Abstract:
The objectives of this research were to investigate Mandarin Chinese
instruction and to find out suitable guidelines for the instruction of the language in
upper secondary schools under the supervision of the Bangkok Educational Service
Area Offices 1, 2 and 3.
The sample group included 23 heads of the Foreign Language Department,
43 Mandarin Chinese teachers, and 330 upper secondary school students in the
Chinese Program. The data were analyzed to obtain percentage, mean and standard
deviation.
The research findings reveal that for instructional contexts in terms of
curriculum and teachers, the satisfaction level was high for the department heads,
teachers and students. Regarding students, the satisfaction level was medium for
teachers and students. As for learning activities, instruction-supporting factors and
evaluation, the satisfaction level was high for teachers and students.
The guidelines for the instruction of Mandarin Chinese are as follows. A
standardized curriculum should be developed. There should be teachers exclusively in
charge of teaching the language and they should develop their teaching techniques.
Students should try harder and pay more attention to their studies. Learning activities
should be varied with more instructional media. In terms of supporting factors, the
learning atmosphere should be developed by providing more resources in class and in
school. For evaluation, the office should set up standardized tests to evaluate student
performance.
It is recommended from the research findings that Regional Offices of the
Basic Education Commission should develop a standardized curriculum and organize
a training course on how to implement it for concerned personnel. Teachers should
use various instructional media and learning activities to motivate students. On the
other hand, students should understand conventional learning techniques and realize
the benefits and goals of learning the language. Classroom size should be smaller with
approximately 25 students per class and more learning sources should be available in
school. Finally, there should be a standardized examination in accordance with the
objectives of the standardized curriculum.