Integration of the English Language in Teaching Physical Education Subject to The Learners in Northeastern Schools In Thailand

Integrating Physical Education (PE) with English language learning enhances student engagement, cognitive function, and academic achievement by blending motor skills with language acquisition. The primary purpose is to enhance the teaching and learning of Physical Education by integrating English as a medium of instruction in Northeastern schools of Thailand, ultimately improving student outcomes by addressing the specific needs of learners and society. This study employed a descriptive-inferential design to identify and describe the demographic profile of the teachers, their perceptions of the extent of English integration in teaching Physical Education, and the seriousness of the challenges they encounter. Respondents in the study comprise twenty-one (21) Physical Education teachers who are integrating the English language as a medium of instruction. All participants were selected through purposive sampling, specifically comprising licensed teachers who consistently teach Physical Education sessions. The study reveals that Physical Education teachers in Northeastern Thailand are mostly young, early-career, male, and bachelor ’s-degree holders who actively engage in professional development. English language integration in Physical Education (PE) is highly Integrated, especially in motivation and learning support, indicating strong implementation of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL)-based strategies in classroom instruction. However, despite this high level of integration, teachers experience moderately serious challenges, additionally there is no significant relationship between the extent of integration and the level of challenges, which means teachers can effectively implement English while still facing difficulties.