ICLSL 2015
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://repository.kln.ac.lk/handle/123456789/10221
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Item Motivational Factors of Learning English in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Ruhuna(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Samaraweera, S.G.S.Lack of understanding of the motivational factors of the 1st year students of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) at the University of Ruhuna in learning English has impacted negatively on the General English Programme conducted as a foundation course. Therefore it is crucial to identify the factors that motivate the learners to learn the target language in order to assist them to master the language up to the desired standard. Richards & Schmidt (2002:343) state that motivation “energizes” human behavior and “gives it direction”, while (Dornyei, 1998, p: 117) defines motivation as “the driving force in any situation that leads to action”. Further, (Gardner, 1989) states, “Motivation is a significant dimension in language learning”. Gardner (1990) states, “Motivation in second or foreign language learning as comprising three main elements, i.e. first, a desire to learn the language, second, effort expended towards learning the language and third, favourable attitudes towards learning the language”. Here it is clear that motivation plays a significant role in the process of language learning and the learner, the teacher and the administration should be aware of the factors of motivation that would stimulate learning. Hence, this study investigated the factors that motivate students to learn English in the Faculty of Humanities & Social sciences (HSS). The sample comprised 60 students of different socio-educational backgrounds and questionnaire surveys and interviews were conducted with the students to gain in-depth insights into the motivational factors. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the data. The findings of the study depicted different integrative and instrumental motivational factors such as to find a job, to get promotion, to develop personality, to do higher studies, to upgrade their social status and to achieve prestige, etc. Thus the findings are considered significant in preparing curricula to teach the English language effectively with a focus on the educational, professional and socio-economic benefits to the students.Item Language Policy and Politics(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Rajapakshe, R.M.W.Language the most sophisticated invention of man, is a tool used to fulfill main requirements of the people inclusive of communication. Thus language is not a problem. However, when it is used as a medium of instruction in public administration, judiciary and in education in multi lingual countries, it sometimes becomes a problem. Language planning emerges when such problem arise. Could actually language be planned? Physical phenomenon like rivers, forests, mountains can be probed and planned. As language is a physical phenomenon, a tool, it can be planned. However there are differences between other objects. Firstly, language is a secondary invention of man. Secondly, it is strictly associated with religion and culture and therefore is a complicated physical phenomena. In the process of language planning, planners have to face various difficulties created by patriotic national movements and politicians. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the difficulties faced in the process of Language Planning in relation to the Sri Lankan context and the proposals to overcome them.Item Language as a one of Vital Root Causes of the Ethnic Conflict in Sri Lanka(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Subasinghe, WasanthaThe ethnic conflict within last three decades can be considered as a conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). It is a conflict between majority; Sinhalese and minority; Tamils. More commonly it was known as the Tamil Tigers, the LTTE wants an independent state for the island’s Tamil minority.It made path to conduct a huge civil war. The civil war has killed nearly seventy thousand people with various kinds of crimes and vulnerabilities. It was defeated in 2009 as a war. Majority Sinhalese speak Sinhala language and Tamils speak Tamil language for their day-to-day life. . Tamils specially live in Northern Province before few decades. But now they spread all over the country. The passage of the Sinhala-Only Act of 1956 was introduced and it was a turning point and a key event in Sinhalese-Tamil relations. It made various causes and consequences.Sinhala and Tamil are the two official languages of Sri Lanka now. English is considering as international language and the second language. It is spoken by approximately 10% of the population including Burgers and elite groups and upper middle class people. On the other hand it is widely used for education, scientific and commercial purposes. The research problem is whether the language is a vital root cause of the ethnic conflict. “What are the main roots of ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka?”, “What is the modern history of the ethnic conflict between Tamil people and Sinhalese?” and “What are the possible solutions to overcome language gap between these two ethnic groups?” are the research questions. Objectives: To identify the main roots of ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka and research currents solutions and its necessary changes. Methodology: The researcher has done a basic research; it is considered as a first stage of a descriptive analysis of an ethnic problem in Sri Lanka. In this first stage the researcher has done it using literature revive. These secondary data contained including government census data and previous research reports.There are internal and external sources in this issue. Especially south Indian support to Tamils and now a days it has European interference to conduct ethnic conflict too. There are main factors to arisen this as ethnic politics, education rights, language, land and other factors including employment. This ethnic problem has there dimensions as political view, international interference and armed intervention.There should be a balanced addressing for all elements including political, economic, social and cultural rights; when consider making ethnic relations in the country.Item Contribution of Classroom towards the Development of Communication Language Teaching in Sri Lanka. (With Special Reference to Kurunegala District)(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Herath, D.M.S.K.Most of language teachers (Sinhala, Tamil and English) claim to have made use of communicative methodology in their classroom. Communicative Language Teaching can be understood as a simple set of principles about the goals of language teaching, how learners learn a language, kinds of classroom activities which best facilitate learning, and the roles of teacher and learners in the classroom. Language Teaching aims to teach communicative competence of which this includes several aspects, such as: knowing how to use language for a range of different purposes and functions knowing how to vary our use of language according to the setting and the participants (e.g., knowing when to use formal and informal speech or when to use language appropriately for written as opposed to spoken communication). The purpose of this research is to study the nature of contribution of classroom towards the development of communicative language teaching in Sri Lanka. The selection of the sample involved in the selection of 10 schools in Kurunegala district and the selection of students and Language Teacher’s in those Schools. Due to time and other constraints it was necessary to limit the sample for 10 schools in one district. Based on Attendance lists maintained by these schools, in order to give a fair chance to all, using simple random sampling method 05 students were selected to administer the questionnaire 1. The second questionnaire was administered among the language teachers of each school. (Two Language Teachers were selected by those schools according to the recommendation of principal.) Studies on the Communicative Language Teaching is one of the key research areas in the field of Linguistics. The analysis of data revealed the following major findings: School Class room has been playing a vital role in the promotion of language teaching in Sri Lanka .Translations of short passages into the Mother Tongue can be turned into an imaginative and highly interactive exercise to Develop Bilingual Language Ability. Interaction between the learner and users of the language is important to understand the language in a good manner. Creating meaningful and purposeful interaction through language is the most successful way to make a good language user. Also negotiation of meaning as the learner and his or her interlocutor arrive at understanding and learning through attending to the feedback learners get when they use the language. Trying out and experimenting with different ways of saying things is the easiest way to become familiar with any Language Teacher’s need Good Practice about Communicative Language teaching.