Browsing by Author "Edirisinghe, N."

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Cat or /k/ /re/ it!? : an analysis of two Sri Lankan ESL (English as a Second Language) books for teaching primary school students
(University of Kelaniya, 2008) Edirisinghe, N.
The use of 'phonics' versus the ·whole word system' (look and say method) has been under debate in Sri Lanka (Lets learn English-Grade3, Educational Publications Department Sri Lanka2000,Perera, 2007). Research on reading acquisition has found that phonemic awareness facilitated by the phonic system is extremely important and that it initiates the foundation of a good reader or successful reading acquisition by any child (Ehri, 1998). This study deals with second language acquisition of primary school children, English in this case. Sri Lankan government schools have implemented the whole word system at present, and a recent analysis of the Grade 3 textbooks has predicted difficulties in children's reading (Perera 2007). Despite instructions to use the whole word system, some teachers believe, similar to many researchers that phonics is more of a success in comparison to the whole word method. Instructional strategies also affect how students learn (McBride-Chang et al, 2004). This work researches the issue of instructional material in teaching reading, pursuing the question "Does the whole word approach work better than phonics?" Textual analysis will be employed as the research method drawing a comparison between the Grade 3 text book with a primary level text that employs the phonics system. The strengths and weaknesses of these texts will be analyzed to discover which approach is more of success.
Effective Study Skills Instruction in English for Academic Purpose (EAP): Facilitating Positive Mindset for Student-Centered Learning in Tertiary Education
(Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Edirisinghe, N.
Transition from secondary education to tertiary education pose a major challenge to many students who undergo not only a change in the medium of instruction but also a pedagogical shift from traditional Teacher Centered Learning (TCL) in the classroom to Student Centered Learning (SCL). In Sri Lanka, English language, generally perceived negatively as ‘kaduwa’, being the current Academic Lingua Franca further discourages many students who have previously studied in their mother tongue, Sinhala or Tamil. Particularly, during the first semester of the academic year, as cited in Hassanbeigi et al (2011), students often encounter problems related to concentration, memory, note taking, test strategies, test anxiety, motivation and attitude, reading and selecting major ideas, organizing and processing information and time management which result in underachievement and failure. In this context, the research aims to determine the implications of effective Study Skills instruction to foster positive academic mindset towards SCL in First-year students. In this action research, a sample group of 150 first-year students from Higher National Diploma in English course of Advanced Technological Institute- Kegalle, a statutory tertiary education body, were selected from two batches. Initially a Study Skills self-assessment test was given to the participants followed by a series of lectures conducted on note taking, critical reading and essay writing and presentation skills. Simultaneously, scores of two assignments given for two course modules in the first-year first semester were evaluated. The same procedure was repeated for the participants for the next batch followed by practice sessions with more emphasis on collaborative learning. At the end of each semester, a post self-assessment test was conducted along with face to face interviews with six lecturers of the particular modules. Majority of the participants perceived Study Skills as a positive step in enhancing academic performance and self-confidence of students. While Study Skill instruction with lectures failed to bring a significant change in the assignment scores, with practice sessions including collaborative learning activities the participants managed to improve considerably. Therefore, it was evident that Study Skill instruction coupled with collaborative learning is more effective in creating a positive attitude towards learning in SCL environment and enhancing academic performance of the students in their first semester of the academic year.