DECLARATION

hereby

Supplementary

declare
Writing

that

this

Materials:

Ph.D.
With

thesis

entitled

Specific

Designing

Reference

to

Undergraduates Majoring in English in Naresuan University, Phayao

Campus, Thailand was carried out by me for the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy in English under the guidance and supervision of Dr.Supriya
Sahasrabuddhe, Institute of Advanced Studies in English, University of Pune,
India.
The interpretations put forth are based on my reading and understanding
of the original texts and they are not published anywhere in the form of books,
monographs or articles. The other books, articles and websites, which I have
made use of are acknowledged at the respective place in the text.
For the present thesis, which I am submitting to the University, no degree
or diploma or distinction has been conferred on me before, either in this or in any
other University.

Place: Pune

(Mr.Singkham Rakpa)

Date: October 2008

Research Student

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the work incorporated in the thesis Designing

Supplementary

Writing

Materials:

With

Specific

Reference

to

Undergraduates Majoring in English in Naresuan University, Phayao

Campus, Thailand submitted by Mr.Singkham Rakpa was carried out by the
candidate under my guidance. Such materials as has been obtained from other
sources have been duly acknowledged in the thesis.

Place: Pune

(Dr.Supriya Sahasrabuddhe)

Date: October 2008

Research Guide

ii

ACKNOWLEDMENTS

I wish to sincerely thank all those who have contributed in one way or
another to this study. Words can only inadequately express my deep gratitude to
my guide, Dr. Supriya Sahasrabuddhe, for her meticulous care, kindness and
generosity. Her fruitful comments and insightful suggestions have been a crucial
formative influence on the present study. She has supported me in every possible
way since the beginning of my research. Her critical and careful reading of my
writing has saved me from a lot of errors. Without her guidance and
encouragement, my research would have never come out in the present form. I
have seen in her an unpretentious and devoted scholar. Furthermore, it has been a
memorable and enjoyable experience for me to work with her.
I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Ashok Thorat, the Director of
the place of research, for his incessant inspiration, expert guidance, invaluable
suggestions, and, above all, his moral support.
Grateful acknowledgments are also due to Dr.Madhuri Shridhar Gokhale
for her valuable suggestions and kind assistance for class observation.
Special thanks are due to the authorities of the Indian Council for Cultural
Relations (ICCR), New Delhi for awarding me a scholarship under the Cultural
Program Scheme (2004-2005).
I must thank Mrs. Angkarn Srithawon, Mr.Salyond Srisamutr, Mr. Nirand,
Mr.Thana,

Mr.Sawong,

Mr.Chalermpan,Mr.

Pakorn,

Dr.Chookiat

Jarat,

Dr.Phramaha Suchat Sanitsanom, Dr. Phramaha Chirat Khamlee and Dr.Vilas ,

Dr. Dutsadee Panya, Mr. Santhos Ghangale, and those whose names are not
mentioned here for their full support and encouragement. I also express sincere
thanks to colleagues from the Department of English in Naresuan University,
Phyao, Thailand for their encouragement. I wish to express heartfelt love and

iii

appreciation to my dear friends, Lorlar, Nittaya, Paweena, Saisunee, Kitimaphon

and Wilaiwan for their constant inspiration and encouragement. My special
thanks to Phramaha Kunakorn Kongchana, Mr. Kamran Janfeshan, Mr.Himadri
S.Roy and Mr. Kampeeraphab Intanoo for patient proofreading and correction
work, Dr.Agman, Mr. Keda Jaihal, and Miss Rungruedee for statistics used in
the thesis. Finally, I sincerely acknowledge the courtesy of the authorities of
libraries: Pune Universitys library and the library of Institute of Advanced
Studies in English for their cooperation needed by permitting me access data and
relevant materials while carrying out the present research.

Mr.Singkham Rakpa

iv

ABSTRACT
English language is regarded as a global language. It is so important that
120 United Nation countries members prefer English language as the language
for communication. APEC countries members also realize the importance of
English language. Asian countries, mainly South East Asia, find problems and
language barrier. They have launched an effective model project to encourage the
internalization of English as a second language.
In Thailand, the education reform has been introduced in the 8th National
Economic and Social Development Plan (1997-2001) to prepare the Thai nation
to cope with the 21st century. With the national Education Act (1999) which
places importance on learners, classroom research and technology for education,
the newest version of the National English Curricula (2001) has been introduced,
the main focus is on four strands of English competency and performance. They
are: communication, cultures, and integration with other fields of study and
connections with communities and the world.
At university level, both state university and private university follow the
newest curriculum by providing their students the appropriate and effective
teaching methodology, more units of English language study as the core subjects
and supplementary subjects have been added to the curriculum and by initiating
their own language centres including self-access room equipped with all
materials, supplementary materials like tape cassettes, CDs, video scripts, and
computer programs are used for listening and speaking skills, text books and
authentic materials are also provided for the reading skill. However, for writing
skills, it is very challenging for a teacher to teach as this productive skill needs
time and process.
To equip Thai undergraduate students with rapid global changes and to
implement the educational plan regarding language study, the proper and
v

effective process of writing, Process Approach, should be introduced in order to

enforce the role of learners in the class which is normally dominated by the class
teacher. Thus, the present study tries to create effective supplementary materials
based on the Process Approach to teaching of writing for the second year
undergraduates, mainly the students majoring in English, in Naresuan University,
Phayao Campus, Thailand. This study is a quasi experimental research conducted
with the belief that the effectiveness of the Process Approach with
complementation of the Learner-Centred Approach would bring out the apt and
suitable supplementary materials to help the writing class at the university in
particular and in writing classes in general.
Research questions and hypotheses of the study
The research questions posed and addressed by this study are:
1. Are there any positive changes in students attitude towards
writing after the supplementary writing materials are used?
2. Do students react positively towards supplementary writing
materials when Learner-Centered Approach is applied?
The hypotheses expected in this study are as follows:
1. Students in writing class where supplementary writing
materials are used perform their writing skills more
satisfactorily.
2. Interest and opinion of students towards writing activity will
change if they encounter with supplementary process
writing materials.
3. Students react positively towards supplementary writing
materials when Learner-Centered Approach is applied as
complementary task.

vi

Objectives of study
This study intends to:
1. Design supplementary materials to assist the writing classes
mainly for undergraduates majoring in English.
2. Provide effective samples of writing processes and lesson
plans for writing classes.
3. Use the designed materials with the writing classes where
the Leaner-Centered Approach is applied.
Scheme of the chapters
The subsequence of chapters in this present study deals with the
following:
Chapter 1: The first chapter attempts to present the nature and framework
of the present study. This chapter also discusses the nature of the problem under
investigation, the rationale, the significance of the study, the questions, the
hypotheses, and the delimitations of the study. Moreover, the chapter clarifies the
kinds of data used and the method adopted for the analysis of the data. The brief
account of the importance of English language as the global language, a brief
historical background of Thai education and English language teaching, the
National curriculum, the current situation of problems of English language
teaching and learning are presented and finally at the end of chapter the research
(literature review) done in the area of this present study is included.
Chapter 2: The second chapter is divided into three main parts; the first
part (Part A) focuses on the history of the development of education in Thailand,
educational system an educational reform. The second part (Part B) deals with
history of English language teaching and English language teaching in Thailand,
significance of English language, its role of English language today, its status in
Asian, English as a global language and reasons and the future of English. An
account of English language teaching including English teaching methods
vii

approaches is discussed. This part also discusses teaching English as a foreign

language (TEFL) in Thailand, the National Education Act (1999), National
English Curricula (2001), Thai government policy on English teaching and
learning plan. The last part of the second chapter (Part C) provides information
of Naresuan University and English language teaching programme, especially
teaching of writing.
Chapter 3: The third chapter is divided into three parts: Part A devotes its
contents for teaching of writing by focusing on three main theoretical framework
for teaching of writing, namely Communicative Approach, Process Approach
and Learner-Centred Approach, and part

deals with teaching writing,

component of writing , techniques and strategies for teaching of writing

including writing feedback, writing assessment. The last part (Part C) deals with
the role of instructional materials including supporting materials for teaching of
writing
Chapter 4: The main major content of the fourth chapter is on the
methodology of research which includes the research design, subjects or
population of the study, research instruments, and the statistical procedures for
data analysis.
Chapter 5: This present chapter focuses on core part of this research. It
deals with two main sections. Part 1 discusses about an analysis of data from
three questionnaires. Data were analyzed and computerized with Microsoft Excel
Program with mean score and standard deviation. Observation, interpretation and
discussion of each item in questionnaires are given in details. Part 2 deals the
important part of the study, the findings or results of the study.
Chapter 6: The final concluding part of the study deals with conclusion,
pedagogical implications, limitation of the study, recommendations and
suggestions for future studies.
viii

Research Tools
Three questionnaires were used as the tools for data collection. The first
questionnaire was administered as the pretest prior to the beginning of the
experiment and as a posttest after experiment, whereas the second and third
questionnaires were used to assess the effectiveness of process writing and
supplementary writing materials.
Sample for the study
The 56 second year undergraduate students majoring in English in
academic year 2005 at Naresuan University, Phayao Campus, Thailand, were the
subjects of the study.
Data analysis
Five average levels of degree of students interest and awareness of
studying writing skills, the degree of performance and opinion toward the
process writing, and the degree of students opinions toward the process writing
were analyzed with mean score and standard deviation. All items in three
questionnaires were rated by using Five point Likert Scaling to score the levels of
the degree 1 = strongly disagree, 2= disagree, 3 = Neither agree nor disagree, 4 =
agree, and 5 = strongly agree.
Statistic formula
During data analysis mean and Student test are used. The formula for
mean and t-test is given as follows.
t-test
d n
t
, where s =
s

n (d 2 )

n 1

where n is number of observation, s is standard deviation and d is deviation from

its mean.
Formula for mean x =

x
n

where x is item and n is number of observations

ix

Major findings from questionnaire one as pretest and posttest

Mean score value shown in pretest and posttest has statistically significant
difference. Students provided their positive response when they rated their
interest and awareness of studying writing. The mean score of the posttest
indicates the positive changes after the experiment of lesson plans with
supplementary writing materials. The mean score value of pretest is 2.64 whereas
the mean score value is 3.73 which is high according to criteria mean.
Comparison between Pretest and Posttest
Pretest

Posttest

Standard Deviation

Mean

Standard Deviation

Mean

0.61

2.76

1.43

3.93

Major findings from questionnaire two

The result reveals the students performance and opinions toward the
process writing in a positive way. The mean score average is 3.45 (high
level).From result shown, writing process approach and learner-centred approach
were very impressive and effective in terms of cooperative and complementary
approaches. The process writing is the process which helps students in assisting
friends while doing class activities in pairs or group with the process writing
techniques
Major findings in questionnaire Three
The mean score value of students opinions toward the process writing
materials indicates positive response. The positive answers from students were
given. The mean score average is 3.45 (high level).

Based on student opinions towards the process writing materials used in

the class. The major findings can be classified as follows:
1. Process writing materials used with the experimental group served
students need and interest. Students opined that the contents in the
process writing materials are clear and challenging to study.
Students had a chance to work together either pairs or group with
the activities designed with the process writing. Regarding
appropriate time in conducting the process writing materials,
students proved the appropriateness of time used in the writing
class.
2. With regard to evaluation forms, most of students presented their
opinions towards the process writing materials in positive
indication. The process writing materials are effective and useful in
terms of interesting and persuasive features.
3. The process writing materials remain satisfactorily effective in the
sense that studying writing skills can be assisted by the process
writing materials. Evaluations forms are important and useful as far
as the students reflection and learning the process writing is
concerned
4. Research result indicates that materials are relevant to the course
syllabus and the lesson plans were supported well in grammatical
points, clear and easy explanation. In addition, they viewed that
materials designed are good in terms of well arranged order, good
and useful techniques for gathering information prior to the first
step of writing.
5. Research results indicate that students awareness and interest are
high and writing skill is very essential as far as daily
communication is concerned. Besides, students also showed their
xi

high interest in process writing materials in assisting writing and

highly regarded process writing materials as challenging,
persuasive, and effective.
6. The results of the study as implication for classroom teaching can
be summarized as effective writing assessment, self-assessment,
peer assessment, autonomous learning, and effective learning
strategies in writing skills.
To improve the quality of teaching writing skill, peer revision has been
used in writing class, that is, students correct, suggest, and discuss each others
work in terms of mechanics and contents. Students exchange ideas, contents, and
get prompt feedback from peers. Then, teachers are able to pay more attention to
weak students.

xii