Medicine
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This repository contains the published and unpublished research of the Faculty of Medicine by the staff members of the faculty
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Item 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.Item The Effectiveness of using the colourful semantics approach to support language development with children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing(Taylor & Francis, 2019) Hettiarachchi, S.; Ranaweera, M.ABSTRACT: The lack of early identification, suboptimal language stimulation and limited remedial services in Sri Lanka for children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing place them at-risk of language delay. The reality for many preschool and primary school children entering formal education in Sri Lanka is a language delay in spoken language and/or sign language compared to their age-matched hearing peers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Colourful Semantics approach as a whole-class language enrichment programme to develop the use and responses to target wh questions. Thirty primary school children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing between the ages of five-ten years were included. The programme was offered once a week for 12 weeks through the class teacher. Individual pre- and post-language measures and statistical analyses were undertaken on receptive knowledge and expressive use of the target wh questions using a picture naming task and tasks based on three local children’s story books. A statistically significant improvement was observed in the understanding of target wh questions post-intervention by all the children. There was also a positive change in the responses to the target wh questions by all the children post-intervention with many combining signs or spoken words with signs. The Colourful Semantics approach has potential as a whole-class language-teaching approach to strengthen the understanding and use of wh question forms. This study emphasizes the benefits of collaborative partnerships between speech and language therapists and teachers in delivering intervention particularly in resource-limited contexts. KEYWORDS: Deaf, children, language delay, Sri Lankan sign language, Colourful SemanticsItem The Effectiveness of colourful semantics on narrative skills in children with intellectual disabilities in Sri Lanka(SAGE Publications, 2016) Hettiarachchi, S.BACKGROUND: Children diagnosed with intellectual difficulties experience difficulties with narrative skills, due to limited syntactic knowledge. The Colourful Semantics approach with thematic roles and a colour coding system may encourage syntactic development in children experiencingintellectual disabilities. AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of using the Colourful Semantics approach to develop narrative skills in Sri Lankan Tamil-speaking childrendiagnosed with intellectual difficulties. METHODS: Thirty Sri Lankan Tamil-speaking children identified with intellectual difficulties were included. The Colourful Semantics approach was offered twice a week for 6 weeks, facilitated by the class teachers. Pre- and post-intervention narrative skill assessments were undertaken and analysed for content and syntactic structures. RESULTS: The results indicate positive changes post-intervention on the qualitative and quantitative narrative skills measures undertaken on content and syntactic structures. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The Colourful Semantics approach is an effective therapy approach to support development of narrativeskills in children with intellectual difficulties.Item ‘Colourful Semantics’ as a whole-class approach with Sri Lankan Tamil speaking children experiencing language-learning difficulties(Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Kelaniya, 2013) Hettiarachchi, S.The Colourful Semantics approach (Bryan, 1997) has been used effectively as a whole-class approach to support vocabulary and syntactic development in children. Using a colour-coding system and thematic roles, it helps children learn to use and respond to key ‘wh’ questions. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Colourful Semantics approach to develop target vocabulary and the use of Subject- Object-Verb (SOV) structures in 30 Sri Lankan-Tamil speaking children experiencing languagelearning difficulties. The Colourful Semantics approach was introduced as a whole-class approach via the teacher and incorporated into daily literacy activities for 6 weeks. Preand post-intervention assessments were undertaken on five receptive and expressive language and literacy measures of vocabulary and syntax. There were positive changes in all the vocabulary and syntactic measures undertaken at an individual and group level. The post-therapy language scores on all five measures were highly significant at a p< 0.05 level. It is recommended that the Colourful Semantics approach be used as a whole-class intervention approach, facilitated by the teacher under the supervision of a speech and language therapist in deprived and under-resourced areas.