Investigating English personal experience narrative texts of Thai learners of English as a foreign language: (in progress)

Donlaporn Rojsatitpong; Sakulrat  Worathumrong

doi:10.62819/jel.2025.1072

Authors

Donlaporn Rojsatitpong Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok, Thailand
Sakulrat Worathumrong Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok, Thailand

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62819/jel.2025.1072

Keywords:

English narratives, narrative structures, narrative elements, personal experience texts, Thai EFL learners

Abstract

This study examines English personal experience narratives written by Thai EFL learners of varying proficiency levels at Prasarnmit Demonstration School (Secondary) in Thailand, comparing their use of narrative elements. Based on TU-SET scores, 45 Thai EFL learners, with 15 in each group, were divided into three sample groups of beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. They wrote 250-word English narrative texts on their selected topic. Using Labov and Waletzky’s (1967) and Labov’s (1972) framework of narrative structures, six elements were found: abstract, orientation, complicating action, evaluation, resolution, and coda. The findings reveal that the evaluation was the most prominent element across all groups. The difference was in the abstract and coda, as they were the least frequently used. The advanced learners employed the abstract more frequently than the other sample groups. The use of evaluation highlights the credibility of English narrative writing that the events narrated occurred. The least frequently used abstract and coda among the sample groups suggests that a narrative storyline was relatively simple across all groups. The highlight of the evaluation element underscores how Thai EFL learners would use narrative structure for academic writing or online posts and produce more effective narrative writing or a more popular post. Pedagogically, the findings may be used to prepare Thai secondary school EFL learners to focus on audience attraction in their writing and assist educators in designing assessment rubrics that emphasize this element to promote more engaging narrative writing.

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