Mark B. Ulla
Walailak University, Thailand

English language teaching and learning is vital for the development of the country and its people. In Thailand, English language teaching has become one of the most popular jobs both for native and non-native English speaker-teachers. However, only a few studies have been conducted to identify and describe English language education in the Thailand. This study presents the experiences of 9 Filipino university and college English teachers and their perceptions on the teaching of English as a foreign language in Thailand. The method used was in-depth individual interviews. Findings reveal that although Filipino teachers were positive about teaching English to Thai students, they perceived that English language teaching in the country is a challenging task because of students' lack of interest in the English language; lack of exposure to and support for an English speaking environment; unclear and unsuitable English language curriculum; and lack of teacher professional development. Implications are discussed and suggestions for future studies are offered.
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Author: Mark Ulla finished his Master of Arts in English language teaching at Mindanao State University, Marawi City, Philippines, where he also obtained his Bachelor of Arts in English. He is now a lecturer at Walailak University Language Institute, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand. Email: mark.ul@wu.ac.th Please cite as: Ulla, M. B. (2018). English language teaching in Thailand: Filipino teachers' experiences and perspectives. Issues in Educational Research, 28(4), 1080-1094. http://www.iier.org.au/iier28/ulla2.pdf