The effects of data-driven learning (DDL) on the teaching of English phrasal verbs to Thai EFL secondary students

English phrasal verbs appear to be one of a major issue for Thai EFL students. Many phrasal verbs have ambiguous meanings and are hard to understand. The study aims to investigate the effectiveness of the data-driven learning (DDL) method with paper-based concordance lines in developing Thai EFL secondary students' English phrasal verbs knowledge. The study also explores the relationship between students' grade level and their learning performance through DDL, as well as the attitudes of the participants towards learning through DDL. The participants were 50 students from grades 7th - 9th of a public school in Chachoengsao, Thailand. In order to analyze the data, the mean scores of the pre-test and post-test were compared using a paired-sample t-test. The results showed a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) between the pre-test scores and the improved post-test scores. The results indicated that DDL did assist the students in learning English phrasal verbs, but no correlation was found between students' grade level and their learning performance through DDL. Meanwhile, the questionnaire results showed that the participants' attitudes regarding learning through the DDL were not positive, since they found it difficult to read the concordance lines. This study provides valuable insights by demonstrating that DDL can be employed as a supplementary or additional activity to enhance the learning of English phrasal verbs among Thai EFL students. However, it is crucial to consider the language proficiency of the students when designing DDL lessons.