Effectiveness of English Language Teaching in Government Schools in the Gampaha District

Abstract

Even though every child commences to learn English from their nursery, even after thirteen years of education of the English language, there are students who are unable to pass the General English language paper in the Advanced level examination. This study provides an insight into English language teaching at government schools in the Biyagama Divisional Secretariat in Gampaha district. The purpose of this study is twofold. It sets out to examine firstly, whether the English language teaching methodology that is used is effective and secondly, to suggest strategies that can make English language teaching at government schools effective. Thus the primary purpose of this study is not only to report and inform but also to investigate and identify beneficial ways of teaching English. The study adopts a mixed method approach, comprising both qualitative and quantitative data: questionnaire and lesson observations. Both data collecting methods are carried out to investigate whether government English teaching classrooms still follow traditional teaching methods and comprise teachercentered classrooms rather than following communicative language teaching in a learner centered classroom. The findings of the study indicate that a change in language teaching methodology and consequently a change of teaching and learning should take place in these selected government schools.