Abstract
Critical English writing skills are essential for academic success and global competitiveness, yet Thai students often struggle in this area. This study aimed to assess the critical English writing skills of 11th grade Thai students, explore teaching challenges, and evaluate the potential of digital platforms in enhancing these skills. The research employed a comprehensive secondary analysis approach, examining data from national standardized tests (O-NET), international assessments (TOEFL iBT, IELTS), and academic literature spanning 2019-2023. The study encompassed all 77 Thai provinces, ensuring a representative national sample. Findings revealed that 80% of 11th grade Thai students possess only basic to intermediate writing skills (CEFR levels A1-B1), with significant disparities across regions and school types. Analysis identified key challenges in teaching critical writing, including large class sizes, limited individual feedback time, and insufficient focus on higher-order thinking skills. The study also uncovered a growing trend in digital tool adoption, with online writing platforms and grammar checkers being widely used, while emerging technologies like AI writing assistants show promising potential. This research contributes novel insights by providing a comprehensive, nationwide assessment of critical English writing skills in Thailand, linking proficiency levels to specific teaching challenges and technological solutions. The findings highlight the urgent need for targeted interventions to develop higher-order writing skills and suggest that strategic integration of digital platforms could significantly enhance writing instruction in the Thai educational context. These results have important implications for educational policy, teacher training programs, and the development of culturally tailored digital learning tools.
Author Information
Atichon Worasan, Khon Kaen University, Thailand
Parama Kwangmuang, Khon Kaen University, Thailand
Paper Information
Conference: ACE2024
Stream: Foreign Languages Education & Applied Linguistics (including ESL/TESL/TEFL)
This paper is part of the ACE2024 Conference Proceedings (View)
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