English
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://repository.kln.ac.lk/handle/123456789/2509
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Item “Enhancing TESL in Sri Lankan Universities through the use of Sri Lankan Literature Written in English”(University of Kelaniya, 2013) Niles, S.This research study is an attempt to explore the possibilities of using English literary work by Sri Lankan authors to enhance the experience of learning English as a Second Language (ESL) in local Universities in Sri Lanka. This research bases itself on the premise that literature produced by Sri Lankans within a local context would enable students to gain a better understanding of the practical usage of the English language. Though the usage of literature has often been limited, the role of literature has been re-assessed and it is possible to view literary texts as providing rich linguistic input and effective stimuli for students to express themselves while acting as a potential source for learner motivation. Therefore this paper wishes to delve into the manner in which Sri Lankan literature (mainly poems), which is culturally appropriate, can be used to enhance English language teaching to the University undergraduates. In addition to the expected outcome of the study, it is also assumed that a number of other objectives would be met through this research. The use of English literature within the ESL classroom would enhance the oral skills and reading habits of undergraduates, facilitate critical thinking and develop awareness and sensitivity among students. The research will be conducted through classroom-based experiments and observation. This study will also seek to inform the production of teaching/learning materials that can be used effectively to ensure that the teaching/learning capacity within the ESL classrooms in Sri Lankan universities is enhanced through the use of Sri Lankan literature written in English.Item The (De) Construction of Gender Identity in Children’s Literature Written in English by Sri Lankan Authors(Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Kelaniya, 2012) Niles, S.This research paper is an exploration of the social constructions of gender identities portrayed in selected texts written in English for children by Sri Lankan authors. It draws from Mythil’s Secret by Prashani Rambukwella (2009), Paduma Meets the Sunbird by Nihal de Silva (2006) and Mona’s Mission Impossible by Razana Sameem (2009). The study is based on the premise that children’s literature produced in Sri Lanka by Sri Lankan authors would seek to explore the nuances of gender identities that are constructed within Sri Lanka. The goal of this paper is to deconstruct the social constructions of gender identities that are portrayed in the selected texts in an attempt to analyze the specific gender roles that are socially acquired by children. This study addresses the question of how gender identities of children, within a Sri Lankan society, are depicted in the selected texts, and evaluates the assignment and acquisition of gender roles therein. It limits itself to deconstructing the portrayal of gender identities, and also seeks to unearth the different forces of socialization that influence the molding of a child’s gender identity, while examining the process of socialization and other contributing factors relevant to the construction of gender identities within Sri Lanka. This paper addresses a gap in research in children’s literature produced in Sri Lanka in English, and takes an interdisciplinary approach utilizing feminist, psychoanalytic and sociological theories.