SLIIT Conference and Symposium Proceedings
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All SLIIT faculties annually conduct international conferences and symposiums. Publications from these events are included in this collection.
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Publication Open Access Exploring the Effectiveness of Sri Lanka’s Language Proficiency Support for Bilingual Education Teachers(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Pakeerathy, S.This research investigates the effectiveness of Language Proficiency Support Systems (LPSS) in Bilingual Education (BE) in Sri Lanka. The Bilingual Education Program, initiated in 2001, aims to improve teachers’ cognitive skills and academic language proficiency in English. However, BE faces challenges due to varying levels of language proficiency among teachers. The study aims to identify linguistic challenges for teachers, explore existing support mechanisms, and propose strategies to enhance language proficiency and pedagogical skills. The research targets teachers of BE and teacher educators, with a sample size of thirty across the country. The research design is survey- based, and the instruments are questionnaires and interviews. The study reveals gaps in current LPSS and suggests the need for targeted interventions to improve bilingual education and teacher training. Effective bilingual teachers require fluency in their first language (L1) and English (L2), with robust pedagogical skills to navigate bilingual classrooms effectively. The proposed plan includes revising teacher education curricula, providing specialized language proficiency training, organizing workshops on bilingual pedagogy, and integrating technology into teaching practices. Enhanced community engagement and professional development opportunities are crucial for continuous improvement. The proposed interventions aim to foster improved student outcomes and contribute to the broader discourse on bilingual education.Publication Open Access The Use of Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) Skills in English Language Curricula of Sri Lankan Universities(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2023-11-01) Weeraratna, J. T.; Jayasinghe, V. U.; Wijetunge, M. T. N.It is a well-known fact that the Sri Lankan graduates and undergraduates are often criticized by the society and specifically by the private sector employers for not possessing required skills such as critical thinking, logical thinking, independent thinking, problem-solving skills and ratiocination skills. Those skills, namely Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) skills should be developed among undergraduates in order to be competent employees following graduation. CALP, a theory designed by Jim Cummins (1979) emphasizes the importance of enhancing the above-mentioned higher order skills in the learner. This research attempts to determine if the tertiary level English language curricula in Sri Lanka have given attention in developing the CALP skills among undergraduates. The aim of the research was to find out the focus given on developing CALP skills among Sri Lankan undergraduates at tertiary level, and the objectives were to examine the existing English language curricula of different Sri Lankan universities and to find out the type of skills developed through the existing tertiary level English Language curricula in Sri Lanka. The English language curricula of 6 state universities including 8 faculties were examined in terms of ILOs, course outline (structure) and content. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis. It was found that the English language curricula of state universities in Sri Lanka mainly focus on developing the 4 English language skills in addition to improving vocabulary and presentation skills. They also focus on English for Professional Purposes (EPP) such as medical English, business communication and technical jargon. Developing higher order CALP skills was not a main focus in the majority of ELT curricula in Sri Lanka. However, it is suggested that such skills could be developed through the existing ELT curricula, through systematically designed activities which enhance not only the four language skills, but also CALP skills.