Developing English Communication Skills of Thai Buddhist Monks Using Self-Learning Packages to Promote Buddhist Tourism

Abstract

The objectives of this research article were 1) to develop a self-learning package on “English for Promoting Buddhist Tourism”; and 2) to compare the English communication skills of Thai monks before and after using the self-learning package on “English for Promoting Buddhist Tourism.” This was a research and development research approach. There were two sample groups according to the research procedure. The sample group for the research in the self-learning package development phase consisted of 5 experts participating in focus group discussions.

The sample group in the pilot test of the learning package consisted of 30 monks or novices who volunteered to test the learning package themselves. The research instruments included 1) a guideline for focus group discussions to develop the self-learning package; 2) the self-learning package on “English for Promoting Buddhist Tourism”; and 3) an English communication skills test for promoting Buddhist tourism. The research findings revealed that 1) the self-learning package on “English for Promoting Buddhist Tourism” consisted of 6 learning units, namely Greeting Tourist, Introducing Temple, Temple History, Art in the Temple, Buddhist Ceremony, and The Precepts, focusing on learning vocabulary and conversational phrases. It was an online self-learning package; 2) a comparison of English communication skills of Thai monks before and after using the self-learning package on "English for Promoting Buddhist Tourism" showed that post-learning skills were significantly higher than pre-learning skills at the .05 statistical significance level ( = 20.27; S.D. = 3.88, t = 7.771, p <.001).