A study on the issue of changing the medium of instruction to English and the problems related to the learning material at Junior Secondary Level

Abstract

ABSTRACT Various committee reports suggested that the teaching of English in Sri Lanka is not satisfactory and does not meet the needs of the majority of the students. To fill this vacuum, different types of course books were introduced. The textbooks did not fulfill the needs of the students. Finally, Bilingual Education was introduced to the Sri-Lanka Education system in order to promote language proficiency of the students. Little or no research has been conducted on learning materials at Junior Secondary Level since the implementation of the bilingual policy in 2004. The purpose of the present study, therefore, was to guide, monitor, motivate and find solutions to the problems related to learning materials as learning materials have now become a serious issue. For the purpose of the data collection questionnaires, interviews and observation schedules were used. The information identified through literature survey and interviews with the parents and teachers was used to prepare the questionnaires. The students’ version of the questionnaire was administered to hundred students in Colombo and Kegalle districts. The teachers’ questionnaire was administered to ten teachers and the parents’ questionnaire was also administered to ten parents. Two teachers and two parents were interviewed and three classes were observed in order to understand the teacher-learner interaction. The students studying at Junior Secondary Level, the teachers and parents were selected randomly. This study reveals the numerous problems the learners at Junior Secondary Level faced and the problems of distribution of learning materials(textbooks). In addition, this study reveals the problems teachers faced in the process of teaching. Moreover, this also discusses the problems the learners face from the point of view of their parents. The descriptive data collected were analyzed mainly using percentages. The results were further clarified using charts, graphs and tables. The conclusions and recommendations were suggested in relation to each objective. However, it is suggested that future researches are needed in order to analyze the problems related to learning materials. There is a contradiction between the aims and the objectives of the state, students and parents with regard to English medium education. All the relevant parties should be made aware of these contradictions. Only some aspects of the textbooks have reached the satisfactory level and, therefore, more attention should be paid to the weaker aspects of the textbooks. With regard to the suitability of the textbooks, the teachers should adopt and adapt the learning materials to suit the standard of the students and, moreover, the textbooks should be made more attractive and interesting. The process of preparing learning materials needs improvement and more innovative steps should be taken by both teachers and the State to promote the standard of the learning materials. Both teachers and learners encounter many problems in relation to learning materials and, therefore, many aspects with regard to this should be improved.