Browsing by Author "Silva, K.S.R."

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2

An attitudinal study on perceptions of group work when teaching English as a second language in Sri Lanka
(Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Kelaniya, 2015) Silva, K.S.R.
Since the 1980s, Sri Lanka, following trends in language teaching and learning in the West, has adopted the Communicative Approach in its endeavor to teach English as a second language to its student population. Group work is one of the strategies used under the Communicative Approach and its use in teaching English as a second language has been firmly established by sound pedagogical arguments. Past research has showed the benefits of group work, but there is also a body of evidence which implies that group work may not yield the same positive results in non-Western contexts as in Western contexts. While the reasons for this suggestion include many practical difficulties such as lack of resources and large classes, there also seems to be attitudinal issues regarding group work which are culturebound. It is suggested by the body of research that due to cultural notions such as adherence to adult authority, expectations of teacher roles and preference for accuracy over fluency, students might not have positive attitudes about group work or the benefits it provides for their learning. Several studies have been conducted to examine the effectiveness of the Communicative Approach in Sri Lanka, but there is a serious dearth of studies which directly examine students‘ attitudes about group work. Since learners‘ attitudes are a major determinant of the success of a teaching strategy, this study explores Sri Lankan students‘ attitudes about group work. A questionnaire is distributed to a sample of 50 students, and the data collected is analyzed quantitatively to find out whether Sri Lankan learners have positive or negative attitudes regarding group work. The findings of this study shed light on the attitudes about group work among Sri Lankan students in particular and Asian students in general.
Recognizing the dimension of introversion and extroversion as a decisive factor in group work in the English as a Second Language classroom
(University of Kelaniya, 2013) Silva, K.S.R.
The importance of group work as an effective tool to enhance learning and develop interpersonal skills is so firmly established in teaching methodology and practice that it is doubtful whether its position can be easily contested. However, Susan Cain provides a different perspective in her book Quiet : The Power of Introverts, where she argues that an over-emphasis on group work can cause a risk of overlooking one third to half of the world’s introvert population who prefers to work independently and whose best is achieved when working in the tranquility of their own worlds. Due to their preference for low stimulating environments, introverts may feel stressed-out and out of place during group activities and the group will not benefit from their maximum input. Yet, given the indispensable role that group work plays both in the classroom as well as outside, this study explores the possibility of successfully integrating introverts into group activities. The sample population was divided into two groups and the control-experimental method was used to implement the research. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator was used to identify the introverts and extroverts. The study indicates how group activities need to be restructured in order that the talents of introverts are not lost in the hustle and bustle of extrovert-favoured group work. It also examines methods in which the overall quality of the task output is maximized by the effective management of group dynamics, thereby ensuring that both introverts and extroverts work together with minimal conflict towards achieving their goal.