A study on the Potential of a Hybrid Curriculum Combining a Structual Approach and a Task-based Approach in Japanese Language Learning: Based on a Survey of Students' Opinion

Responding to the arguments that only structural teaching cannot improve students' speaking ability, Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology applied the hybrid curriculum (the combination of structural and task-based curriculum) in its Japanese language classes. The purpose of this research was to investigate the correlation between students' oral performance and the hybrid curriculum among the first and second year students in 2022. The survey was conducted with a sample of students studying Japanese Language and Business Administration course. Data were collected through a questionnaire consisting of three sections: students' self-evaluation for the interview test, students' reflection on the conversation class, and opinion on the conversation class and interview test. The results showed that there is a need to revise the way the structural curriculum is combined with task-based learning to improve students' speaking skills. It is necessary to reconsider the content and learning progress goals to improve the teaching method and positively influence the learning outcome.