ICLSL 2016
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://repository.kln.ac.lk/handle/123456789/14246
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Item Age Factor in Second Language Acquisition(Department of Linguistics, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Shashikala, H.P.L.W.The notion that there is a biologically determined period set for language acquisition is referred to as the Critical Period Hypothesis. This critical period which is thought to be sometime between age five and puberty has been the subject of long term debate. This study examines the impact of age on learners‟ second language acquisition with a focus on non-native speakers of English at undergraduate level. The sample consists of eighty students studying in the first academic year at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura and both qualitative and quantitative data have been collected from the sample. The first phase of the study involves a questionnaire administered to the selected subjects and in order to validate answers of the questionnaire, a structured interview is carried out. The second phase involves the assessment of their reading, listening, speaking and writing skills and the final phase involves a comparison between the age and amount of exposure to English during these students‟ pre-puberty period and the level of proficiency which they have shown when their second language skills are tested. The findings promote age as affective in second language acquisition. This study provides strong empirical evidence to support the assumption that learners can learn a language with no difficulty up to a certain age after which the language learning abilities decline because the plasticity of a child‟s brain is lost at puberty. Precisely, cognitive immaturity is the best for second language learning not maturity. This research challenges the argument which some researchers hold that similarities between children and adults mastering a second language are greater than differences. Therefore, it is highly recommended that a target language is introduced to children at a very early stage of their life. It is hoped that this research will spur more in depth studies in the area of second language acquisition. Further, it is strongly believed that extensive use and exposure to the language being learnt can make a positive impact on learning. It is also recommended that similar studies are conducted with a large number of students in order to draw generalisations regarding the said subject matter. Further, substantial future research can focus on other factors identified as affective in second language acquisition.Item Use of Official Languages among Public Officers: A Case Study of Dehiwala Divisional Secretariat in Sri Lanka(Department of Linguistics, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Perera, M.A.D.D.This research is concerned with the use of official languages among public officers with special reference to the Dehiwala Divisional Secretariat (DS) in Sri Lanka. Roughly Sri Lanka is concerned as a multilingual, multiethnic country where there was a war between Sinhalese and Tamils nearly for three decades to divide its territory. One of the root causes for this war was the language issue. Thus, since independence, successive governments have been implementing many language policies in order to ensure the language rights of its citizens. However, still the public sector is being criticised at large for having limitations in delivering their services to the public in the language that they prefer. Although there are laws stipulated and facilities given, it seems that government expectations are not yet achieved. The dearth of bilingual officers in public institutions is the major obstacle to overwhelm this issue continually. Thirty five public officers who have passed the second language proficiency examination serving four selected public institutions in Dehiwala DS were interviewed in order to examine the factors that create hindrances in using official languages among public officers. Further, the use of second language among public officers is expected to be analysed using one of the second language acquisition theories: Krashen‟s five hypotheses on second language acquisition. In order to understand better the factors that create hindrances to use official languages it has been analysed under two sub topics such as strengths and weaknesses in the institutional arrangements/systems of teaching other official languages to the public officers and limitations in the present institutional incentives to learn the other official language.Item Role of Classroom Interaction on the Improvement of English Language Speaking Skill at the University of Jaffna(Department of Linguistics, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Patrick, D.The aim of this study is to explore a suitable technique in teaching speaking skill of English as a second language among the first year students of the Faculty of Science at the University of Jaffna. The participant observation technique was used to collect data as this is an Ethnographic study. Through the participant observation technique the performance of the students was rated using the number of hesitations and pauses, the number of words used per session, and the use of different structures. In teaching the skill of speaking, the teacher as a researcher initiated the task by speaking for five minutes at the beginning and at the end of the class in the form of pair work during each lecture. The participants were allowed to speak on the topic of their own choice. Here the researcher‟s use of the natural approach can be identified. In addition, the interactive nature of form focused communicative language teaching was adopted where the classroom techniques of language game and information gap were used. The students became comfortable with listening to their peers in pair work tasks rather than relying on the teacher. They were expected to take a greater degree of responsibility for their own learning. The students were also provided with multiple opportunities to use the second language. It was observed that after forty hours of teaching, ninety percent of the students developed fluency and spoke confidently in English.Item Using Poetry in Teaching English as a Second Language as a Means of Improving Language Production(Department of Linguistics, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Gunarathne, N.M.A.D.W.C.With the intention of meeting the needs of English Language learners, Language teachers and instructors are trying to use different methods to improve the language skills of the students. It has been observed that the majority of the students are weak in speaking and writing in English Language. Therefore this paper aims to explore how poetry can be used as a teaching tool in improving speaking and writing among English Language learners. A survey was done using 35 students at the Sri Lanka Institute of Advanced Technology, Tangalle. Several instruments were used in this research. They were some speaking activities, writing activities, questionnaires, interviews. As for the materials, six English poems were selected by different poets. More than 90% students were engaged in all the activities given to them. A significant progress could be seen in both speaking and writing activities with compared to their previous performance in these activities. With respect to the vocabulary they tried to use new words which were learnt through the poems in writing and speaking. Further from the data that were collected through questionnaire, it was learnt 100% of the students agreed with the view that these activities were really helpful and encouraged them to speak and considerably the students were highly motivated, active and enthusiastic since they were free to express their views on the poems unlike on other days. Consequently, the students were less hesitant and became creative in the process. This process was carried out for four weeks and the last two weeks were very important because the students showed considerable improvements. Therefore the results of the research show that the use of poetry in classrooms is very effective and productive indicating fact that poetry can be used as a strategy for improving the language production of the students.Item Mother Tongue Interference on English as a Second Language on Undergraduates' Writing(Department of Linguistics, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Gardihewa, P.N.Second language learners try to use the second language in terms of first language‟s point of view. The purpose of this study was to make ESL learners aware of the gravity of mother tongue intrusion and to analyse certain grammatical errors which undergraduates commit due to mother tongue interference. In this study, an analysis was made to identify the impact of L1 on ESL writings of the undergraduates of Sabaragamuwa University, Sri Lanka. The study is mainly based on the qualitative method of data collection. The data collected from subjects‟ responses were analysed, and the findings were derived. The secondary data were gathered from books, magazines and internet. This study proves that due to lack of certain grammar patterns in native language, ESL learners commit grammatical errors. The word order in English is completely different from the word order in Sinhalese and this particular difference leads ESL learners to commit errors. Thinking in Sinhalese and directly translating it into English is another major error which ESL learners often commit. Therefore it is proved that undergraduates in Sri Lanka as second language learners are affected by mother tongue interference.