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‘Do I Really Need It?’ Professional Development in Pragmatics in Asian EFL

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Abstract

One of the foremost tasks in conducting any research in the field of social sciences involves ascertaining a need for such research to be carried out. Needs Analysis (NA) is the primary tool used in recording the perceptions of stakeholders in educational research. The present study employed a sequential exploratory strategy to gather the views of 15 Non-Native English Speaking Teachers (NNEST) from the North of Thailand. The first aim of the study was to determine the extent to which a need for L2 pragmatics instruction existed in Thailand, an Asian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. Secondly, the study aimed to collect the suggestions of the participants regarding tasks, methods of instruction, and other activities that would enable the delivery of such instruction using in-service professional development workshops in Thailand. The data to reach the objectives were collected by employing a semi-structured interview and an online questionnaire. The present paper discusses the qualitative findings, which were determined using content analysis followed by thematic analysis of the data. The findings reveal a definite need for L2 pragmatics instruction for Asian NNESTs in Thailand. Furthermore, the participants indicated a preference for explicit L2 pragmatic instruction. In addition, the participants favored an enhancement of L2 pragmatic strategies in speech acts that would be relevant in academic, and pedagogical contexts in Thailand.

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Acknowledgements

My deepest gratitude goes to my chief sponsor and partner in life, my husband Mr. Allan Thomas Grubb. In addition, I would like to thank my advisors Dr. Prarthana Coffin and Dr. Chirasiri as well as the teacher participants who participated in this study.

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  1. Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, Thailand

    Lakshmi Kala Prakash

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  1. Lakshmi Kala Prakash
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Correspondence to Lakshmi Kala Prakash.

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Kala Prakash, L. ‘Do I Really Need It?’ Professional Development in Pragmatics in Asian EFL. Fudan J. Hum. Soc. Sci. 11, 533–552 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40647-017-0206-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40647-017-0206-7

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