Promoting English Buddhist Vocabulary through Reading Activities in Thai Temples in United States of America
Keywords:
Reading Activities, English Buddhist Vocabulary, Thai Temples in USAAbstract
This article aims to promote the knowledge of English vocabulary related to Buddhism among monks and general Buddhist practitioners in the context of Thai temples abroad. The focus is on designing reading activities that are appropriate to Buddhist teachings and rituals. The training program was conducted at Wat Thai Suchadadhammajarik Sanghavihara in Sun Valley, California, USA. A total of nine participants joined the program, including six monks and three laypeople. The training took place once a week for a total of 30 hours over a 10-week period.
The content included five Jataka tales in English and five topics on Buddhist festivals. Learners practiced reading, pronunciation, interpretation, and vocabulary usage through various activities, such as vocabulary matching, answering questions based on images, role-playing, and group discussions.
The implementation of training activities aimed at promoting English vocabulary related to Buddhism revealed that participants showed clear improvement in their English language skills, particularly in reading, pronunciation, and the use of specialized vocabulary associated with Buddhist teachings and rituals. In addition, they developed a deeper understanding of Dhamma, as the instructional content was based on Jataka tales and Buddhist festivals, which were closely connected to their daily lives and religious practices.
This led to an integrated learning experience that combined both language and Buddhist knowledge. The program demonstrates a practical model that can be further developed into a structured training curriculum to effectively prepare Thai Buddhist missionary for international roles.
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