Browsing by Author "Mukarrama, M"

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Open Access
Enhancing Interactive Learning in English-Medium Science: A Practitioner Intervention within the CLIL Framework
(School of Education, Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2025-10-10) Mukarrama, M; Wijesekera, H.D
Interactive learning is essential for meaningful engagement in science classrooms, especially in Sri Lanka’s bilingual education (BE) system, where students transition from Mother Tongue Instruction (MTI) to English Medium Instruction (EMI) in Grade Six. Student reluctance to participate in EMI science lessons, often due to limited English proficiency, remains underexplored in this context. This study investigated the root causes of student reticence and implemented targeted interventions to enhance interaction through collaborative group work, evaluating the efficacy of these interventions. The research involved 21 Grade 8 Tamil-English emerging bilingual female students from a government school in the Western Province of Sri Lanka, who exhibited varied levels of English proficiency. None had prior exposure to Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), the specified teaching approach to EMI, which is the main strategy deployed in the study. For this purpose, a single-group, quasi-experimental mixed- methods action research design was employed, structured around Lim’s (2007) balanced model. Data collection occurred over three stages: before, during, and after intervention, using academic records, structured oral tasks, focus group discussions, classroom observations, and questionnaires. The intervention used collaborative group strategies within a CLIL framework, incorporating multimodal scaffolding, translanguaging (navigation between L1 and L2), and motivational techniques to foster engagement. Qualitative data underwent Thematic Content Analysis (TCA), and the quantitative written and oral evaluation marks from pre-test, test during the intervention, and post-test were compared using a Paired t-test. Foreign Language Classroom Speaking Anxiety (FLCSA) was inferred through pre-test qualitative indicators. The mid-intervention and the post-test findings confirm that collaborative CLIL activities, when novel, cognitively stimulating, and linguistically supportive, can significantly enhance interactive learning, reduce anxiety, and promote engagement in bilingual EMI classrooms. This study offers practical implications for science educators seeking to apply integrative pedagogical approaches tailored to the linguistic and cognitive needs of BE learners. Further research should explore long-term retention and use validated anxiety measures within control group settings.