The Impact of the medium of instruction on the grammatical errors committed by the English second language learners

Abstract

This study is aimed at investigating the interference of the medium of instruction on the grammatical errors committed by the learners in Deniyaya semi-urban area in order to explore the efficacy of the medium of instruction in the selected school in located in a semi-urban area. Here, the research problem highlights the fact that in the selected area even the English medium students have rare opportunities to use English outside of school as they are exposed to English language only in the school context. Accordingly, here the researcher examines the causes and the types of errors committed by the students' belonging to both medium classes as a case study. On this concern, by using the purposive sampling method a total of twenty students were selected on and were asked to write an essay on 'My Future Ambition'. The collected data were analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. As discovered, the hypotheses assumed were supported by the findings. Accordingly, Compared to the English medium students, Sinhala medium Students have committed more inter lingual errors. Moreover, it could be proved, as hypothesized, that there was a difference in the ranks of the errors done by English and Sinhala medium students, as omission was the most committed error type of the English medium students. Moreover, it was detected that there was a significant difference between the frequency of errors done by the English and Sinhala medium students, and it was also discovered that the medium of instruction has a direct influence on their language learning process. Based on the findings, the researcher presents solutions by suggesting the English teachers of Deniyaya area to use innovative and practical teaching methods and to enhance the exposure of the students to English.