A development of the English oral communication course using the project-based learning approach to enhance English oral communication ability of Kasetsart University students

Abstract

English oral communication plays an increasingly significant role in Thailand as the English language is the most important tool of communication in national and international personal, academic, and professional arenas. The present study aimed to identify the oral English needs of Kasetsart University (KU) students, to develop the oral communication course using the Project-based learning Approach (PBLA) and on KU students' needs, to investigate the effects of the oral communication course on oral communication ability of KU students, and to explore KU students' opinions toward project work instruction. This research employed the one-group pre-test-post-test experimental design which compared the same group of subjects' oral communication ability before and after the treatment. The subjects were 22 KU undergraduate students who enrolled in the Listening-Speaking I course using the project work instruction. The research instruments included the needs analysis questionnaire, the oral English communication course, Group Project Simulation Task (GPST) test, learner logs, student interviews, teacher's diary, and opinion questionnaire. Data were analyzed by means of descriptive statistics of frequency, mean, standard deviation, and the paired sample t-test was used to compare the mean scores of the subjects' pre-test and post-test. Qualitative data were analyzed by means of content analysis and categorization. The findings of this study revealed that the students were able to improve their oral communication and oral presentation abilities through project work instruction. It was also discovered from this study that project work was effective to promote not only the students' oral skills but also their self-confidence and interpersonal skills because of the cooperative nature of the project work. Based on the study findings, it is recommended that teachers should carefully design and appropriately implement project work instruction with authentic tasks that are rich in opportunity for interaction, scaffolding, and cooperative learning to enhance language learners' development of oral communication ability.