ENGLISH SKILL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH PROJECT-BASED LEARNING FOR MAHAMAKUT BUDDHISTG UNIVERSITY, SRI LANCHANG CAMPUS STUDENTS

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to: 1) study the English skills of Mahamakut Buddhist University, Srilanchang Campus (MBUSLC) students majoring in English Teaching; 2) develop the students’ English skills through Project-Based Learning (PBL); and 3) propose guidelines for the students’ English skill development. This was a Participatory Action Research (PAR) study, conducted in two cycles with ten steps. In Cycle 1, the following strategies were employed: 1) Individual English Skill Gap Analysis; 2) Workshop Training; 3) Buddy Pairing and Topic Responsibility Assignment; and 4) Camp Observation and Lesson Extraction. In Cycle 2, the strategies that were used included: 1) Daily Reflective Learning Journaling; 2) Simulated/Dry-Run Camp Organization; 3) Utilization of Specific Skill Assessment Instruments; and 4) New Knowledge Presentation to the Community. The target group was composed of 27 co-researchers/participants (monks/lay students) from the English Teaching program (Year 1–4) in the 2024 academic year. The research instruments utilized included: 1) Meeting Records; 2) Semi-structured Interviews; 3) Observation Forms;
4) Project Assessment Forms; and 5) Individual Development Plans (IDP). The data were analyzed through Content Analysis, and the research findings were presented using Critical Description. The research yielded the following findings: 1. Prior to participation in the research, the study of the students’ English skills revealed that most students were able to understand almost all English vocabulary, commands, and questions when listening. However, they answered questions inarticulately, discontinuously, and with long pauses. They mispronounced some words, made errors in spelling, and were not accurate in the structure of Tenses and the Passive Voice. 2. Following the Project-Based Learning intervention, the students’ English skill development was observed to have improved significantly. The students understood vocabulary, commands, and questions; they spoke and responded to questions fluently, continuously, and without hesitation. They read words and texts correctly and with comprehension, and wrote vocabulary, answers, and descriptive paragraphs accurately. Furthermore, they were capable of providing academic services by organizing English Camps. 3. The proposed guidelines for English skill development recommend that students should memorize the essential vocabulary and sentences for the English Camp prior to the event. For speaking skill development, students should practice frequently by speaking various sentences (questions, answers, and vocabulary) and singing necessary English songs. For listening skill development, students should be paired to practice asking and answering questions. For reading skill development, students should practice reading aloud the vocabulary and content used for the English Camp. Lastly, for writing skill development, students should frequently review and practice writing the vocabulary and sentences that were memorized.