Guidelines for the Development of Instructional Management in the Thai Society and Culture Course for Learners of Thai as a Foreign Language at Nakhon Pathom Rajabhat University

Abstract

This study employs a documentary study and knowledge synthesis approach to propose guidelines for developing instructional management in the Thai Society and Culture course for learners of Thai as a foreign language at Nakhon Pathom Rajabhat University. It is grounded in the premise that language is an integral part of culture and serves as a tool that reflects the thoughts, values, identity, and ways of life of people in society. Therefore, learning Thai should not be limited merely to vocabulary acquisition or grammatical structures. Rather, it should be integrated with social and cultural contexts, etiquette, and situational appropriateness, enabling learners to communicate accurately, appropriately, and effectively. The study synthesizes instructional guidelines through three major approaches: 1) Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), in which lessons are designed to connect language structures with authentic situations in the Thai social context; 2) Experiential Learning, implemented through field trips and situational simulations to foster the connection between knowledge and direct experience; and 3) Comparative Cultural Analysis, which encourages learners to analyze the similarities and differences between Thai culture and their own, thereby reducing cultural bias and fostering positive attitudes. These synthesized guidelines not only enable learners to develop their understanding of Thai society and culture alongside their language skills, but also enhance their intercultural communicative competence (ICC). This allows learners to select appropriate language registers according to context, thereby reducing pragmatic failure. Furthermore, the proposed concepts can be applied as a conceptual framework for developing Thai language courses for international students at other higher education institutions.