Teacher perspectives on using Sri Lankan English as a model for assessment of English Language proficiency at tertiary level English language teaching in Sri Lanka

Abstract

A central concern of Language Assessment (LA) is in English language teaching is the question of standards used for the assessment. In the scholarship of World Englishes, it has been observed that standards for English language assessment should be pluricentric. Experts in the field of Sri Lankan English (SLE) point out the merits of advocating SLE as the model/standard for LA in Sri Lanka. Against this theoretical backdrop, this study investigated the perspectives on the acceptability of SLE as the model/ standard for LA among teachers for tertiary level English language education. The study was conducted in a state university in Sri Lanka involving 12 English language teachers. Purposive sampling and volunteer sampling techniques were used to select participants for the research. Necessary data was collected through five semi-structured interviews and a focus-group discussion with seven teachers. The collected data were analyzed using methods of thematic analysis and data tables. Thus, the study employed a mixed method approach. The study found that teachers’ sense of ownership towards SLE influenced their LA practices such as designing of marking keys and rating of student writing. The study also found that teachers held conflicting views on what the varietal features of SLE are and on whether all those features could always be accepted as correct, especially when they are manifested in student language production. The study highlighted the importance of recognizing the pedagogical implications of SLE such as its use as a standard for LA in English language teaching as well as a tool for investigating teacher responses to the challenges they face.