Teachers’ Roles in Implementing Play-Based Learning for Teaching Vocabulary: Perspectives of Thai Primary School Teachers

Abstract

Teachers may have different perspectives about their roles in implementing teaching methods. One of the examples is using play-based learning. This study explores the teacher's implementation of play-based learning and the roles of Thai primary school teachers in teaching vocabulary using a play-based learning strategy. The data were collected through a qualitative case study design. Two instruments were applied in this research, online observations and interviews: 50 minutes of classroom observations held through Facebook's live streaming feature and 3 hours of individual interviews with three Thai teachers from different primary schools through the Zoom meeting platform and LINE. The finding of the observation shows that all teachers have been following aspects of the observation. Meanwhile, the finding from the interview shows that teachers' roles in play-based learning: teachers act as facilitators and leaders in the context of engagement with the students; teachers act as observers, planners, and reflectors in a reflective pedagogues context; and teachers act as communicators, advisors, and connectors for the context of partnership with student's parents. This study is expected to serve as a resource and source of information for English teachers who teach young learners so they can set some useful strategies into practice in the classroom.Teachers may have different perspectives about their roles in implementing teaching methods. One of the examples is using play-based learning. This study explores the teacher's implementation of play-based learning and the roles of Thai primary school teachers in teaching vocabulary using a play-based learning strategy. The data were collected through a qualitative case study design. Two instruments were applied in this research, online observations and interviews: 50 minutes of classroom observations held through Facebook's live streaming feature and 3 hours of individual interviews with three Thai teachers from different primary schools through the Zoom meeting platform and LINE. The finding of the observation shows that all teachers have been following aspects of the observation. Meanwhile, the finding from the interview shows that teachers' roles in play-based learning: teachers act as facilitators and leaders in the context of engagement with the students; teachers act as observers, planners, and reflectors in a reflective pedagogues context; and teachers act as communicators, advisors, and connectors for the context of partnership with student's parents. This study is expected to serve as a resource and source of information for English teachers who teach young learners so they can set some useful strategies into practice in the classroom.