Chinese Language Learning Challenges and Instructional Adaptation Strategies Among Thai Learners: A Grounded Theory Approach
Keywords:
Thai learners, Chinese language acquisition, instructional adaptation strategies, Grounded Theory, cross-cultural educationAbstract
This study aims to systematically explore these challenges and analyze the instructional strategies adopted by teachers, this study employs Grounded Theory as its research methodology, conducting semi-structured interviews with 20 Thai Chinese language learners (S1-S20) and 10 Chinese language teachers (A1-A10). The collected qualitative data were analyzed through open coding, axial coding, and selective coding, leading to the development of a theoretical framework. The findings indicate that Thai learners experience considerable difficulties in phonetic acquisition, grammatical comprehension, vocabulary retention, listening comprehension, and oral expression. Additionally, low classroom participation and insufficient pedagogical adaptation to learners’ needs further hinder language acquisition. Moreover, cultural factors and disparities in educational resources exacerbate these challenges. The theoretical contribution of this study lies in addressing the lack of systematic research on Thai learners' Chinese language acquisition, offering new insights into cross-cultural language learning. From a practical perspective, this study proposes optimization strategies for Chinese language instruction, including enhanced phonetic training, task-based teaching, digital learning integration, and culturally contextualized pedagogy, to improve learning outcomes for Thai students. Despite its contributions, the study is limited by the sample size, suggesting that future research should expand the dataset and incorporate longitudinal studies to examine learners' language development trajectories over time.
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