PHAKHAWADEE CHAISIRI (MASSEY UNIVERSITY)

LEARNER BELIEFS ABOUT LANGUAGE LEARNING: A METAPHOR ANALYSIS OF MULTILINGUAL STUDENTS IN THAILAND : EQUITY AND LEARNER DIVERSITY

Learner beliefs play a significant role in either facilitating or hindering language learning. Due to their complex and dynamic nature, it is imperative to conduct a nuanced examination within specific sociocultural contexts to understand their interplay with experiences and practices. Despite considerable contribution in understanding learner beliefs about language learning among second language (L2) learners, there remains a dearth of research on language learning beliefs among multilingual learners in contexts where English is learned as a foreign language (EFL). This study explores language learning beliefs among multilingual students in Thai tertiary education using a mixed-methods research design with a contextual approach, aiming to gain a deeper understanding of learners’ beliefs and experiences in language learning. The focus is on multilingual learners in Nong Khai, a linguistically diverse area on the Thailand-Laos border impacted by the China-Laos railway expansion to Thailand through Nong Khai territory. This study attempts to uncover effective strategies to address their language educational needs. This presentation is part of the first phase of the data collection process across three phases. It will highlight preliminary findings from metaphors generated by students in response to the prompt “Learning a language is like...,” collected through a questionnaire method.

Phakhawadee Chaisiri is a PhD candidate at the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Massey University, New Zealand. Her research interests include applied linguistics, second language acquisition, Teaching English as a Foreign Language, multilingualism, and intercultural communication.