EMPOWERING EFL TEACHERS IN THAILAND: CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES IN IMPLEMENTING THE CLT APPROACH

Abstrak

This study aims to identify the challenges and strategies experienced by English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in Thailand in implementing the Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach. Using a literature review method, this article examines previous research related to teacher training, contextual constraints, and communicative teaching practices in EFL classrooms. Findings indicate that Thai teachers often face obstacles such as lack of professional training, large class sizes, exam-oriented curricula, and students’ low speaking confidence. However, strategies such as collaborative activities, scaffolding techniques, and task-based learning have shown to be effective in enhancing students’ communicative competence. The study concludes that continuous professional development and practice-based training are essential for optimal CLT implementation in Thai EFL contexts. The implications highlight the need for educational policy adjustments to support more adaptive communicative teaching strategies.