Situation 8: Your new classmate is having a problem deciding which course to take next year—industrial computers or multimedia—because both of
2. Definitions of Keywords
4.2. During Interviews 1. Theme 1: Insecurity
Eleven participants lacked security when communicating with foreigners in English primarily due to language barriers. Some of them, however, offered more reasons why such barriers made them insecure. For example, Students 6 and 8 had a similar encounter rendering them insecure because foreigners could not understand their accent. They did not think this encounter affected their dignity. The former said that “the foreigners could understand my English when I repeated the second time,” while the latter said “I admitted my inadequate English ability.”
Students 18 and 16 felt insecure because their interviews with foreigners were ineffective. The ineffective communication did not diminish their dignity because they thought it was something normal and they admitted that their accents were poor, producing unintelligibility. The latter shared in more details that:
I still felt excited during the interviews although I made all the questions and prepared for the interviews well. I tried to think about some expressions and vocabulary I learned in the class. Although they were simple words, I still could not remember…I had to use my gestures for comprehension…this really made me awkward and frustrated…of course, unconfident.
Student 7 said she was too excited while speaking in English with a trembling voice. She thought it was because “I was unable to construct English words and afraid that this would irritate foreigners”. She added that this language barrier did not lower her dignity because “English was not my mother tongue.
As such, it was not necessary for me to speak like a native English speaker.”
Students 10 and 19 felt “tensed and awkward” and expressed their views on reasons why these emotions did not impinge on their dignity in agreement with Student 7.
Student 28 said “I felt excited and anxious when communicating with
Americans because I was more accustomed to British accents…so it was OK…I understood the Brits.” Student 29 also felt excited and could not understand everything her interviewees said. Student 21 stated that she was afraid and did not have courage to continue her interviews with foreigners because she did not have enough communicative skills and foreigners did not assist her with the interviews. Nevertheless, these last two students’ inadequate skills did not impinge on their dignity. Instead, it positively reinforced her attitude towards language development.
Student 13 felt “terrible and insecure due to listening incomprehension and speaking inability”. She did not think her language barriers impinged on her dignity because she saw that “language was about skills and it took time to be skillful”.
4.2.2. Theme 2: Insecurity and Lack of Dignity
Twenty participants encountered problems with listening and speaking skills especially when they communicated with speakers who had unfamiliar English accents and talked fast. Such language barriers simultaneously impinged on their security and dignity. For example, Student 15 was afraid that foreigners she interacted might question in their mind whether she was really a student. Student 9 worried about her pronunciation. Student 15 “felt little frustrated”, Student 18 also felt frustrated and lost as she did not know what to do next.
Student 2 “felt embarrassed” while Student 3 “felt discouraged” when they failed to understand Aussies and Germans who spoke English with “strange accents”. The former also pointed out that part of the reasons why she lacked dignity was the fact that she majored in Business English. Student 27 also lost face because she could not use her English meaningfully as a Business English major student.
Students 5 and 26 “felt a little tensed up” because they could not speak English fluently. Their foreign interlocutors spoke too fast to understand and sometimes they could not understand their English. Student 25 “felt excited”
because she thought she could only speak little English.” Students 38 “felt bored, exhausted and discouraged” because she was unable to communicate with foreigners meaningfully and this was not her expectation. Student 14
“felt excited and challenged because several strangers stared at me during the interviews...some interviewees could not understand my questions.”
When being asked to repeat what they said, Students 2, 20 and 21 “felt down.”
The first said it was because she was unknowledgeable as if she were lazy to acquire the language. The last two said the same that their communicative skills were less than tertiary levels and that they lacked practicing.
Students 17, 26, 12, 25 and 36 did not have courage to ask their interactants to repeat what was said. The first reasoned that she was afraid of losing face because she majored in Business English. The second wondered why her spoken English was incomprehensible while the third and fourth were reluctant to impose. Similarly, Student 3 “felt confused and stressed” when his interlocutors could not understand his questions and asked for clarification.
He thought it was difficult to carry on the conversation because there was no script to follow.
4.2.3. Theme 3: Increasing Levels of Security and Dignity
Fourteen participants felt that the levels of their security and dignity increased due to positive encounters during their interactions with culturally different others. For example, Student 2 said “I felt impressed with Aussie and German interlocutors because they spoke slowly as I requested them and they were really nice.” Student 3 thought that her tense and excitement disappeared because she came across with interlocutors who spoke with clear accent and easy to understand. She further “felt proud” because she could communicate in English. Student 37 was also proud of her speaking ability although it was not fluent.
Student 18 experienced positive interactions with Chinese, German, Malaysian, American, and British who were friendly, articulate and helpful.
She said “I had so much fun although I did not think I spoke English correctly.”
Student 25 started to feel cheerful when interviewing her interlocutors who were friendly and smiley. She further perceived that they were willing to communicate with her and that she could speak English more smoothly.
Similarly, Students 27, 29 and 30 interviewed foreigners who were approachable, friendly and polite. Importantly, they showed their willingness to help.
Student 32 thought “all of her interviewees were lovely and friendly creating good fun atmosphere.” Students 5, 17, 26, 31 and 36 all also gained confidence and self-worth because they had fun when interviewing people who were friendly and attended to her questions with big smiles. Student 17 particularly felt impressed with German and American interviewees, whereas Student 31 was particular impressed with German teenagers. His dignity increased because he did not feel inferior to their English performance.
4.2.4. Theme 4: Increasing Levels of Security
Nine participants felt more secure because they perceived that their foreign interlocutors were friendly and tended to understand the nature of Thais when speaking English. For example, Student 1 said “Aussies and Germans were nice and friendly as they allowed me to interview them” while Student 6
said “I interviewed foreigners who were in a good mood and had good interpersonal skills.”
Students 9 and 28 felt more secure because foreigners used simple words, spoke clearly easy to understand and corrected her English. Student 10 saw that her interlocutors tried to communicate with her. Student 11 said “one of her interlocutors smiled a lot, laughed with fun and was willing to explain everything.” Student 16 met an American who was nice, friendly and smiley.
Student 38 felt more secure and less anxious because her foreign interlocutors were nice and friendly. Student 12 shared in more details that:
my foreign interlocutors seemed to understand her nature of speaking English. This was the reason why they spoke English as clearly as they could and use simple words so that I could understand. This showed their cooperative spirit lowering my anxiety, excitement and awkwardness.