). Students meet in the classroom to
develop questions to ask the guests at the communication exchange. The class moves to the
restaurant where students are divided into five groups. One guest joins each table. The students
have 15 minutes to converse with the guest. They ask questions and respond to inquiries by the
guest. The guests then rotate to the next table. Matsuda & Friedrich (2011) promote providing
these types of opportunities. “Language users can be invited to the class to interact with students.
Students will not only be exposed to different English varieties and users but will also witness
the power of EIL by using English to interact with guests from different language background—
that is, people they may not have been able to interact with without English” (p. 339).
Post Assessment
The final feedback form was given at the end of the two-month period in order to help
determine if student self-reported confidence levels had increased. Additional questions were
added to gather self-report data on specifically which activities from the class helped increase
their confidence the most. Further categorization of which of the EIL lessons proved most
beneficial in increasing confidence were included (See Appendix B). One-on-one conferences
were held with each of the students for 15 minutes in my office at the end of the research time
period (See Appendix D). The final conferences helped me 1) to evaluate individual growth in
student confidence in speaking/listening, 2) to explicitly ask the students if talking to me one-on-
one was easier now than nine weeks ago i.e. had their level of comfort increased, were they more
relaxed? and if so, 3) to inquire about to what they attributed this increased sense of relaxation
and comfort.
Additionally, my observations of the students’ confidence in communicating was
documented over the course of the nine weeks during the initial one-on-conferences, the midterm
speaking exam, and the final one-on-one conferences. The speech and affect of the students were
tracked across six constructs: ability to ask questions, ability to respond to questions, speed of
response to questions (fast, slow), number of words uttered (5+ or 4 and below), volume of
speech (loud, soft), and student’s body language (relaxed, tense/nervous). This tracking rubric
was informed by three sources. The Academic Behavioral Confidence (ABC) scale has questions
around students’ ability to ask and respond to questions in different settings (Sander & Sanders,
2009). Speed in responding and volume were reported by Kimble & Seidel (1991) to be strong
indicators of confidence when speaking. Body language is a known determinate of self-
confidence; confident people make eye contact, have nice posture, assert themselves and do not
make nervous body movements. Along with this rubric, I also kept teacher journals where I
recorded observations from class as well as the perceived success and effectiveness of each mini-
lesson. The feedback forms, tracking rubric, and teacher journals serve to triangulate the data
allowing for increased validity.

Data Analysis
Out of 24 students that initially enrolled in the class, two students dropped the course and
one student had very minimal attendance. A total of 20 students completed both the initial and
final feedback form. On both the initial and final feedback form, students responded similarly to
the question, “Which English skill do you find most challenging?” Speaking and listening are
reported as the most challenging skills with 45% of students indicating speaking and 40%
indicating listening as a challenge on the initial form. Writing was identified by the same three
students as the most challenging (15%) on both the initial and final forms. The final forms saw a
decrease in student identification of speaking as the most challenging skill. It was surpassed by
listening with speaking now at 40% and listening 45%. See Figure 1.
Figure 1: Which English skill do you find most challenging?
Student Self-Reported
Most Challenging Skill
45% 45%
40% 40%
15% 15%
SPEAKING LISTENING WRITING
Initial Final
In analyzing the data collected from the feedback forms, a minimal increase in student
self-reported confidence to speak English (question #3) is perceived with a beginning mean score
2.35, and an ending mean score 2.45 as rated on a Likert Scale. Only two students out of 20
increased their self-reported level of confidence to speak on the final feedback form. Each raised
their level by an increment of one which means overall no significant gains were reported. The
data also revealed that the level of student anxiety increased, and the level of English
comprehension decreased. See Figure 2. The implications of this are further discussed in the
limitations.
Figure 2: Pre and Post Self-Reported Affect
Conversely, most students, when asked specifically about their confidence increasing
over the course of the semester, reported that they felt their confidence in speaking English had
increased (question #7). Again, using a Likert Scale, a mean score of 3.45 with a mode of 4 was
obtained putting their confidence increase between “an average amount. I feel like my
confidence increased a normal amount from being in another semester of English class,” and
“quite a bit. I feel much more confident speaking English compared to the start of the semester”
–see Figure 3. Teacher observations from the final conference confirm this data.
“The student affect was completely different from the first conferences. Students’ body
language was a huge indicator to me that they were at ease. There were no tears, no shaky
cheeks. Students maintained eye contact and answered my questions with far less nervous
giggling. The amount of information shared/communication generated was much higher.
The level of diligence in trying to repair conversation breakdowns was also substantially
higher, where before they would just giggle and say, ‘Teacher,’ and that would be the end
of that, this time we worked through things until (nearly every time) an understanding
was reached.” (Teacher Journal, April 19, 2018).
Figure 3: Confidence increase over the nine-week period on a scale from 1-5
When focusing on the intervention used in this action research and the results from its
implementation, the data indicates that there were numerous factors influencing student
confidence to speak. Figure 4 shows the distribution of the five factors most affecting this. The
greatest number of students (31%) reported that the video projects were their principal source of
confidence increase. Class activities, EIL lessons, and student conferences impacted an equal
number of students (19% respectively). Finally, homework was also seen as the chief cause for
increased confidence in 12% of students. Again, this pie-chart indicates that the EIL lessons
impacted 19% of students as the most influential reason for speaking confidence increase.
Figure 4: What do you think has helped to increase your confidence the most?
Furthermore, the data in Figure 5 goes on to show the breakdown of student preference
for each EIL lesson. Lesson 1 which was an introduction to EIL and Lesson 4 which was a real-
world speaking activity with international guests appeared to be facilitative in increasing self-
reported student speaking confidence levels. Lesson 2 which focused on jig sawing a reading by
David Crystal and Lesson 3 which presented EIL examples from the local environment were not
considered beneficial in this regard.
Figure 5: Effectiveness of Individual EIL Lessons on Increasing Confidence
One-on-one conferences with students were held twice during the intervention, at the
beginning and at the end. The first conferences took place five weeks into the semester. They
served to set a baseline for understanding individual student’s self-reported confidence levels of
their speaking ability. Twenty-one students attended the first conferences that were held outside
of class time. Overall observations from the first conferences are presented in the following
journal entry:
“That was exhausting! I had set aside 15 minutes for each student with what I thought
were very simple questions. From the first student, I became aware that I had to modify
my language considerably, but even then, several students struggled to understand what I
was asking. Answers were very limited—one or two words. Listening skills are quite
low. Most students stayed relatively calm, but just blank faced me or kept saying,
“Teacher.” Some students were visibly nervous. One student nearly broke out in tears
which upset me greatly. It was meant to be a casual encounter to just get to know the
students better and to inquire about how effective my teaching methods were so far. I do
not consider myself an intimidating person, but I have some work to do on lowering the
affective filter for sure. I wonder if one-on-one conferencing is a typical practice in
education in Thailand?” (Teacher Journal, February 20, 2018).
The second conferences were held the week after Thai New Year (Songkran). Due to this and
student illness, only 16 students attended. Themes that emerged in line with the research were
extracted from the second conference. Table 3 below displays the major themes in how students
explained their increase in confidence to speak English.
Table 3: Conference 2 Themes Explaining Student Confidence to Speak
Practice/Skill Level Teacher Outside Circumstances Uncategorized
A little, talk with friends We have spent time in the Not sick this time. Easier but listening is a
and listen to music. classroom. problem for me.
Yes, I speak and speak, Yes, because it’s you. Have time in schedule Yes, the first time was
and I know more than in You have helped me in (not rushed). serious. I felt very
the past. class. excited.
Yes, because I have more Yes, because you are not
vocabulary, and I can serious. I’m more relaxed.
speak English better.
*Easier, practice every *I enjoy learning with
week in class. teacher.
*Easier, I think I learn *Teacher is very friendly
every day with teacher. and kind.
Because it’s you; you are
relaxed.
*Indicates student response fit into two categories.
A further opportunity to assess student confidence in speaking occurred during the
midterm speaking exam on February 28. This exam is part of the standard curriculum and
created by the course coordinator. A total of 22 students attended the midterm. They prepared
answers to seven questions of which they were asked five. They were required to use specific
grammar points and directed to ask the teacher questions as part of the assessment. The
perceived student confidence during both of the one-on-one conferences and the midterm
speaking exam can be examined in the following table. To avoid misrepresentation of student
confidence, the midterm speaking was evaluated only on non-scripted language, for example,
when I would ask impromptu questions. The final speaking exam fell outside the research
timeline and was therefore unable to be considered in this research.
Table 4: Speaking Confidence Indicators Across Six Constructs at Three Intervals
Can Ask Questions Can Respond to Speed to respond # Words Volume Body Language
Questions
Yes 6 8 15 Yes 20 21 16 Fast 10 12 8 5+ 5 12 13 Loud 8 10 14 Relaxed 3 11 14
No 15 13 1 No 1 1 0 Slow 11 10 8 >4 16 10 3 Soft 13 10 2 Tense, 18 11 2
nervous
*The three data columns for each category from left to right: Initial One-on-One Conferences, Midterm
Speaking Exam, Final One-on-One Conferences
Finally, teacher journals were kept throughout the nine-week research period as a third
means of data collection. Journal entries were made after both conferences, after each EIL
lesson, and after various class sessions. The trend from the journals is a clear movement towards
more confidence in speaking from the class as a whole. Students progressed from speaking in
one or two word increments to whole sentences. They increased eye contact and decreased
avoidance behaviors like putting their hands over their mouths, turning away or giggling.
Presentation of Findings
In analyzing the three sources of data collected during the course of this action
research—feedback forms, tracking rubrics, and teacher journals—the following findings
became apparent: 1) student self-reported confidence levels to speak English increased over the
nine-week period, 2) the type of EIL lesson used should be carefully considered for the given
context, and 3) the teacher played a key role in increasing student self-reported confidence to
speak English.
Finding #1. Student self-reported confidence levels to speak English increased over the
nine-week period. This finding is verified through all three data collection measures. Even
though the overall baseline of student confidence changed minimally, the students did self-report
an increase in confidence to speak English during the semester (see Figure 3). My observations
validate the students’ report. I noticed a substantial shift in student confidence shortly after the
first EIL lesson. As indicated in Figure 4, this lesson would be reported as the most effective of
the EIL mini-lessons in increasing student confidence. During the mid-term speaking test on
February 28, I again had to sit with each student individually and have a conversation; the
difference in their composure and willingness to communicate was drastic. Admittedly, students
had prepared answers to the questions. However, I also asked follow-up questions that the
students were unprepared to answer. “The majority of the students maintained eye contact and
worked to communicate with comparatively little angst” (Teacher Journal, February 28, 2018).
The fact that this session included a grade could also be a motivator for the increased confidence.
Furthermore, their confidence as graded during the initial one-on-one conference may have been
lower due to unfamiliarity with the teacher and the conferencing process, as well as it being
earlier on in the semester. Regardless, as previously mentioned, the students’ increased
confidence to speak was further evident in the second one-on-one conferences after the other
three EIL lessons had been given. Several students even mentioned during these conferences
how the increase was apparent in the class as a whole. The data indicates that student confidence
to speak English increased in this class during this research period.
Finding #2. The type of EIL lesson used should be carefully considered for the given
context. As demonstrated by Figure 5, student confidence increase was only attributed to Lesson
1 the introduction to EIL and Lesson 4 the international communication exchange. A
contributing factor to this was the accessibility of the information for the level of the class. The
major aspects of Lesson 2 the jig saw based on David Crystal’s writing and Lesson 3 EIL
examples in the real world were beyond the ability of this beginner class. The readings were
taxing and created stress while the identifying of EIL was a concept beyond the students’
comprehension. For beginner level students, basic concepts and examples should be presented
through various means and opportunities to practice speaking in an EIL context, as in the
international communication exchange, should be given.
Finding #3. The teacher played a key role in increasing student confidence to speak
English. This finding emerged from the second conferencing session as well as the previously
discussed contributing factors. In learning a language, confidence tends to naturally increase with
the progression of skill acquisition (Gurler, 2015). Table 3 confirms this, but it also demonstrates
the importance of the relationship built between students and teacher. In this research, the teacher
is a prominent factor in helping students increase their confidence to speak. As Figure 4
indicates, it is not one single factor that works alone to increase student confidence to speak. In
equal measure, the EIL mini-lessons, the class activities, and the conferences all influenced a
change in the students’ confidence levels. The teacher is the common thread among these three
areas. Interestingly, the video projects, claiming the single highest percentage of reason for
student confidence increase, were completely void of teacher involvement (minus feedback on
the written scripts which by the end was very minimal). That being said, the combined effect of
the three other areas is still more substantial at 47%. Martinez (2017) found similar results in his
attempts to increase confidence in Mexican EFL students. “This study strongly recommends
teachers to develop activities that can engage students in class meaningfully. Additionally, it is
important that teachers create the right conditions in class to make students lower their anxiety
level and encourage them to get involved through their participation” (Martinez, p.28). The EIL
curriculum used during this research period helped to attain these goals.
While it is nearly impossible to isolate what specifically increases confidence over such
an extended period of time and with so many variables involved, the results from this action
research do indicate that there is value for increasing student confidence to speak by teaching
through an EIL lens.
Reflection
Interventions and answering the research question. How does teaching English through
an English as an International Language lens affect speaking confidence in Thai students?
Reflecting on the intent and goals of this research, I now feel that the approach was too broad.
The constructs of confidence and EIL are enormous and multi-faceted. Moreover, the proficiency
level of the students in the class needed to be taken into deeper consideration when developing
the EIL lessons. Furthermore, as the class curriculum uses a standard UK English book published
by Cambridge, the idea of transferring the EIL pedagogy to the classroom as a whole was
restricted by the stipulations of the institution in which I found myself. It was a challenge to
teach students the EIL concepts and then have to administer tests and grade them by standard
English criteria. However, from the data analysis, it is apparent that the EIL mini-lessons,
specifically Lesson 1 and Lesson 4, were effective in increasing student confidence to speak. I
am inspired to continue looking into ways to transform my teaching practices into an EIL based
curriculum.
Through Lesson 1 students increased their awareness about the importance of English in
today’s world and also their understanding that most people in the world speaking English are
just like them, non-native speakers. The students seemed genuinely impressed by the statistics
concerning EIL; this was facilitated through selected videos that were appropriate for their level.
This lesson also explored the many benefits of learning English. The students were able to
contribute to a brainstorming session on the benefits of learning English and fill the whiteboard
with ideas. As this lesson was given right before midterms and an extended break, I chose to
review most of the lesson when classes resumed. This gave me the opportunity to fix the Kahoot
which I had put into the form of a jumble where students had to take sentences that were out of
order and put them in order to make EIL statements. The formation of the sentences was not
consistent and often quite complex which could impede their understanding of the EIL concepts.
For Lesson 1, this was the only major setback. I chose to make the traditional multiple-choice
Kahoot that my students were accustomed to for the review class. This was far more successful
and refreshed the EIL facts.
Looking at lesson 2, the following teacher journal entry explains the failure that it
became.
EIL Lesson #2.

“A bit of a flop! The readings were far too advanced. (A student had indicated this a
month ago after she read them for the first time (as this lesson got postponed), but I did
not have the time or energy to further level the readings for them. Teacher fail.) The
concept of summarizing is too advanced. The internet was down so I started with the
reading/jigsaw activity and after a month off, it was way too heavy to start with. The
initial plan was pronunciation practice from their video projects, a review of EIL through
videos, then this activity, but I needed them to work on this while I figured out the
internet connection. Then, the sound was out for the first video. When I looked up from
trying to remedy this, half the class was on their phones. We didn’t watch the second
video, but I got the sound working for the Kahoot. The redo of Kahoot went better
although some concepts were not understood. 1.8 million vs 1.8 billion English speakers
in the world (10 students choose each). I attempted to explain the population of the US
alone, but again, I am not sure this met with success. I have no idea what their
understanding is of higher number vocabulary in English, and this concept would be very
dependent on number sense. The poster directions were far too difficult. What was I
thinking? They enjoyed the pronunciation practice and the Please, repeat lesson because
it was at their level. Even the poster project which was amended to simply focus on
“Why English is important” was okay. The students really seemed to enjoy a chance to be
creative/artistic. We did a share out instead of gallery walk for the sake of time. I did not
assign HW for them to look for EIL in the neighborhood because I don’t think they can
distinguish it since they use it.” (Teaching Journal, March 19, 2018).
As I mentioned earlier, presenting some of the concepts of EIL to a beginner level class was
quite challenging. I struggled with Lessons 2 and 3 for different reasons. The readings I leveled
for Lesson 2 appeared to still be too advanced. I had used the Flesch-Kincaid Scale available in
Word to level the readings from a 9-12th grade to a 6th grade level. However, it became apparent
that the class required a 3rd-4th grade level. The students were only able to summarize and share
their readings using translation devices and getting much assistance from the teacher. Lesson 3,
Pictures of EIL in the Real World, was inspired by my discovery of statements and phrases in the
local environment that, while not standard English, still conveyed their intended message. One
example was from a section of a menu that read, “Fried vegetarians.” As I presented this to the
class and tried to explain why it was so humorous, the students just kept saying, “It’s vegetables,
Teacher.” Yes. It is, and that is why it works as an example of EIL because the intended message
is communicated, but when this is the English a person grows up with and uses, it is difficult to
label it as EIL. It is simply English.
“Again, it seems the concept is lost on my students probably because this is how they see
English used and their level isn’t advanced enough to identify the discrepancies. No one
brought in any examples” (Teacher Journal, April 2, 2018).
By Lesson 4, which was the international communication exchange held on April 2, the
students’ confidence had increased markedly. I observed the students actively engaged in the
conversation exchanges. Speaking with other non-native speakers with varying degrees of
proficiency was exciting and highly motivating for them. Later in class when we debriefed,
students told me that, at first, they were very excited [their word for nervous], but then they
started talking and relaxed. Students successfully mastered this challenge. They saw their own
abilities working outside of the classroom walls, and this was a huge boost to their confidence.
Indeed, it validated Bandura’s (1994) claim that “The most effective way of creating a strong
sense of efficacy is through mastery experiences” (p. 2). I think this lesson really validated the
concept of learning by doing.

Overall, the EIL lessons were created in an attempt to increase student confidence in their
own speaking. One major success I witnessed that was a direct result of an EIL lesson is
documented in my Case Analysis that was completed for EDUC 549 (see Appendix E). The
“Please, repeat!” activity in Lesson 2 completely changed the students’ abilities to repair
communication breakdown. They immediately employed the request to not seek out help from
classmates, but to simply repeat their word or statements until I could understand. Their
confidence to resolve misunderstandings on their own is evident as this practice has continued.
While the entirety of student confidence increase cannot be attributed to these lessons, I do feel
like they had a positive impact on the students’ confidence levels. Additionally, the students
developed new ways of thinking about English and hopefully now feel like owners of this
international language.
Teacher Development. My teaching experience prior to this action research included
being an Instructional Assistant and tutor at Miramar College for two semesters, teaching during
summer and intercession at Language Studies International for two years (a private language
house in San Diego), and tutoring for Huntington Learning Center. This was my first experience
teaching in an EFL context as well as my first teaching position at the university level. The
development I underwent as a teacher was profound. Through my action research work, I
became aware of several important considerations for myself as a teacher.
From this action research, I learned the importance of having a variety of activities in the
classroom that speak to different learning styles and the importance of taking the time to
conference with students and create individual bonds. While the time and energy necessary to
accomplish both of these objectives was at times overwhelming, I saw the fruits of my labor
blooming beautiful as students became more and more communicative with me, and this eased
any pains. The power distance in Thailand is large and the reverence for teachers is great. In a
language class, this can create barriers especially when it is necessary for students to practice
their speaking skills. The one-on-one conferences really helped to break down some of these
barriers as I worked to establish myself as an equal. This did not take away from the reverence
shown to me. If anything, the bows increased. This experience also emphasized the importance
of teachers building relationships with students in order to create a safe community in which to
learn. Learning a language can put people in a vulnerable state. Especially with beginner learners
who are at a very impressionable age (18-19 years old) experimenting with new sounds in their
mouths in front of peers requires trust. Imitating my own professors and the mentor professors I
had worked with in San Diego, I think I was able to build this trust over the course of the
semester and meditate on even more effective ways to continue doing so in the future.
Another take-away as a teacher from this process of action research concerns teaching
through an EIL lens. I cannot imagine not making this a central part of every English class I
teach moving forward especially in an EFL context. English is a global language. It exists in a
variety of forms. English language students can benefit greatly from an understanding of the
state of English today and their right to make it their own. Being exposed to successful examples
of non-native English language users is a crucial part of this process. Many EFL settings in Asia,
like Thailand, have compulsory English for their students from 1st grade through university, yet
they are not able to produce proficient English users. Adopting EIL as a teaching mechanism
may be one way to help remedy this situation. I also am extremely motivated to experiment with
more opportunities for students to practice speaking with other non-native speakers. Since these
are the people they will be communicating with most frequently, it makes sense to offer them the
chance to master the skills necessary to be competent in intercultural communication.

Researcher Development. As this was my first experience designing and conducting
research, the lessons learned were many. To begin, Figure 1 findings suggest issues with the
reliability of the feedback forms as these findings are not confirmed by the rubric or teacher
observations as recorded in the teacher journal (see *Note below). Even though I felt rushed to
start my research, I regret not piloting the feedback forms I had created with a group of students
from another section and one or two colleagues. In addition to this, I grappled with the decision
to give my students more formal surveys regarding their confidence. I entertained the idea of
using something like the ABC Scale (Academic Behavioral Confidence scale), but in the end, I
went with my simple feedback form. Even though their level is beginner, I think with a Thai
translation, the students could have completed an abbreviated version of the ABC Scale. My
curiosity about what those before and after results would have been is now very keen as their
general self-reported levels of confidence to speak English did not increase.
When conducting a literature review during the Fall semester before my time in Thailand,
I had focused intently on motivation and Intercultural Communication Competence. One thing I
found frustrating as a new researcher was that I did not feel I had the time to prepare for my
transition to the new themes of confidence and EIL. Obviously, this is the nature of action
research, but more informed decisions on how to conduct my intervention could have been made
if time had permitted.
In hindsight, I would have created more opportunities to gather hard data. I feel like in
research, more is more. In the analysis process, I can then decide what to use and remove what is
extemporaneous. One change I would have made is to ask students specifically after each lesson
via an exit slip, “Did this lesson make you feel more confident to speak English?” I waited to get
feedback until all lessons had been completed and, because this research stretched over a span of
nine weeks, I am not sure that was the wisest decision. After meeting with my content expert, I
also learned that in order to investigate my research question properly, I needed to assess student
confidence immediately after each EIL lesson. For example, teach an EIL lesson, then record the
regular class activities after. These recordings can then be analyzed for the different constructs
that contribute to self-confidence. In the final analysis steps, the patterns over time can be
discerned. I learned after my research period ended that there is a classroom on campus where
research is typically conducted as it has overhead cameras that capture the entirety of a class’
proceedings.
The biggest lesson I learned as a teacher-researcher is that you have to really focus on
what you are trying to learn and how you will learn it. My concern in my attempts to discern the
effects of teaching EIL on student confidence is all the other confidence boosters going on in
between EIL lessons. The challenge of weeding out variables and focusing in on others became
increasingly clear. Similarly, motivation, anxiety, and confidence all influence one another and
hardly exist independently of one another. Conducting research on one aspect of this trifecta
requires much diligence and forethought.
*Note: When the results from the final feedback forms were analyzed, it was surprising
to see such a small increase in confidence when all other data indicated there had been a
substantial increase. In order to decipher why this had occurred, the question was brought to
some of the more advanced students during the final one-on-one conferences. These students
provided the following insight. “Teacher, people are trying to be brave.” This idea is attached to
the level 2 categorization. It may be that confidence increased but not enough to move them up a
level to 3. “I can do it” is a strong statement. I had some suspicions that students were trying to
replicate their answers from the first feedback form. This could explain why anxiety increased
and comprehension decreased. While two students disagreed with this theory, one student did
offer it (unsolicited) as rationale for the minimal increase in self-reported confidence on the final
feedback form. Additionally, when speaking with a colleague, an English teacher from the
Philippines who has been teaching at UBU for three years, the issue of culture was identified as a
possible explanation. She related how Thais do not like to brag, so even if the students felt more
confident, they would be modest in expressing or reporting it.
Evolution of the Research Question
As previously stated, I feel the overarching themes to this action research were too broad.
The original research question deserves more exploration. However, in order to narrow the focus
of intent, a sub-question should be added for the next phase. When looking at the data in Table 4,
one area where students can continue to improve is “speed to respond.” This is likely a partial
result of the level of their listening skills. Therefore, I plan to implement a listening activity to
answer the following question: What are the effects of exposure to various Englishes on student
confidence to speak? This sub-question will help to drive more precise data collection in an
attempt to more accurately determine if the intervention is successful independent of other
variables.
Phase II Action and Assessment Plan
If time permitted for this action research to continue on to Phase II, I would turn away
from teaching big concepts and instead use a more practical application around the idea of EIL
pedagogy and the skills needed to communicate across cultures. These lessons would further the
focus on increasing student confidence to speak in a Thai English classroom. As the Phase I
findings indicate that students need to work on their response time to statements and questions in
order to show more confidence in speaking, the intervention would focus predominately on
activating student listening skills through the basic premise of EIL pedagogy. Table 5 shows the
timeline for Phase II.
Table 5: AR Phase II Timeline
Action and Assessment Plan- Phase II Time to Implement
Pre-Assessment Student Confidence Survey 1 week for both

Record a student warm-up for baseline
Intervention EIL Listening Activities: 3 weeks for all 3 lessons
1 – YouTube videos showing English Varieties
2 – Guests non-native English speakers from the tourism
industry
3 – Communication exchange with South Korean students
Post-Assessment Student Confidence Survey 1 week
Exit slips after each lesson Ongoing
Record student warm-ups every day of research period Ongoing
Pre-Assessment
In order to assess where student confidence is before the intervention, student confidence
surveys would be given. These would be based on an adapted ABC scale that is a standard means
of measurement when researching confidence (see Appendix F). These surveys would again be
provided in both Thai and English. They would be piloted with students from the other English
and Communication II Listening and Speaking section with Tourism major students as well as
with two colleagues—one Thai and one American. In addition to the surveys, a recording would
be made of a class warm-up session to create a baseline for each student in regard to their
individual constructs around self-confidence—see Table 4.
Action Plan
To investigate the sub-question of Phase II—What are the effects of exposure to various
Englishes on student confidence to speak?—videos featuring non-native English speakers would
be used to demonstrate to students the variety of Englishes that exist. This example of successful
communication regardless of accent or proficiency level could also help to build student
confidence to speak. A basic conversation about and demonstration of World Englishes would
serve “to increase students’ meta-knowledge about Englishes by making it a lesson focus” as
suggested by Matsuda & Friedrich (2011, p. 339). Furthermore, watching others communicate
allows students to learn verbal communication through non-verbal communication and to display
cultural sensitivity (Matsuda & Friedrich, p. 339).
For Lesson 2, guests from the local community who work in the tourism industry would
be invited to class. Social models were previously used in Lesson 4 of Phase I. However,
Bandura (1994) asserts, “The greater the assumed similarity the more persuasive are the models'
successes and failures” (p. 3). The EIL international communication exchange offered an
opportunity for students to meet and interact with other non-native speakers of English of
varying abilities and from varying backgrounds; however, the kind of social model that would
encourage my students the most, according to Bandura, would be someone who is a past
Tourism major and is finding success with English. The guests could talk about the importance
of successful communication over form or accent as well as their experience in speaking English
with other non-native speakers.
Finally, Lesson 3 would be a cross-cultural communication exchange with other non-
native English speakers in South Korea. Robinson-Stuart and Nocon (1996) noted that
ethnographic projects can have a positive impact on student attitudes in a university foreign
language setting. Options may include conducting interviews or sharing pop culture across
borders. This would allow students speaking practice with other English users outside of
Thailand via a platform such as Skype or Facebook Messenger. Students would be able to
practice clear communication as well as repair breakdowns in an authentic setting. This is an
extension of Lesson 4 from Phase I due to its success. Initially, this was Lesson 5 in Phase I, but
due to circumstances beyond the control of the researcher, the exchange could not take place.
Korea was chosen because it is a class favorite. Students love the culture and country. This final
lesson would tie together social models, social persuasion and overcoming obstacles.
Table 6: EIL Phase II Lessons to Increase Speaking Confidence in an EFL Setting
Lesson Objective Bandura’s Matsuda & Friedrich’s Principles

Theory
Lesson1 World Englishes – videos to explore a variety of Social models Awareness of and Exposure to Varieties
Englishes of English; Three Cultures; History, Politics and
Ownership of English
Lesson 2 Guest Speakers – Tourism industry Social models Three Cultures
Lesson 3 Cross-cultural communication exchange – South Korea Mastery Awareness of and Exposure to Varieties
experiences, Social of English, Communication Strategies,
models, Social Three Cultures
Persuasion
Post Assessment
All aspects of Phase II would use more precise data collection methods. In the post
assessment, the ABC survey would be given again. Additionally, as the research is in progress,
exit slips would be collected directly after each intervention specifically asking, “Did this
activity increase your confidence to speak English?” Finally, I would video record every think-
pair-share from the class warm-ups during the research period. The warm-ups would be held
after the EIL component of the class. These recordings could be analyzed to compare gains in the
six self-confidence constructs: can ask questions, can respond to questions, speed to respond,
number of words spoken, volume, and body language. This would also provide insight into the
number of voluntary responses given as well as those that are elicited. Teacher journals capturing
observations during the research period would continue. Again, all written data collection would
be provided in Thai and English.

Limitations
The limitations of this action research are many. Firstly, the instrument used to determine
student level of confidence in speaking English was weak with only one question directly asking
the students to rate their own confidence on a 1-5 scale. Largely due to student level of English
proficiency, simple questions and a 1-5 scale were used to assess student confidence levels.
However, this scale limits the scope of what can be determined about the confidence. Even with
this simple form and including Thai translation, there was some confusion. As far as researcher
development of the form, “Circle only one” was omitted on several questions, and this led to data
being dropped from analysis as many responses were chosen for questions that were to elicit one
(the biggest, the most). In uncovering this error, it was clear that the feedback forms should have
been piloted, but due to time constraints this did not happen. Secondly, there are limitations in
that the data from the feedback forms is self-reported. Responses are subjective which means the
students may have misrepresented themselves. Along with this, the researcher was an active
participant in the study and therefore participant/observer bias could be present in some of the
observations as well as in interpretations of the data. The class size is also a limitation. With just
21 participants, the research results are limited in their generalizability. Finally, confidence
cannot be assessed through the effects of only one dimension. It is being played on by everything
in the classroom experience. Furthermore, when students increase their speaking output, it is
difficult to surmise if this is due to lessened anxiety, increased confidence or increased
motivation. The difficulty of untangling these three affective components when they are so
intertwined was evident throughout the research.

Conclusion
Through this action research I have seen the effects of introducing EIL into an EFL
classroom. While my data collection and analysis are amateur, I know from my experience in
being with the students for the duration of the semester that their confidence increased greatly as
did their ability to communicate. When I had to take leave for a day and my class joined the
other Tourism majors section of English and Communication II, the teacher observed how active
my students were compared to hers. When I expressed my elation at this news, she stated, “Yes,
I’m happy too! It set a good example for my students” (personal communication, Basilio, April
2, 2018). Seilhamer (2015) identified three variables that helped English users in Taiwan take
ownership of English: confidence, agency, and the use of World Englishes. It is clear that if we
desire students to take ownership of English, their confidence needs to be built up. In
implementing an EIL pedagogy then, not only can confidence to speak be increased but also the
ability of students to take ownership of English. EIL pedagogy is more than just a handful of
lessons, it is a mindset. It is showing students that English is not just a language spoken on the
other side of the globe. It is spoken in every corner of the earth, and it is a key to unlocking
relationships and knowledge. It is also the understanding that there are many varieties of English
in existence and many accents that accompany these varieties. As a result of conducting this
action research, I am committed to bringing EIL pedagogy into my future classrooms to the
extent that I am able. As I finish my time here at UBU, I will be sharing my voice to contribute
to positive change. After all, I only know because someone informed me. I now have the
responsibility to pass the torch.

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Appendix A
1. Which English skill do you find most challenging? Circle one.
1. ทักษะภาษาอังกฤษด้านใดที0ท่านคิดว่าท้าทายที0สุดสําหรับท่าน จงเลือกคําตอบโดยวงกลม 1 ข้อ
Reading Writing Speaking Listening
การอ่าน การเขียน การพูด การฟัง
2. Why? (you may write in Thai if it is easier to express yourself)
2. ทําไมจึงเป็ นเช่นนัLน (คุณสามารถเขียนอธิบายเป็ นภาษาไทยได้
ถ้าคุณคิดว่าการเขียนภาษาไทยทําให้คุณสามารถแสดงความคิดเห็นของคุณได้ชดั เจนมากกว่า)
3. When you speak English, how confident do you feel? Circle one.
(This is not about your level or ability, just how you feel when speaking English. For example, a
person could be confident at a low level while another might not be confident at a high level.)
1 = the least confident and 5 = the most confident
3. เมื0อคุณพูภาษาอังกฤษ คุณรู ้สึกมัน0 ใจแค่ไหน จงเลือกคําตอบโดยวงกลม 1 ข้อ (คําถามนีLไม่ได้ถามถึงระดับความสามารถในการพูด
แต่เป็ นถามถึงความรู ้สึกของคุณเมื0อคุณพูดภาษาอังกฤษ ตัวอย่างเช่น คนอาจมีความมัน0 ใจแต่มีความสามารถในระดับตํ0า
แต่บางคนอาจไม่มีความมัน0 ใจแต่มีความสามารถในการพูดสูง) โดย 1 = ไม่มนั0 ใจเลย และ 5 = มัน0 ใจมาก
1 – not very confident. I can’t do this.
1 – ไม่มนั0 ใจเลย.... ฉันไม่สามารถทําได้
2 – a little confident. I’m trying to be brave.
2 – มัน0 ใจนิดหน่อย.... ฉันพยายามที0จะกล้า
3 – confident. I can do it.
3 – มัน0 ใจ.... ฉันสามารถทําได้
4 – quite confident.
4 – มัน0 ใจเลยทีเดียว
5 – very confident. I’m awesome.
5 – มัน0 ใจมาก.... ฉันเจ๋ ง
4. How much anxiety/stress does knowing you have to speak English create? Circle one.
1 = the least anxiety and 5 = the most anxiety
4. คุณรู ้สึกกังวลหรื อเครี ยดมากน้อยแค่ไหนเมื0อทราบว่าคุณต้องพูดภาษาอังกฤษ จงเลือกคําตอบโดยวงกลม 1 ข้อ
1 = กังวลน้อยมาก และ 5 = กังวลมากที0สุด
1 – very little. I can speak English and not feel stressed.
1 – กังวลน้อยมาก ฉันสามารถพูดภาษาอังกฤษได้ และไม่รู้สึกเครี ยด
2 – a little. I’m definitely not speaking Thai, and I’m aware of it.
2 – กังวลเล็กน้อย ฉันจะไม่พูดภาษาไทยแน่ๆ และฉันรู ้ตวั ตัวดี
3 – a fair amount. I would rather not do it, but still can function.
3 – กังวลพอสมควร ถ้าเป็ นไปได้ฉันจะไม่ทาํ มัน แต่ว่าฉันยังสามารถทํามันได้
4 – quite a lot of stress. I get nervous and can’t think clearly.
4 – เครี ยดมากพอควร ฉันประหม่าและฉันไม่สามารถคิดได้เรื0 องที0จะพูดได้อย่างเต็มที0
5 – I want to die.
5 – ฉันอยากจะตาย
5. What is your biggest concern when speaking English? (you may use your phone to translate!)
Making mistakes in grammar Pronunciation Vocabulary
Judgment from teacher Judgment from peers Other _______________

6. When you hear spoken English, how much can you understand?
6. เมื0อคุณได้ยินคนพูดภาษาอังกฤษ คุณเข้าใจมากแค่ไหน
1 – not very much. Maybe a word or two.
1 – น้อยมากเลย บางทีแค่ 1-2 คํา
2 – a little. But sometimes I’m confused.
2 – นิดหน่อย แต่บางครัLงฉันก็สับสน
3 – most of it. I get the gist.
3 – เกือบทัLงหมด ฉันจับใจความสําคัญได้
4 – I understand all but a couple words.
4 – ฉันเข้าใจ แต่อาจฟังไม่ได้แค่ 1-2 คํา
5 – every word. Full comprehension.
5 – เข้าใจทุกคํา ฉันจับใจความได้ทLงั หมด

Appendix A1
Lesson 1 https://prezi.com/view/T5ZBvxfyvAzQR89cC4Sg/
Lesson 2 https://prezi.com/view/SSBReNxMoL1sg8oxATrs/
Lesson 3 https://prezi.com/view/DwcHpMnH05XvaJLvEZDo/
Lesson 4 https://prezi.com/view/wxSAwCAxNPyd07hmagFA/
Appendix B
1. Which English skill do you find most challenging? Circle one.
1. ทักษะภาษาอังกฤษด้านใดที0ท่านคิดว่าท้าทายที0สุดสําหรับท่าน จงเลือกคําตอบโดยวงกลม 1 ข้อ
Reading Writing Speaking Listening
การอ่าน การเขียน การพูด การฟัง
2. Why? (you may write in Thai if it is easier to express yourself)
2. ทําไมจึงเป็ นเช่นนัLน (คุณสามารถเขียนอธิบายเป็ นภาษาไทยได้
ถ้าคุณคิดว่าการเขียนภาษาไทยทําให้คุณสามารถแสดงความคิดเห็นของคุณได้ชดั เจนมากกว่า)
3. When you speak English, how confident do you feel? Circle one.
(This is not about your level or ability, just how you feel when speaking English. For example, a
person could be confident at a low level while another might not be confident at a high level.)
1 = the least confident and 5 = the most confident
3. เมื0อคุณพูภาษาอังกฤษ คุณรู ้สึกมัน0 ใจแค่ไหน จงเลือกคําตอบโดยวงกลม 1 ข้อ (คําถามนีLไม่ได้ถามถึงระดับความสามารถในการพูด
แต่เป็ นถามถึงความรู ้สึกของคุณเมื0อคุณพูดภาษาอังกฤษ ตัวอย่างเช่น คนอาจมีความมัน0 ใจแต่มีความสามารถในระดับตํ0า
แต่บางคนอาจไม่มีความมัน0 ใจแต่มีความสามารถในการพูดสูง) โดย 1 = ไม่มนั0 ใจเลย และ 5 = มัน0 ใจมาก
1 – not very confident. I can’t do this.
1 – ไม่มนั0 ใจเลย.... ฉันไม่สามารถทําได้
2 – a little confident. I’m trying to be brave.
2 – มัน0 ใจนิดหน่อย.... ฉันพยายามที0จะกล้า
3 – confident. I can do it.
3 – มัน0 ใจ.... ฉันสามารถทําได้

4 – quite confident.
4 – มัน0 ใจเลยทีเดียว
5 – very confident. I’m awesome.
5 – มัน0 ใจมาก.... ฉันเจ๋ ง
4. How much anxiety/stress does knowing you have to speak English create? Circle one.
1 = the least anxiety and 5 = the most anxiety
4. คุณรู ้สึกกังวลหรื อเครี ยดมากน้อยแค่ไหนเมื0อทราบว่าคุณต้องพูดภาษาอังกฤษ จงเลือกคําตอบโดยวงกลม 1 ข้อ
1 = กังวลน้อยมาก และ 5 = กังวลมากที0สุด
1 – very little. I can speak English and not feel stressed.
1 – กังวลน้อยมาก ฉันสามารถพูดภาษาอังกฤษได้ และไม่รู้สึกเครี ยด
2 – a little. I’m definitely not speaking Thai, and I’m aware of it.
2 – กังวลเล็กน้อย ฉันจะไม่พูดภาษาไทยแน่ๆ และฉันรู ้ตวั ตัวดี
3 – a fair amount. I would rather not do it, but still can function.
3 – กังวลพอสมควร ถ้าเป็ นไปได้ฉันจะไม่ทาํ มัน แต่ว่าฉันยังสามารถทํามันได้
4 – quite a lot of stress. I get nervous and can’t think clearly.
4 – เครี ยดมากพอควร ฉันประหม่าและฉันไม่สามารถคิดได้เรื0 องที0จะพูดได้อย่างเต็มที0
5 – I want to die.
5 – ฉันอยากจะตาย
5. What is your biggest concern when speaking English? (you may use your phone to translate!)
Making mistakes in grammar Pronunciation Vocabulary

Judgment from teacher Judgment from peers Other _______________
6. When you hear spoken English, how much can you understand?
6. เมื0อคุณได้ยินคนพูดภาษาอังกฤษ คุณเข้าใจมากแค่ไหน
1 – not very much. Maybe a word or two.
1 – น้อยมากเลย บางทีแค่ 1-2 คํา
2 – a little. But sometimes I’m confused.
2 – นิดหน่อย แต่บางครัLงฉันก็สับสน
3 – most of it. I get the gist.
3 – เกือบทัLงหมด ฉันจับใจความสําคัญได้
4 – I understand all but a couple words.
4 – ฉันเข้าใจ แต่อาจฟังไม่ได้แค่ 1-2 คํา
5 – every word. Full comprehension.
5 – เข้าใจทุกคํา ฉันจับใจความได้ทLงั หมด
7. Has your confidence in speaking English increased this semester (from January until current
time)?
7. ความมัน0 ใจในการพูดภาษาอังกฤษของคุณเพิ0มขึLนในภาคการศึกษานีLหรื อไม่ (จากเดือนมกราคมถึงปัจจุบนั )
1 – no, not at all
1 – ไม่ ไม่เลยซักนิด
2 – a little
2 – นิดหน่อย
3 – an average amount. I feel like my confidence increased a normal amount from being in
another semester of English class

3 – ปานกลาง ฉันรู ้สึกว่าความมัน0 ใจของฉันเพิม0 ขึLนในระดับที0ปกติเมื0อเทียบกับวิชาภาษาอังกฤษในภาคการศึกษาอื0นๆ
4 – quite a bit. I feel much more confident speaking English compared to the start of the
semester.
4 – พอสมควร ฉันรู ้สึกมัน0 ใจมากขึLนกว่าเดิมมากในการพูดภาษาอังกฤษเมื0อเปรี ยบเทียบกับในช่วงต้นของภาคการศึกษา
5 – a lot! I feel very confident speaking English now
5 – มาก ฉันรู ้สึกมัน0 ใจมากในการพูดภาษาอังกฤษ
8. What do you think has helped to increase your confidence the most?
8. คุณคิดว่าอะไรเป็ นปัจจัยที0สุดที0ทาํ ให้คุณมีความมัน0 ใจเพิ0มขึLน
One-on-one conferences with the teacher
ประชุมตัวต่อตัวกับอาจารย์
Class activities Which one(s)?
กิจกรรมในห้องเรี ยน กิจกรรมนัLนคืออะไร?...................
Partner Video Projects
โครงการ Partner Video
EIL lessons
บทเรี ยน EIL
Stranger Things
ซีรี0ย์ Stranger Things
Homework Assignments
การบ้านที0ได้รับมอบหมาย
9. Which, if any, of the EIL lessons do you think helped increase your confidence the most?
(Circle one)
9. บทเรี ยนของ EIL บทเรี ยนไหน (ถ้ามี) ที0ช่วยเพิม0 ความมัน0 ใจของคุณมากที0สุด (วงกลมเลือก 1 ข้อ)
Lesson 1: Introduction to EIL/Videos and Kahoot
บทเรี ยน 1: การแนะนําสู่ EIL/วีดิโอ และ คาร์ฮูด (Kahoot)
Lesson 2: EIL Readings, Jigsaw and Posters
บทเรี ยน 2: การอ่านของ EIL การต่อจิกY ซอว์ และโปสเตอร์
Lesson 3: EIL in the real world pictures (For example, “Fried Vegetarians”)
บทเรี ยน 3: ภาพในโลกความจริ งของ EIL (ตัวอย่าง เช่น “Fried Vegetarians”)
Lesson 4: EIL brunch
บทเรี ยน 4: อาหารมืLอเช้าและกลางวันกับ EIL

Appendix C
English & Communication Initial One-on-One Conferences
Guiding Questions
1. Name
2. Age
3. Year at University
4. Major
5. Career hope
6. How motivated do you feel (how much do you want) to learn English?
A little Average Very
7. How do you learn best: seeing things, listening, doing, reading?
8. What activities in class do you think are helping you learn the most?
9. Since day one of class with me until today, do you feel like your English is getting better…or
is it about the same?
How so? In what ways?
10. How can I help you learn? What can I do to help you learn English?
(more HW, more transcription, readings etc.)
11. Any questions for me?

Appendix D
English & Communication Final One-on-One Conferences
Guiding Questions
Name
Small talk – How have you been? What did you do for Songkran (Thai New Year)?
1. How (in what ways) will you use English in the future?
2. Are you more relaxed/more comfortable coming to talk to me today in my office than the first
time? Why or why not?
3. Many students said that their confidence increased “average to quite a bit” (3 or 4 on the
feedback form) this semester. However, most students still chose 2 for their level of confidence.
Why do you think this happened?
4. If you could choose, would you want to have the same English teacher for a whole year or a
different teacher each semester? Why or why not?

Appendix E
A Case Analysis: How to Maintain Student Confidence During Communication Repair
Teaching Context
I am currently working as an English Language professor at the University of Ubon
Ratchathani in Northeastern Thailand. For this classroom case analysis, I will be looking at an
issue in my English and Communication II Speaking/Listening class. This class meets twice a
week for a total of six hours. Twenty-four students are enrolled in the course (23 girls and one
boy). They are all first-year Tourism majors aged 18-19 years old. Most have ambitions to be
flight attendants, ground crew, or tour guides.
The Case, Contributing Factors, and Guiding Theories
One of the issues I have encountered in this class is a student/teacher behavioral issue
whereby when a student speaks to me, and I solicit her to repeat what she has said, a lengthy
process ensues. She consults in Thai with three to four of her surrounding peers. Then she either
just giggles and says, “Teacher,” or perhaps one of the friends will try to interpret what she has
said for her. My question: How can I best respond to breakdowns in communication in order to
keep the dialogue moving and maintain student confidence to speak? One of my contributing
factors as a teacher is behavioral and involves confused facial expressions. Another personal
factor is the wording of my request for the student to repeat which is not set but varies. Examples
of my response—"I’m sorry?” “Say it again.” “Mmm I’m not sure what that means.” “One more
time.” Any or all of these might be discouraging or confusing for my students and lend to their
delay in responding. Several of these statements might be out of my students’ Zone of Proximal
Development. For my students, contributing factors include the affective filter. My students are
already very hesitant to speak out because they fear judgment from their peers and teachers. My
class specifically self-reported low confidence in speaking English mainly due to a perceived
lack of vocabulary and grammar skills. If I question what they have said, they think they have
said it wrong. However, the breakdown is usually an issue of accent and syllable stress; I simply
need to hear the words or phrase several times for my brain to make adjustments. An example of
this is SPIKE-e-tee. This is the pronunciation and syllable stress for the word spaghetti. It took
me days and consulting with a higher-level student in another class to figure out it wasn’t a Thai
dish but an Italian one. Another contributing factor is student listening skills. There is a very real
chance the students are not able to decode/comprehend the English input of my requests
especially since I am not consistent. This could be due to the limited amount of English input
they receive outside of the classroom (and depending on their English teachers in the past, inside
the classroom) since this is an EFL context. Maybe they do not understand I am asking them to
repeat or maybe they are trying to figure out a way to say it differently which I don’t necessarily
need. I just need to hear it again, so I can try to process.
Possible Solutions
I propose two possible solutions to this case. One is to give the students explicit
instructions on what to do, scaffolding the entire process. We can look at the restatement phrase I
will use, practice speaking and listening to it, and then talk about what I need them to do if I say
this to them. Modeling this dialogue in front of the class with a student will further ensure they
understand. A drawback of this solution is that it would be time consuming and add to an already
crammed agenda, but, if it works, more time would be saved in the long term. A second possible
solution is to simply ask them in Thai—Phūd xīk khrậng kha. This idea is based on feedback
from a Thai English teacher whom I probed for assistance on this matter. A weakness of this
solution is that it does not teach the students the English equivalents; however, it could prove to
be very efficient in keeping the conversation moving. Coupled with both plans is a neutral or
smiling face in place of raised eyebrows and a furrowed brow—a natural, but not confidence
building, facial response to confusion.
Professional Learning Community
Speaking with my colleagues during the Professional Learning Community, I was
presented with alternative ways to address this issue. Many of the international students in the
cohort encouraged my use of the Thai native language as a support to the students while they
worked on obtaining understanding of the English phrase, “Please, repeat.” This approach is
similar to the Classical Method or Grammar Translation Method where use of the first language
is used to scaffold learning. Essentially, I would be giving them training wheels, using the Thai
phrase with the English phrase until they learned to decode the English spoken words. My one
concern with this idea is that the students need exposure to the language. Listening is one of their
weakest skills. As my classroom is their main source of English input (6 hours a week), I feel
that using Thai in the classroom would be a disservice to them. Furthermore, I do think they
understand these simple phrases. My students often ask me, “Teacher, again?” in order to request
my repetition of a statement. I could choose to use the phrase “again?” in place of “please,
repeat” as I know they understand this request. The more pressing issue is getting them to repeat
without the long interlude.
Another suggestion was to make signs with the English phrase clearly printed on them
and hang them in the room. Then when I need to ask a student for clarification, I can physically
point to the sign while I state, “Please, repeat.” My students have much higher proficiency in
reading and writing than in speaking and listening, a trait that is common in second language
learners. I put most class activities and instructions in writing on the Promethean board. Having
written signs would not be an unusual teaching method, and while I do agree that this could be
very beneficial, the practicality of hanging the signs each class (a class that starts at 8am) is low.
A final suggestion was to teach an explicit lesson on common phrases that are used in
English to elicit clarification. It was even brought out that this lesson could be framed in the
English as an International Language (EIL) context as my students have been exposed to this
through my research. This lesson could include standard and proper expressions along with rude
and informal expressions which, as one of my colleagues pointed out, young students might find
entertaining. I was immediately drawn to this proposal because I could put the learning into a
context my students were familiar with. My final EIL mini-lesson was upcoming, and this topic
would fit seamlessly.
Plan implementation
I chose to incorporate into my already planned EIL lesson an explicit mini-lesson on
formal and informal English expressions used to prompt a speaker’s repetition of a statement.
Due to midterms, I had to wait from March 3 (Thai time), when I met with the PLC, until March
19, when classes resumed, to implement my plan. I introduced the objective under the following
circumstances. I informed my students that the basis for this lesson was the upcoming EIL
brunch that they would be attending in two weeks on April 2. At this brunch, Master’s students
and professors from UBU representing four different countries (Japan, Rwanda, The United
States, and Timor-Leste) would be speaking with small groups of my students on a rotating basis
for 15 minutes at a time. I explained to the students that due to differences in accents, English
levels, and other communication issues, there would probably be times when they would need to
ask for clarification. In order to do this, they could use various expressions. I proceeded to
highlight the different expressions, both formal and informal, available for use. As a class, we
read through the expressions and practiced pronunciation. At this juncture, I also included a
demonstration and several slides concerning how I wanted my students to respond to me when I
asked them to repeat. I reminded them that it was more than likely my ear, and not their English,
causing the communication breakdown (SPIKE-e-tee). I modeled the expectations with a student
emphasizing that I wanted them to maintain eye contact with me and simply repeat what was
said without consulting with their peers. The students were then given a chance to practice using
the various expressions.
Turn to page 102. Find a partner. Partner A will read from Section 2a-Returning
something to a shop. Partner B will read from Section 2a-Complaining. Partner A will
read a sentence. Partner B will then respond by asking A to repeat. A will repeat. Then
switch, Partner B will read a sentence. Partner A will respond by asking B to repeat. B
will repeat. Continue through all 6 statements.
The lesson in its entirety can be viewed here: https://prezi.com/view/SSBReNxMoL1sg8oxATrs/
EIL Reviewà Please, Repeat!
Reflection
I really appreciate how I was able to effortlessly connect this lesson to the class EIL
learning in order to make it meaningful and practical, not forced. The lesson was simple but
direct. The students enjoyed learning other expressions; they especially had fun making the
“huh” noise. After implementing my plan, I observed my students for four class periods to assess
their responses: March 21 and 26 (March 28 they joined another class while I was out of town
and April 2 was the EIL brunch), April 4, (April 9 I had to take a sick day), and April 11. In
observing my own reactions to students during this time, I noticed several things. It was very
difficult for me to maintain a generic, unnatural to me, response like “Please, repeat.” I tend to
say, “A what?” if I am stuck on a word or “Say it again” if I need full repetition. I also noticed
that after several failed attempts in trying to decipher a student’s words, I searched out help from
nearby students. This is the exact same behavior I was hoping to eliminate in my students. It
seems that consulting others is a natural next step when dealing with confusion.
What I noticed immediately concerning my students’ behavior was that after the EIL
lesson, if I requested clarification, the students stared at me intently. They did not talk to anyone
around them. The power of my simply asking them to respond in this way is evidence of the
respect given to teachers in this culture. I can see them making concentrated effort to maintain
eye contact as they just keep repeating, repeating, repeating until I either understand or seek
external help.
This experience has taught me several valuable lessons. When a situation has been
identified as disruptive or a problem, critical thinking needs to be employed and a concrete plan
formulated in a timely manner. I was aware of this situation for nearly two months and just wrote
it off as a cultural difference. However, sometimes it is necessary to push boundaries and not just
accept things as they are due to cultural or other differences. In language learning, there are
many exceptions. I think my biggest take away from this experience is that change can be
affected so simply. In the end, all I had to do was ask!

Appendix F
Adapted Academic Behavioral Confidence (ABC) Scale
From: Measuring academic behavioural confidence: the ABC scale revisited
Paul Sander & Lalage Sanders (year)
How confident are you that you will be able to:
SCALE 1-5 Not at all Confident à Very Confident
1. Study with good results on your own  
2. Do your best work when taking a test 
3. Answer questions asked by a teacher in front of a large audience 
4. Keep up with your workload to meet class deadlines  
5. Give a presentation to a small group of your peers 
6. Attend most class sessions  
7. Get good grades in your work  
8. Have a good debate with your peers  
9. Ask teachers questions about what they are teaching, in a one-to-one setting  
10. Ask teachers questions about the material they are teaching, during class  
11. Understand the material outlined and discussed with you by teachers  
12. Follow the themes and debates in lectures  
13. Prepare well for tutorials  
14. Read the assigned background material  
15. Produce class work at the required standard  
16. Write in an nice academic style  

17. Ask for help if you don’t understand  
18. Be on time for class 
19. Make the most of the opportunity of studying for a degree at university  
20. Pass tests on the first try 
21. Plan good study schedules  
22. Stay motivated for the whole semester  
23. Produce your best work in class assignments  
24. Attend review sessions  


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Running Head: TO INCREASE SPEAKING CONFIDENCE IN THAI STUDENTS

Exploring ways to increase speaking confidence in Thai students

through a focus on the English as an International Language paradigm

University of San Diego

Exploring ways to increase speaking confidence in Thai students

through a focus on the English as an International Language Paradigm

need the skills that an EIL pedagogy provides.

classroom. In an interview with a professor at Ubon Ratchathani University (UBU) in

At UBU, I am teaching English in the Faculty of Liberal Arts. English and

the several weeks we had spent together confirmed these findings.

quite relaxed in class, but on asking questions or trying to engage in conversation, I

ownership” (p. 140-141).

teaching English through an English as an International Language lens affect speaking

confidence in Thai students?

Review of the Literature

contexts. This willingness to communicate is essential in learning a language especially in a class

help increase student confidence; to be sure, self-esteem is another component of self-confidence

(Martinez, 2017; Branden, 2006).

four main interventions.

• Mastery experiences – experience in overcoming obstacles teaches that determination is

needed to reach success

your own abilities to do the same

endeavor through the supportive encouragement of others

can increase your feeling of self-efficacy

English, we become part of an ecosystem of language in which different forces operate”

Friedrich (2011) advocate for an EIL classroom:

visual samples as well as international guest speakers

• Communicative strategies – learning how to negotiate meaning and repair

countries and regions, and world culture

to social models that demonstrate how to successfully communicate in English on a global

accomplished through learner-centered classrooms or student collaboration (Doqaruni, 2017;

& Wongrak, 2017, p. 595).

Action and Assessment Plan

This action research took place in an English and Communication II speaking/listening

Action and Assessment Plan Date Implemented

Pre-Assessment Initial Needs Assessment Feedback Forms February 14

Student One-on-One Conferences February 16/20

Teacher Journals Ongoing

Intervention EIL Mini-Lessons February 19-April 2

Post-Assessment Final Feedback Forms April 11

Student One-on-One Conferences April 17/19

Teacher Journals Ongoing

in learning English. Additionally, one-on-one conferences (See Appendix C) were conducted

helped me 1) to understand and form a baseline of the students’ confidence levels in

learning styles and preferences of the students.

In order to facilitate confidence in speaking English, I developed and implemented four

confidence is comprised of self-esteem and self-efficacy. As Bandura’s (1994) theory focuses on

Ownership of English; Awareness of and Exposure to Varieties of English; and Communication

classroom instruction. They ranged from in-class mini-lessons of approximately 10 minutes, to

longer in-class lessons containing several activities, to a full-day out-of-class activity.

Table 2: EIL Mini-Lessons to Increase Speaking Confidence in an EFL Setting

Lesson Objective Bandura’s Matsuda & Friedrich’s Principles

“English as a Global Language” experiences

life persuasion of English

*Lessons are hyperlinked to their corresponding Prezis

teacher guidance, encouragement, and support throughout.

from David Crystal’s “English as a Global Language.”

clarification of meaning; to aid verbal communication through non-verbal communication; and

asked to bring their own samples the following week.

student confidence in speaking/listening, 2) to explicitly ask the students if talking to me one-on-

Additionally, my observations of the students’ confidence in communicating was

indicators of confidence when speaking. Body language is a known determinate of self-

allowing for increased validity.