Tessie's Prelude

Introduction
A journal of a PhD student (informal) (don’t expect me to write academically, I have enough, thanks!)

Last year (2006) I met Professor White and gave her my research proposal that I wrote up in three weeks while I studied the General English course at CUPLES. I was so glad to know that she used to work in Thailand for two years because she may understand how Thai people are like and that will be helpful in supervising my research. She told me that I’m going to be her first PhD student from Thailand. (Why people didn’t come to Massey for their Linguistics degrees? Perhaps because the linguistics school at the Victoria University at Wellington is somewhat better-known. So they must not know about how pleasant the atmosphere of studying in Massey…see sheep and cattle grazing in the field? ) (The coffee at the library is great and the food at the new dining hall is lovely) (The building is a bit spooky …well looks worshipping - hypnotizing) We talked about my research interests and she mentioned something about using computer in EFL instruction. I didn’t take any notice from her opinion at that time because I was quite obsessed with my own thoughts; however, my research interests have been changing gradually since I left work and become a full-time student. After the first month in NZ last year, I decided that I really wanted to study my doctoral at Massey. I am sure that I will be happy to live and study in this medium and quiet city. The bus is free and the food is quite cheap – all suit me. Professor White kindly told me that I got an interesting research topic (although, indeed, at the moment it was not that good topic) and encouraged me to read more about research studies in writing by lending me a Candlin’s book.

Most of all, my home stay lady, Joan, is marvellous. She is caring and loving like my mum. She is an angel for me. Who can be so nice and helpful to a real stranger from the other part of the world who sometimes can’t pronounce “vegetable” properly. (She makes me believe in Fairy Tales since the day I met her) Then from all of the assumption I made from my first overseas experience, I don’t want to waste my time finding the other place to study. I like a simple, quiet, stress-free life, so I want to be a Massey student.





Last night (31th August, 2007): I read You’s research article about English writing instruction in China and I was astounded about the facts she told about writing instruction in the Chinese context and some similarities to Thai context. Admittedly, we the EFL teachers sometimes have not much freedom to “preach what we believe” because the policy and institutional power pressing upon us. However, I think we have much more freedom to choose what and how we want to teach in Thailand (especially in my university) because there is no national English writing test or government designed writing curriculum for tertiary students. The students have passed the most important national standardized test (A-Net/ O-Net, or previously called the National University Entrance Examination in my generation) already. And there is no essay writing requirement. If there was that mandatory in Thai tertiary English education, I would rather learn how to swim in order to work as a flight attendant than become a tertiary EFL teacher with the salary of NZ $450 a month (anyway, it’s quite too late to turn back now) I have my finger crossed that there will be no such thing going on in my profession. I am very happy to have freedom to implement innovations, explore new techniques in teaching, and adjust the content to different types of learners

Further, I am impressed with You’s style of presenting her ideas. It’s not like reading an academic article at all, quite a pleasure to read. It’s like reading a short story based on reality. Her work inspires me to write this journal and I will email to tell her about my appreciation.

This morning (Sept,1st) I woke up and start writing a paragraph about EFL writing instruction in Thailand and try to make sense from the context of Thai tertiary education as much as I can. If I was doing this research in Thailand, I wouldn’t have this clear view on how we are teaching and learning in Thailand. But because I am now in New Zealand -- off and away from daily professional context, I can see what the other EFL teachers worldwide are doing and compare them to my fellow lecturers’ and my own teaching behaviours.

For me, the main goal for teaching EFL writing is to facilitate the experiences to write in English so they can present their ideas in written text effectively in their academic assignments and for their career tasks. However, the average Thai students’ English language ability is relatively low which mean the majority can’t use English to communicative fairly, let alone writing in English. EFL students usually have inadequate language repertoire and organization to write. Some haven’t even had any experience in writing in their mother language at all. How can they manage to put their ideas in a foreign language when they are not use to the mental activities associating thinking and transcribing at the same time. EFL writing instruction in Thailand needs to be tailored to the Thai learners’ background, knowledge, and characteristics.

This makes me think of when I went shopping at Number One Shoe shop downtown on the Broadway Street. I found it a bit difficult to find the right size. If I put on size 10, they are too big. If I took size 9, they are too small. Finally I took size 10 and put more socks on. EFL Writing instruction is like a golden slipper searching for the perfect foot. A 21st century Cinderella should be a bit wiser not to let go any chance, shouldn’t she?

Well—I’m digressing now. That means we have to aware of our own teaching and learning conventions before integrating any innovative pedagogical theory in the classroom. Or else there will be a waste of time, money, and manpower. (We rather select a bigger pair of ‘approach’ boots which allows us to add more ‘context’ socks on.)

Note: I was listening to an R&B song which has a verse says “I never thought that the golden slippers could ever find a perfect foot.” That’s why I came up with this metaphor.“I believe in you” by Joe duet with Nsync.