The objective of the research is to identify the problems and needs in developing the English communication skills in the workplace of front office hotel staff in Nakhon Ratchasima province. The sample of the study are 420 front office hotel staff in management and operational level selected by using the area random sampling. The data collection approach employed in this study was mix method both questionnaire and interview. The collected data were then analyzed and compared by using frequency percentage mean and standard deviation. The findings were as follows: 1. Four English language skills (listening speaking reading and writing) are essential for all staff and listening is considered as the most important followed by speaking. 2. The main problems of using English in the workplace are writing and reading due to lack of confidence unfamiliarity with the grammatical structure and vocabulary. 3. All staff are desirable to develop English communication skills especially speaking and listening in different situation duties and responsibilities.

The purposes of this research were to design contents build both document-based and electronic-based teaching materials and find out the students’ satisfaction towards the use of ASEAN Economic Community related lessons for English writing courses. The sample group consisted of two 30-student sections of totally 60 third-year undergraduate students majoring in English for International Communication faculty of Liberal Arts Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon. After they had tried using the lessons did the document-based exercises answered the first questionnaire tried the electronic-based exercises and answered the second questionnaire their data were analyzed and revealed as follows. 1. The analysis of the first questionnaire revealed that the students’ average satisfaction towards the English writing content lessons was in the highly middle level with 3.15 out of 5 points or 63 per cent. 2. The analysis of the first questionnaire also revealed that the students’ average satisfaction towards the English writing document-based exercises was again in the highly middle level with 3.38 out of 5 points or 67.67 per cent. 3. The analysis of the second questionnaire revealed that the students’ average satisfaction towards the English writing electronic-based exercises was in the high level with 3.65 out of 5 points or 72.98 per cent. In comparison there was a difference of 0.27 points or 5.31 per cent between the students’ satisfaction towards the electronic-based exercises and that towards the document-based exercises implying that the students preferred the electronic-based exercises to the document-based exercises.

The purposes of the research were to conduct an error analysis in paragraph writing of the students of the faculty of Liberal Arts Rajanangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon to collect information to be used as a guideline for English teaching and learning and for English curriculum development for undergraduate students of the faculty. The simple-random sample group of 36 students was 40% of the total population 88 fourth-year students in the academic year 2010. The tools were a paragraph -writing worksheet and a form prepared to record the frequency of each type of errors ofeach sample The results of the study indicated that among four main types of errors : 1) paragraph format 2) paragraph structure 3) Grammar and sentence structure and 4) punctuation and mechanics it was found that errors in grammar and sentence structure were most frequently found (58.72%). This included 11 types of errors in the order of frequency found as follows: word choice verb forms detelminers sentence fragments prepositions singular/plural nouns verb-tenses run-on sentences subject-verb agreement wrong word order and use of reference terms accordingly.

The aims of this study were: (1) to develop an business news reading activity model using the reflective approach and group investigation and (2) to investigate the results by using the English business news reading activity model in business news reading achievement self-reflection of knowledge attitude and performance of learners and learners’ attitude towards the business news reading activity. The research procedure was comprised of 3 phases. In Phase 1 there was a creation and development of a new activity model which was verified by 3 experts. In Phase 2 the effectiveness of this activity model was developed by conducting the two-action researches. Moreover in the final phase this activity model was implemented with 36 staff members from private and public sectors that enrolled in this action seminar and the model effectiveness was evaluated against t-test. Different sample groups were utilized in each phase of this research : in Phase 2 the first action research was utilized by a sample group comprised of 40 second-year financial accounting undergraduates in the 1st Semester of Academic Year 2009 and the second action research was utilized by the sample group comprised of 36 first-year to third-year mixed-program undergraduates in the 2nd Semester of Academic Year 2009 ; and in the final phase the implementation and assessment of this activity model’s effectiveness was applied in which the sample group consisted of 36 staff members coming from the private and public sectors in Bangkok who enrolled in the English business news activity seminar. The research instruments were as follows : (1) the instruments for the study the creativity activity model were an activity-model’s quality evaluation and a Daily Business Vocabulary’s quality evaluation forms; (2) the instruments for the action researches were the learning achievement tests of the English business news reading the self-reflective learning checklist the learner’s behavior observation form and the attitude questionnaire; (3) the instruments for the activity model implementation and effectiveness assessment were the activity model the learning achievement tests of the English business news reading and the self-reflective learning checklist. The data were analyzed by means of percentage mean standard deviation and the t-test. The effectiveness of the activity model was assessed in terms of comparing the improvements of the mean scores of the students’ achievement in English business news reading comprehension. The findings of the study revealed that : (1) The English reading activity model using the reflective approach and group investigation developed by the researcher comprised 5 components which were as follows: Principles Objectives Content Learning-Teaching Procedures and Evaluation. The learning-teaching procedure synthesized from the study and used to teach reading in the English business news reading comprehension activity model using reflective approach and group investigation called (P) SPC2PAS model comprised 2 main stages and 7 sub-stages. Planning and SPC2PAS Model are as follows : S-Selecting the article/topic P-Planning and dividing labor C-Carrying out the study P-Preparing the public report P-Presenting the public report A-Authentic developmental evaluation and S-Self-reflection; (2) the development and assessment of the English business news reading comprehension activity model using reflective approach and group investigation revealed that: (2.1) The learners’ achievement of the first second and third action researches in the English reading comprehension was significantly increased at the statistical level of 0.05 which were the mean scores in the English reading comprehension of the mid-tests and post-tests which were significantly higher than those of the pre-tests at the statistical level of 0.05; (2.2) The learners’ spiral-learning development of the first second and third action researches using the activity model on self-reflection of knowledge attitude and practice reflected in the distribution of scores by percentage were in a range of good to very good level. In addition (2.3) three-group samples of all phases had a high to highest level-positive attitude towards the activity model using Reflective Approach and Group Investigation.

The purpose of this quasi-experimental research was to study the effect of an English camping program based on Cognitive Behavioral Theory on students self-efficacy in using the language for communication. The population of the study 118 first-year students of the faculty . of Liberal Arts Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon in the academic year 2009 were divided by using simple random sampling into 3 groups: experimental· group 1 whose members were assigned to participate in the English camping program based on Cognitive Behavioral Theory; experimental group 2 of which the members were given the infonnation on Cognitive Behavioral Theory and how to develop self-efficacy in using English for communication to read ; and the control group. The instruments used were a questionnaire a self-assessment questionnaire on self-efficacy developed by the researchers and Before & After reviews The statistics used were percentage and t-test. The results were as follows: 1. The level of self-efficacy in using English for communication after the groups participation in the English camping program based on Cognitive Behavioral Theory was significantly higher at the level of 0.05 which was not significantly different at the follow -up. 2. The self-efficacy level after participation in the English camping program was significantly higher at the level of 0.05 than that of the experimental group 2 after being assigned to read. 3. The level of self-efficacy after participation in the program was statistically higher than that of the control group at the level of 0.05. 4. The qualitative data collected from the group participating in the program indicated an improvement in the level of self-efficacy in using English for communication.