Shanlax International Journal of Education

Corpus-Based Evidence for Teaching English Synonyms in EFL Contexts: Implications from Quick, Rapid, and Speedy

Jittraphorn - Sornkeaw, Supakorn Phoocharoensil — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The appropriate use of near-synonymous adjectives is crucial for effective communication in English, as these words can differ subtly in meaning, collocation, and distribution in a sentence. Although quick, rapid, and speedy share meanings related to short duration or high rates, their usage differs across different contexts and genres. This corpus-based study investigates the similarities and differences among three target synonyms: quick, rapid, and speedy, based on their distribution across genres and collocational patterns. Data were collected from two primary sources: (1) online learner dictionaries, namely the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (LDOCE) and the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (OALD), to examine definitions and semantic distinctions, and (2) the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA), and their top noun collocates were identified using Mutual Information (MI scores ≥ 3). The findings indicate that rapid is predominantly used in formal and academic contexts (21,977 tokens), whereas quick appears more frequently in less formal genres (82,113 tokens). In contrast, speedy has a limited range of use and is normally found in fixed or semi-fixed expressions (3,710 tokens). The three adjectives cannot be used interchangeably in all contexts. In terms of collocational patterns, 20 noun collocates for quick, 30 for rapid, and 12 for speedy were identified and categorised into themes based on their semantic preferences. In conclusion, such adjectives cannot be used interchangeably because they represent different preferences. Consequently, corpus-based evidence plays a crucial role in ensuring the appropriateness of vocabulary use in EFL and ESL learning contexts.

Making Sense of Force and Motion: Insights into Grade 10 Students’ Construction of Scientific Explanations

Nattapon Intarata, Kanyarat Cojorn, Kanyarat Sonsupap, Chorphaka Kromkhan — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Scientific explanation, defined as the ability to describe natural phenomena using empirical evidence through claims, evidence, and reasoning, is essential in physics learning as it supports the exploration of natural phenomena and strengthens conceptual understanding. This study aimed to evaluate students’ scientific explanation skills in force and motion experiments. The sample consisted of 36 Grade 10 students from a secondary school in Thailand, selected through cluster random sampling. Data were collected using a rubric-based test assessing claims, evidence, and reasoning analysed using mean and percentage and one-sample t-test to compare students’ mean scores against a predetermined criterion level. The analysis revealed that the students’ mean scientific explanation score was 4.25 (35.42%), reflecting a low level of ability and being significantly lower than the 75% criterion. When broken down by component, the students’ average scores were as follows: Claims scored 2.69 (67.37%) indicating a moderate level; Evidence scored 0.83 (20.83%) and Reasoning scored 0.72 (18.06%), both of which indicated a low level. Given these findings, scientific explanation is a critical skill for enhancing student learning, particularly in the areas of evidence and reasoning. Future research should explore instructional approaches, such as inquiry-based or cognitive conflict-based learning, to strengthen these skills and examine their development across broader contexts.

A Comparative Study of English Major and Non-English Major Thai Tertiary EFL Students’ Attitudes toward ChatGPT in English Language Learning

Preeyaporn Niyomkarn — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study aimed to examine Thai tertiary-level EFL students’ attitudes toward using ChatGPT in English language learning and to compare attitudes between English majors and non-English majors. The sample comprised 70 university students enrolled in a Fundamental English course at a public university in northern Thailand, selected through convenience sampling. The research instrument was a five-point Likert-scale questionnaire adapted from Liu (2023), with content validity confirmed by experts (IOC=1.00) and reliability (Cronbach’s alpha=0.93). Semi-structured interviews were also conducted to obtain deeper insights. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, and thematic content analysis. The findings revealed that students’ overall attitudes toward ChatGPT were at a moderate level (M=2.72, SD=0.52). Students perceived ChatGPT as easy and convenient to use and helpful for vocabulary learning, grammar explanation, and language practice. The comparison between groups showed no statistically significant difference in overall attitudes. However, a statistically significant difference was found in perceived ease of use, with English majors reporting higher scores than non-English majors (p < .05). In addition, qualitative findings indicated concerns regarding the accuracy of AI-generated information and the risk of over-reliance. These results indicate that ChatGPT can be used appropriately as a supportive tool in English language learning; however, it should not replace traditional instructional practices. Future research should include larger and more diverse samples, employ longitudinal designs, and investigate the impact of ChatGPT on specific language skills, such as speaking, writing, and critical thinking.

The Transmission and Educational Strategies of Tieling Umbrella Lantern Yangko: A Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage in China

Lin Zhu, Awirut Thoatham — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study analyzes the evolution and forms of the transmission of the Tieling Umbrella Lantern Yangko, an example of provincial-level intangible cultural heritage from Liaoning Province, China. This study aims to provide a detailed account of the history of Tieling Umbrella Lantern Yangko and examine the existing strategies of contemporary transmission and pedagogy concerning the cultural longevity paradox of the phenomenon. This research poses the question: What historical and cultural circumstances have allowed the Tieling Umbrella Lantern Yangko to survive to the present, and what methods may enable its survival into the future?. Adopting a qualitative fieldwork design, the study’s primary sources of data include three years (2023-2025) of ethnographic fieldwork, in-depth interviews with 12 key informants selected through purposive sampling, and content analysis of the Liubian Ji Lue (1707) and other historical documents. The results show that the Tieling Umbrella Lantern Yangko is a manifestation of the synthesis of Manchu and Han cultures, beginning with the relocated Shanxi Umbrella Head traditions in the early Qing dynasty. Six main transmission pathways have been identified: family, master–apprentice, ritual, formal, digital, cultural, and educational tourism. The results show that the predominant source of pedagogy is informal, and that in urbanised societies, family structures provide informal educational opportunities, while for a culture to survive in the present, pedagogy must exist in an educational context with perhaps contradictory aims/functions in reference to the culture being contemporary and authentic to folk practices. The research shows that a two-model pedagogy incorporating professional art educators and traditional heritage masters is necessary for modern curricula. Additionally, vital strategic steps to be taken by young inheritors regarding the dual aspects of technical safeguarding and financial security include the establishment of a Digital Gene Bank with rich metadata and the linkage of Cultural Technology. This study offers the first detailed framework for the pedagogical promotion of regional folk art and illustrates a flexible model for the cultural sustainability of the world’s intangible cultural heritage. Future research should employ a longitudinal approach to measure the long-term retention of skills among students and explore the impact of immersive technologies such as VR/AR on youth engagement within the transmission process.

Using Linguistic Landscapes as Pedagogical Resources: A Study of Multicultural Society Perspective in Mae Sot, Thailand

Phongsatorn Surin, Thayakorn Klomkaew — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study explores the linguistic landscape (LL) in Mae Sot District to discuss how the languages, forms, and functions of public signage reflect social dynamics while offering ways ahead for pedagogical practice. Methodologically, using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from 528 public signs in the Nai Muang Subdistrict in April 2025 across four categories: shop signs, advertising and promotional signs, institutional and government signs, and directional signs. The analysis quantitatively revealed language distribution tendencies. Qualitative analysis applied the LL frame and the concepts of linguistic diversity and multicultural society. The findings show that Thai is predominant in the signs of institutions and governments, indicating state power and national identity. Nonetheless, commercial signage shows a prevalence of both Burmese and English, as one is aware of the traces left by migrants, cross-border trades, and engagement in the global economy. This study examines bilingual and multilingual signs in the borderland area, especially Thai–Burmese and Thai–English ones, both as communicative tools (a means of hindering or promoting social diffusion) and as symbolic resources that mediate power, identity, and inclusivity. In conclusion, public signage in Mae Sot does more than provide information; it offers a meaningful window into the coexistence and interaction of languages in a diverse society. Pedagogically, these insights suggest that LL can be brought into the classroom as authentic learning resources, helping learners connect language with real-world use, develop intercultural understanding, and engage more critically with multilingual environments in the classroom. More importantly, LL-informed tasks such as analysing or making multilingual signs may be applied in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and Thai for Specific purposes (TSP). Future research should examine other border areas, adopt multimodal and ethnographic perspectives, and explore how linguistic landscapes can be effectively integrated into classroom practice.

The Transmission of Yue Opera in Nanjing: Educational Practices and Cultural Sustainability

Chen Xu, Suradit Phaksuchon, Thanaporn Bhengsri — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study examines the transmission mechanisms and cultural sustainability of Yue Opera in the urban setting of Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, as it faces challenges in a rapidly globalizing and digitizing world. This study applies an ethnomusicological approach and fieldwork in Nanjing. The author employed several research techniques, including curricular analysis, high-fidelity audio-visual documentation of performance repertoire, and semi-structured interviews with nine purposefully chosen participants. The sustainability of Yue opera in Nanjing is attributed to a balanced synergistic system of three interlocked components: the Jiangsu Provincial Drama School’s targeted vocational training, the Nanjing Yue Opera Troupe’s market-driven creative activity in Poetic Yue Opera, and the Nanjing Yue Opera Museum’s community engagement. Of particular note is the successful regional Zhu School’s closing of the generational gap through aesthetic updating and incorporation of the macro-digital. Modern multimedia, including the content of interactive museum displays and QR codes used to document performance archives, have shifted the art practice of Yue opera from a casually informal oral transmission to a systematized and modern institutional practice that resonates with the younger urban audience. The regional Zhu performing arts in contemporary large cities are likely to survive if the fragmented model of preservation morphs into an integrated model of cross-institutional collaboration. This study demonstrates that to sustain cultural traditions, it is vital to reanimate the sounds and emotions of the art form in contemporary living. This study offers a replicable model for the preservation of regional culture as an active, continually changing identity. To build on these findings, future research must explicitly undertake longitudinal studies to track the long-term career trajectories of drama school graduates and execute comparative cross-regional analyses to test the scalability of this tripartite ecosystem across different regional operatic traditions.

The Academy as an Engine: The Role of Professional Education in Sustaining Chengdu’s Jazz Ecosystem

Ruidong Ma, Watcharanon Sangmuenna, Peerapong Sensai — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study explores the evolving ecosystem of jazz music in Chengdu, China, from 2010 to 2025 and the implications of professional education in sustaining the regional musical ecosystem. While historically, China’s jazz scene was confined to the country’s coastal cities, Chengdu has become a notable center due to its jazz scene and innovative model of institutionalization. This study attempts to integrate and examine the jazz ecosystem in Chengdu and the role that the professional education system plays in maintaining and defending the ecosystem of this niche art form against global music market volatility. The researcher chose qualitative methodologies to capture the local scene’s socio-cultural and musicological complexities. Using purposive sampling, 15 key informants were selected from three groups: 1) Academic and Creative Analysts from the Western Music Department of the Sichuan Conservatory of Music (SCCM), 2) jazz scene business owners, and 3) informal performers and audience participants. Primary data collection tools included a semi-structured interview guide on creative philosophies, an observation guide for the live performance venue, and a musicological study of 15 original jazz compositions and their arrangements. The Chengdu jazz development theory suggests that it developed as a spontaneous jazz ecosystem, followed by a jazz ecosystem consolidation, a mature ecosystem, and then a solidified ecosystem with an academic focus. The study identified the academy as the primary ecosystem engine, with 80% of ecosystem practitioners being current, active and institutionalized. The post-pandemic commercial venue closures devastated jazz, leaving the conservatory as the only resource and the last commercial or indigenous jazz venue, due to digital pedagogy and creative indigenous content. For global cities to develop the jazz ecosystem, the study shows that institutional pedagogy acts as a market stabilizer and cultural guardian. This research shows urban planners and music educators how to use formalized education as a tool to ensure cultural sustainability and innovative self-industry in the 21st century.