CEFR English Examination at Stake

  To many Thai undergraduate students who use English as a foreign language, passing B1 of the CEFR English examination seems to be a sheer pain in the neck. Such pain, in fact, looms large as it also affects teachers and administrators whose responsibility is to help their students pass the examination, a major requirement for all undergraduate students prior to receiving a degree of their chosen field of study. Two contrasting views, not to say conflict, alarmingly arise when students increasingly lose motivation and interest of passing the “too difficult” examination that the well-intentioned teachers and administrators have “imposed” upon them. This ironic scenario unfortunately expresses itself at University of Phayao as well. 
          The irony is obviously from the differing perceptions of students and teachers/administrators towards having CEFR English examination as a degree requirement for all undergraduate students, regardless of their fields of study. While the former believe that passing B1 of the examination will guarantee that the students possess the English proficiency at an intermediate level which is enough for them to communicate as global citizens in real-life settings and/or study at a higher level more smoothly, the latter seem to look at the examination as a hurdle too high for them to “jump” over with poise. Of course, such perception of the students does not only make passing the examination even more difficult to the students themselves but also make things more complicated and, thus, more challenging for the teachers/administrators to fulfil their mission to adorn the students with the English language skills.
          As no war nor distress can last forever, there will be ways to solve the problem of the CEFR English examination at University of Phayao. If we look at things around us with our mind open and our heart receptive, we will see that nothing stands alone and be good and useful.  Everything exists as a part of the vast picture in the canvas of life. It takes, for example, parts of speech (noun, verb, adjective, and adverb) to make a sentence meaningful, it takes trees, sky, clouds, brooks, grass, birds, and many other animate and inanimate things to make a forest fresh and healthy. By the same token, it takes many parties to deal with the ever-increasing conflict of the CEFR English examination. The parties to bring the favorable result to the mounting conflict, against all odds, include those in charge of curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular activities.
          In terms of curricular activities, all schools at University of Phayao must act as the major players. The dean, administrators, and teachers at the school must have a clear strategic plan to empower the students with the English language skills. This can be done by a careful study of what to do and how to do it. For example, the school has a plan to use English as a tool to teach other subjects in the same curriculum. The degree of using English in instruction can vary from subject to subject, depending on the readiness of the instructors and the subject content. At the same time, the school must find ways to communicate with the students of why they have to use English in learning such and such subjects other than the English language subjects.  This is to familiarize the students with the use of English in daily life.  Only when the students understand the principles and the necessities of leaning and using English in the classrooms can we rest assured that students will willingly study English for the CEFR English examination.
          As for co-curricular activities, the main players include schools, Language Center, and Innovative Learning Institute. They must work side-by-side to allow the students from all schools to “test” their knowledge and skills in English. For example, the schools design the course syllabi that require the students to do the projects with the Language Center and/or the Innovative Learning Institute. The students earn the points from the projects as part of the final grade of each requiring subject. The tutoring hours and the points from taking the CEFR English examinations offered by the Language Center should also be a part of the final grade of the requiring subjects. In this way, the students, I believe, will be more motivated to learn the English language outside the classrooms and to take part in the tutoring sessions unfailingly provided by the Language Center. 
          Finally, the extra-curricular activities and/or events could be done through student clubs under the care of Student Quality Affairs, the International Office, and the Innovative Learning Institute. The activities/events are the ones that help add the colors and excitements to student life on campus. Examples of these include singing contest, dancing contest, music band contest, speech contest, morning or evening talks with special guests, business plan contest, international cultural festival, student exchange/mobility, and all other activities of the students’ interests. All of the activities mentioned should be conducted in the English language. Also, to ensure a large number of participants and the intensity of content in the activities/events, there must be prizes to award the winners and, more importantly, points for students to record in their Student Activities Certificate.  
          In conclusion, University of Phayao needs at least the curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular activities to overcome the problems of CEFR English language examination. These must be done with clear understanding, enthusiasm, and optimism. To fight against the difficulties of the CEFR English Examination, the University and the students must join hands and never lose hope. In fact, when looked at it as a good friend, the CEFR requirement literally yields many positive results. While the students have the opportunities to develop themselves in such a way that can make them more capable and competitive in the future job markets and/or higher level of study, the University can take this opportunity to build a good image as a higher education institution that puts the students first place. This is indeed a clear manifestation of “What you befriend, will transcend.”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tipchan Wongchanta