Browsing by Author "Anupama, D.S."

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Attitudes of University Students towards Second Language Learning.
(The Third International Conference on Linguistics in Sri Lanka, ICLSL 2017. Department of Linguistics, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Anupama, D.S.; Premaratne, C. D. H. M.
Second Language Acquisition occurs in both informal and formal linguistic contexts and both these contexts are essential in enhancing the language skills of the learners. This study is aimed at investigating the attitudes of the students towards second language learning „inside the classroom‟ and „outside the classroom‟. A random sample of 54 second year students of the Faculty of Applied Sciences of the Wayamba University was selected for the study. The data was gathered by employing a questionnaire, which carried questions that dealt with the attitudes of the students on this matter. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics with the help of the SPSS statistical software. It was found that the majority of the students in the sample agreed to the fact that out-of-classroom language learning (OCLL) improved their speaking skills (37%) and vocabulary (41%) but when it comes to writing, majority i.e. 44% neither agreed nor disagreed to the fact that OCLL improved their writing. In addition, majority of the students (46%) believed that they learnt English in formal contexts than in informal contexts. Furthermore, majority of the students (46%) strongly agreed to the notion that learning English through OCLL is more enjoyable than learning English inside a classroom and 43% strongly agreed to the idea that OCLL motivates them to learn English. Accordingly, it can be concluded that the students acknowledge the importance of OCLL. However, they believe that both in-class learning and out-of-class learning should go hand in hand to further enhance the language knowledge. When it comes to „enjoyableness‟, students place their interest upon out-of-classroom language learning than in-class language learning. Hence, the language teachers should get the maximum use of OCLL, by integrating what is done inside the classroom with activities that can be done outside the classroom, to give the students the opportunity to use the language in an authentic linguistic environment.
Vocabulary Learning Strategies Used by Humanities and Social Sciences Students of the University of Ruhuna
(International Conference on Business and Information (ICBI – 2019), [Education], Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka, 2019) Anupama, D.S.
One of the challenges a second language learner is confronted during the progression of second language (L2) learning is grasping its vocabulary. Vocabulary acquisition is vital for L2 learning because the lexical knowledge of a target language is significant in effective communication. Without an enriched vocabulary in the target language, meanings cannot be conveyed and learners will find it difficult to comprehend words in lesson materials and other reading texts. A significant way to address this is to motivate students to become independent learners during the L2 vocabulary learning. Thus, this study aims at exploring the use of different vocabulary learning strategies among adult English as a second language learners. To meet this objective, a random sample of 50 second year students of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Ruhuna were selected and a questionnaire was employed to understand the vocabulary learning strategies (VLS) they frequently used. The findings of the research revealed that determination strategy is the most frequently used type of VLS of the selected participants. By-hearting words, referring to dictionaries, translations are quite preferred, whereas improving vocabulary through metacognitive strategies were very limited. This research highlights the importance of raising awareness about the importance of using VLS among these learners because a vast and comprehensive vocabulary in L2 is a requisite if a learner aspires to be highly competent user.