LITERATURE-BASED LEARNING THROUGH THAI POETRY: DEVELOP STUDENTS’ STRUCTURAL THINKING

Abstract

The concept of “Literature-Based Learning” is an approach to Thai language instruction that emphasizes the use of literature as a medium for developing learners’ linguistic skills, interpretation, and analytical thinking. Literature is not only a reflection of cultural and artistic values but also serves as a rich source of learning opportunities, enabling students to engage in deep reading, symbolic interpretation, and an understanding of language structures at various levels. Thai poetry, in particular, is a literary genre with distinctive prosodic features and well-defined linguistic structures, characterized by systematic and complex patterns of composition such as khlong (verse), kaph (stanzaic poetry), and klon (metrical poetry). These qualities make it highly compatible with structuralist approaches to language study. This article aims to explore the relationship between the structure of Thai poetry and the principles of Structural Theory, drawing upon Ferdinand de Saussure’s view of language as a system of signs comprising both the “signifier” and the “signified,” which are systematically interrelated. Applying this theoretical framework to the analysis of Thai poetry reveals the interplay among linguistic units—words, sounds, stylistic devices, and symbolic meanings—embedded within the texts. Moreover, it highlights the cultural and social contexts inherently reflected in poetic works. The findings indicate that the structure of Thai poetry can be clearly analyzed in terms of lexical choices, the use of internal and external rhyme, figurative language, and the transmission of meaning within cultural contexts. Employing poetry as a foundation for teaching Thai language not only enhances learners’ structural thinking skills but also enables them to connect their systematic understanding of language with practical language use in real-life situations. This approach, therefore, fosters deeper analytical abilities while promoting creative and culturally grounded language application.