Applying cognitive linguistics to teaching prepositions in, on, under for primary 2 students with limited Thai proficiency in an online learning environment: a case study in Yala, Thailand

This study explores the effectiveness of using Cognitive Linguistic (CL) approaches to teach the English spatial prepositions “in,” “on,” and “under” to Primary 2 multilingual students with limited Thai proficiency in an online learning environment. It also examines how CL strategies can be effectively applied in virtual classrooms to support learners who have minimal access to Thai as a bridge language. To achieve these goals, a mixed-methods research design was used, combining quantitative data from pre-tests and post-tests with qualitative insights drawn from teacher reflective journals and classroom observations. The intervention was carried out over a 13-week period.The CL instruction incorporated visual aids, real-object demonstrations, and interactive activities utilizing mini whiteboards to reinforce conceptual understanding. The quantitative results indicated significant improvement in students' comprehension and usage of the targeted prepositions. Meanwhile, the qualitative findings revealed that CL strategies facilitated deeper conceptual understanding and enhanced student engagement. Notably, students with initially limited English proficiency demonstrated significant improvement following the intervention, attributed to the embodied and visual nature of the CL approach. The study concludes that CL-based instruction is effective in teaching English spatial prepositions to young multilingual learners in online settings, even when considering potential language interference from their first language, Malayu. These findings have implications for curriculum development and instructional practices in multilingual educational contexts, particularly in remote learning scenarios.