Browsing by Author "Walisundara, D.C."

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    Colour Me…Orange? incorporating aspects of the colourful semantics approach into a TESOL programme at preschool
    (The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2018) Hettiarachchi, S.; Ranaweera, M.; Walisundara, D.C.
    Among the challenges faced by Sri Lankan children learning English as an additional or second language is the accuracy of word order and vocabulary knowledge. The Colorful Semantics approach has been used successfully in the UK and in Australia with children experiencing language-learning difficulties, with many programmes devised by Speech and Language Therapists. It uses thematic roles and a colour-coding system to support the development of syntax through a semantic route. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of using aspects of Colourful Semantics to develop expressive language skills (accurate responses to target wh questions, sentence length and syntactic complexity) in young learners of English. Twenty-one preschool children in TESL classrooms were included in the study. Key aspects of Colourful Semantics were introduced as a whole-class approach using children’s storybooks, colour-coding and signing with lessons offered thrice a week for a month together with supplementary activities. Pre- and post-intervention measures were undertaken on two expressive language measures of sentence-length and syntax. In this paper we will discuss the programme offered, the pre- and post intervention assessment results, and the benefits of incorporating aspects of the Colourful Semantics approach into the English language teaching classroom.
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    The Effectiveness of a multisensory traditional storytelling programme on target vocabulary development in children with disabilities accessing English as a second language: A preliminary study
    (SAGE Publications, 2022) Hettiarachchi, S.; Walisundara, D.C.; Ranaweera, M.
    ABSTRACT: The current deliberations on increasing access to English and the democratization of English in post-war Sri Lanka must extend to students with disabilities. Research evidence from speech and language therapy promotes the use of multi-sensory stimuli to advance the development of communication and language skills in children with intellectual disabilities. In this preliminary study, 3 local children's stories, together with relevant story-making activities, were offered to 7 children with intellectual disabilities in one special school across 12 lessons. Vocabulary measures of word naming of target vocabulary were undertaken pre- and post-intervention using picture-based tasks presented via PowerPoint. A positive difference was found post-intervention on the target vocabulary naming test. The findings of this small preliminary study should be interpreted with caution. However, the findings are suggestive of the potential benefit of using culturally relevant familiar local traditional stories with a range of multi-sensory stimuli and storytelling activities to aid learning of new vocabulary in children with disabilities accessing English as an additional language. Further research using a large sample together with a control group will be required to substantiate the positive trend of vocabulary gains observed within this preliminary study. KEYWORDS: English; intellectual disability; multisensory; stories; traditional.