Browsing by Author "Ponnamperuma, P."

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3

Attitudes Of Ordinary Level English Teachers Regarding The Usage Of Poetry As A Tool To Improve English Language In The ESL Classroom With Reference To Galle District
(Proceedings of the Undergraduate Research Symposium (HUG 2018), Department of English Language Teaching, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2018) Ponnamperuma, P.
Using poetry in the ESL context. Teachers don’t use poetry to teach English. The role of poetry in today’s language studies has diminished due to the lack of interest of teachers and students in learning and teaching poetry in the ESL classroom. The main objective of this study was to investigate attitudes among ordinary level English teachers regarding the usage of poetry as a tool to improve English Language in the ESL classroom in the Galle district. Previous research points out that poetry was primarily based on interpretations of teachers and failed to develop creative analysis of the students. Randomly selected 5 ordinary level English teachers from Galle district were interviewed who consensually shared their teaching experiences. The interviews were semi structured and recorded. Based on the results of this study, teachers have adapted “information based approach” neglecting “Language based approach” and “Personal Response based approach”. The main findings of this study reveals that teachers’ inexperience in teaching poetry, priority not being given to teaching poetry, lack of awareness in teaching poetry has led to negligence of teaching poetry in the ESL classroom. Findings of this study has been used to develop practical recommendations in using poetry as a tool in Ordinary Level ESL classroom.
Challenges faced by the Female Tea pluckers in Sri Lanka: A study based on Galle District
(Proceedings of the Undergraduate Research Symposium (HUG 2019), Department of English Language Teaching, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2019) Ponnamperuma, P.
Tea plantation is a labour-intensive sector in Sri Lanka. The woman is marginalized and termed as the less skilled labour. Plucking is described as a skill that women have acquired through their nimble fingers. The main objective of this study was to investigate challenges faced by Female tea pluckers in Sri Lanka based on Galle district. Previous researches point out that the process of tea plucking continues through manual labour and has been mainly performed by the female worker. Randomly selected 05 female tea pluckers from Galle district were interviewed who consensually shared their life experiences. The interviews were semi-structured, recorded and transcribed. The interview questionnaire consisted of 05 specific questions with followed up questions. They were open-ended. The questionnaire focused on gathering data from the tea pluckers on the following areas: the lifestyle of the female tea pluckers, challenges that they encountered in the field as a woman and their future goals. According to the results of this study, the female tea pluckers are confined to the tea estates and are satisfied with the life that they lead. The main findings of this study revealed that lack of interaction with the outside world, lack of education lead them to become a female tea plucker. The female tea pluckers never consider life as a challenge but are proud of being themselves as tea pluckers. Therefore, this study uncovered the life style of a female tea plucker who serves own life for the uplift of tea plantation culture in Sri Lanka.
Improving English though Participating in University Student Organizations.
(English Language Teaching Unit, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Ponnamperuma, P.; Ruwandika, K.; Devindi, T.
English has become the de facto language of communication in the academia and the language that some of the student organizations operate in. These student organizations operate networking all universities in and outside Sri Lanka. The aim of this study is to see whether undergraduates actually improve their English knowledge by participation in student originations. For this purpose, a sample of 30 students were given questionnaires with two open ended questions asking about their views on improving English knowledge through participating in student organizations. For this purpose three student organizations, AISEC, Gavel club and Model United Nations (MUN) were selected. The participants were selected through purposive sampling; those who are members of one or more of the aforementioned student organizations. The results elaborate that although students use English, there is much code switching and it is difficult to identify if they really improve their English through participation in these organizations. In conclusion, a more comprehensive study would help to have a better understanding of this phenomenon.