Developing Thai University Students’ Review Writing Skills through International Movie Trailers

Abstract

Following a paradigm of English as an international language — one that values cultural diversity — this classroom research conducted a quasi-experiment using a single-group pretest and posttest design. The study incorporated learning materials from both Anglophone and non-Anglophone settings, utilizing international movie trailers with English subtitles as a novel instructional resource. The primary aim was to enhance Thai university students' writing skills in the context of movie reviews and to explore their perceptions of this instructional innovation. Participants were 39 Thai third-year undergraduate students from a public university in Thailand. Data collection was done through pretest and posttest results, questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews. The findings of innovative teaching approach show that the students writing abilities improved significantly following the intervention. The study posits that international movie trailers can be an engaging teaching and learning medium, helping to stimulate students' writing motivation through diverse and culturally significant input. Further, this study encourages the use of the English language in varied contexts, aiding students in understanding the multifaceted identities of English users across different cultural boundaries.