Summary & Suggestions

The purpose of this practicum, as far as I am concerned, is as follows. 

• First, it is to advance my teaching abilities and approaches to lesson planning and instruction. Being able to put what I have learned into practice is helpful for me to develop good planning and organizing skills in the lesson implementation and assessment, which would benefit me in becoming a good teacher in the future. This practicum also allows me the opportunity to apply more of my English knowledge to facilitate my communication and make me more confident while teaching in a different country.

• Besides, it can also help me to enrich my regional and world experience. Engaging with students from diverse fields and cultures gives me insight into aspects of the world I may not have come across before, thus improving my cultural intelligence. 

• In addition to that, another important component of this practicum is that the student is able to deal with different teaching and learning conditions. This has given me exposure to different methods of handling class and diverse students’ conduct, which makes one ready and able to guide and respond to any form of class demeanor.

But for me, there is much more in this experiment than just what so easily can be seen by the naked eye. In my own belief, I believe that SEAMEO has important roles in eliminating voids in terms of distance, language, and culture among ASEAN nations. This program brings students from different countries together, and as such we are able to learn from one another, and even if faced with challenges, we have to come together and find solutions. I perceive this as a preparatory process towards ASEAN Economic Integration, which we can use to lay down the foundation for an even more integrated ASEAN in the future. Through this partnership, especially in taking one student at a time, I think we can indeed contribute to the economic development of this region.

This is the case in my internship at Anuban Udonthani School and Udonthani Rajabhat University, where I discovered that my confidence has boosted, especially in speaking and communication with fellow colleagues. Communicating with people in English has helped me become less shy, and I can freely speak even if I don’t know the language fully. This experience has also helped me develop my flexibility and adaptability as well. I can say this because I have had experiences of changing from one teaching context to another, working with different students and teachers, and have sometimes had to look for practical solutions for issues like language barriers. From this experience, I have been able to manage and accommodate different learning styles, classroom atmospheres, as well as cultural realities. These experiences have made me develop professionally and personally for the future challenges in teaching as well as cross-cultural experience.

The challenges I faced during my practicum and stay in Thailand were significant but also contributed to my growth. The first challenge was the food. The taste and preferences of Thai food were very different from mine, and in the first week, my colleagues and I mostly ate dried food because Thai cuisine is quite spicy. However, over time, I adjusted and grew to enjoy their food, especially their drinks and desserts.

In the classroom, communication was another hurdle. None of my cooperating teachers or pupils could understand English well, though they could understand a little. I’m incredibly grateful to the adviser of Kindergarten 2, where I was deployed. Even though she couldn’t speak English fluently, she made an effort to communicate with me, telling stories and trying her best to talk with me. She also accepted me for who I am, often calling me "Narak" (cute in Thai). This kindness made me feel welcomed and supported. Teaching was also difficult at first, but I found solutions to overcome the language barrier. Thanks to Google Translator, I was able to translate all my PowerPoint presentations into Thai, which made it easier for the students to understand the lessons. Despite these challenges, I learned to adapt, love what I’m doing, and truly enjoy my stay here in Thailand.

The student exchange programs that I am involved in Thailand make me happy every single day as I am always coming across new and interesting stuff. Even though I was shocked by cultural differences at the beginning of my stay, I am still interested in the differences between our two countries. I think it is normal for us to have to be able to accustom ourselves to another culture, although maintaining the main aspects of our culture intact. Being a member of the SEAMEO SEA Teacher Batch 10 made me feel proud to be a part of it. Before, I thought that education abroad was only reserved for those who were affluent. First and foremost, I am pleased to say that SEAMEO has granted me the golden chance to turn my dream into reality.