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importance, with 94 (77.7%) reporting that they teach writing. Eighty six (71.1%) teach conversation and only 66.1% teach listening comprehension. Over half (57.9%) report that they teach English for specific purposes. Over half of the respondents (75.2%) claim to have been involved in academic work (research, etc.) related to foreign or second language teaching. Table 3 Respondents Educational Background English as a Foreign Language. In total, 44 (19 applied linguists and 25 ELT qualification holders) have qualifications in either applied linguistics or English Language Teaching. A total of 77 respondents have qualifications not relevant to foreign or second language teaching. Unless they have had a great deal of inservice professional development, over half appear not to have received training relevant to their professional activities. Applied Linguistics 19 (121)= 15.7% English Language Teaching 25 (121)= 20.7% Others Total 77 (121) = 63.6% 100% There has not, apparently, been much improvement in terms of the relevance of teachers’ appropriate qualifications in this field since the survey carried out by Piromruen et al. (1986) from 1985 to 1986. The survey results reveal three different groups of respondents: applied linguists, English Language Teaching qualification holders and those without relevant qualification (see Table 3). Only 19 of the 121 respondents (15.7%) who answered Part A have studied Applied Linguistics: 7 obtained bachelor’s degrees and 12 obtained master’s degrees in the area. Of these, only one respondent is a doctoral degree holder in this field. Eleven of the nineteen also have a Diploma in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. One of these eleven also studied composition writing at certificate level. Twenty five lecturers (20.7%) have qualifications in Teaching Major Findings of the Research Results The research conducted indicates an enormous gap between theory and practice in the teaching of English as a foreign language in Thai tertiary institutions. Major changes appear to be needed and these changes must involve the staff themselves if they are to be effective. Teaching materials and syllabus content need to be clearly specified and need to be clearly linked to testing and assessment. There need to be some clear indication of progression as students move from course to course. Students need to be trained to become more independent so that they will be in a position to
continue to learn outside of the classroom. This gap can be bridged if inservice training and education are provided for those without relevant qualifications by those with qualifications in Applied Linguistics specialising in foreign or second language teaching. A number of significant teacher education issues, suggest Kirkpatrick and Prescott, include “persuading teachers of the achievability and desirability of change, at the same time endeavouring to maintain both balance (content v skills) and flexibility (diverse contexts), the need to accommodate diversity, the value of fostering interaction in order to encourage reflection, the need to expand teachers’ horizons with respect to both knowledge and skills” (Kirkpatrick & Prescott, 1995, p. 104). English Language Teaching Staff’s Inadequate ELT Training twenty tertiary institutions surveyed often lack specific education and training in applied linguistics and second/foreign language teaching(see Table 4). This means that they are not in a good position to evaluate the effectiveness of current teaching methods and curricula or to assess the likely effect of various types of change. Other findings that seem to be of some significance are: (i) there is often little relationship between what is taught and what is tested and assessed; (ii) the perception of students and teachers in relation to what is taught, how it is taught and what problems students have is often different; (iii) teachers appear to have accepted the need for change and to have adopted the rhetoric of change without necessarily having implemented major changes and without fully understanding the issues involved, with the result that changes may appear to be unsystematic and/or contradictory(see Table 5). The major finding here is that English language teaching staff in the Table 4 Respondents Educational Background Applied Linguistics English Language Teaching Others Total 19 (121) = 15.7% 25 (121) = 20.7% 77 (121) = 63.6% 100%
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