THE SYSTEM AND PROMOTION OF TEACHING AND LEARNING GERMAN IN THAILAND AND MALAYSIA

Abstract

The number of German majors has been decreasing in Southeast Asian region. This problem has not been dealt with in any previous research. This study aims to examine the system and promotion of teaching and learning German at University of Malaya, Malaysia, and Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. Data were collected through quantitative and qualitative methods by using documents and interviewing teachers, students, alumni members, representatives of the Goethe Institute and representatives of the Chamber of Commerce. The results from holistic analysis show that the quality and quantity of teachers are highly demanded to fulfill students’ requirement for more skill-based courses. In overall, students are intrinsically motivated for German language and culture but this does not extend to taking initiative to organize activities out of the campus for promotion purposes. Additionally, alumni members are not closely connected with current students and German majors had limited knowledge of their possible career path. The connectivity between the university and the corporate world should be enhanced, and the value of German language should be more appreciated in Southeast Asian region due to the rise of localized industry, which demands more local experts who know foreign languages, including German.