Examining the Mode of Teaching English as a Second Language in Gampaha District Non-Urban Government Schools of Sri Lanka

Abstract

Teaching English as a second language (TESL) has been a major educational policy in Sri Lanka since early 1950s. Moreover, the second language teaching commences from Grade 3; in fact, since late 1980s, the Communicative Teaching Method has been used and one of its key components is the student centered education (SDE), which means creating an interactive and supportive learning environment, where the teacher becomes a facilitator scaffolding the learning process (National Education Commission, 2014). However, as per the G.C.E.O/L English Language Performance Evaluation Report issued by the Department of Examinations (2017), nearly half of the students (45.10%) have failed English. In fact, the failure rate in Gampaha educational zone is higher (43.6%), than Colombo (27.3%), which further questions the plight of non- urban government schools in Gampaha district. Thus, the objective is to examine whether the prevailing English teaching mode and the environment is learner centered, and if not, what are its causes. The study adopts a mixed method approach, comprising both qualitative and quantitative data: questionnaires and lesson observations. The research sample consists of fifty- eight; fifty students and their relevant English teachers. The findings of the study indicate that the prevailing mode of TESL in the majority of schools is not learner centered. In fact, even though many teachers respond saying that they create cooperative learning in class, as per the observations and disparity between the responses given by students and teachers, it is evident that the respective approach is not followed practically in class.