ARS - 2013
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://repository.kln.ac.lk/handle/123456789/171
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Item Phonemic and phonological development in the speech of 3 to 4 year old Sinhala-speaking children living in the Rathnapura district whose mothers are employed or not employed(University of Kelaniya, 2013) Wanniarachchi, W.A.G.M.; Hettiarachchi, S.This study investigates the phonemic and phonological development of Sinhala speaking children, age between 3 to 4 years, living in the Rathnapura district. It focused on the possible effect of age, gender and socio economic status (SES) and whether the mother is employed or not employed. The total sample consisted of 80 children (44 females and 36 males) from preschools in the Rathnapura district. They were selected using a purposive and convenient sampling method. The sample was spilt into 2 age groups( 3;0 – 3;6 and 3;7- 4;0) of 40 participant in each. Gender and SES were considered within groups and age was considered between groups. An informal picture based assessment tool based on Diagnostic Evaluation of Articulation and Phonology (DEAP) (DEAP, Dodd et al., 2003) was used to obtain speech samples. The assessment tool consisted of 75 coloured pictures which represent speech sounds in word initial, medial or final positions, in identical consonant clusters (reduplication) and in non identical consonant clusters. The speech samples were gathered during spontaneous naming or in repetition. Inferential statistics and t-tests were used in the analysis to determine the influence of age, gender and SES on phoneme accuracy and the acquisition of phonology. The study found that Sinhala speaking children acquired all the vowels and 22 consonants by the age of 4 years. Phonological accuracy increased with age with fewer typical phonological processes observed. Gender and SES were not found to significantly influence phonemic or phonological acquisition. The study found some language specific phonological features of Sinhala compared to English norms. The findings have clinical implications for service delivery.Item Typical phonemic and phonological development of three year old Sri Lankan Tamil – speaking children in the Colombo district(University of Kelaniya, 2013) Saleem, S.; Hettiarachchi, S.Background: In Sri Lanka, speech and language therapists currently use standardized English language norms in clinical practice for diagnosis and when planning intervention for speech disorders. Cross - linguistic studies have shown that languages have both universal and specific features; the norms of one language can thus not be applied to another. So, the need to obtain language specific normative data of speech development for children in Sri Lanka is essential for assessment and differential diagnoses. Objectives: The objective of this study is to determine the speech sound inventory and phonological error patterns that exist in Sri Lankan Tamil speaking 3 year old children. In addition, it also investigates the effect of age, gender and socio dialectal variation on speech sound development. Materials and methods: An informal picture-based assessment was used to gain speech samples from 80 Tamil-speaking children between the ages of 3;0 – 3;11 years from Colombo district. The data were phonetically transcribed and audio recorded. In addition, the data were statistically analysed using t-tests and qualitatively analysed with reference to norms for English used in current clinical practice. Results: It was found that 75% of speech sounds are acquired by the age of 4;0. The children produced more speech sounds at an earlier age than their English- speaking peers. The findings indicate a statistically significant influence of age on phoneme acquisition and on the suppression of phonological error patterns, but no significant effect was found on gender or socio- dialectical variation. Conclusions and recommendations: The findings can be used as tentative norms in clinical practice for Sri Lankan Tamil speaking children. Furthermore, the study can provide speech-language therapists with a framework for further research, and contribute to constructing a relevant database for Sri Lankan Tamil speech development.Item A study of phonetic and phonological development of Sinhala speaking children in the Puttalam district age 3:0-3:11 years(University of Kelaniya, 2013) Nonis, P.D.M.; Hettiarachchi, S.Introduction: Normative data on speech development are essential to differentiate children with speech difficulties from typically developing children. Due to the lack of normative data on Sinhala, currently, clinicians depend on norms established for English. But the normative data for English cannot be applied to Sinhala speaking children due to language specific features. Objectives: The main objectives of the study are to document the sounds in the phonetic inventory and phonological processes used by Sinhala speaking children between 3:0- 3:11 years. It also focused on identifying whether gender or maternal education has any impact on the development of speech. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used in this study. 80 monolingual Sinhala speaking children from five different areas in the Puttalam district participated. They were selected from the two age bands (3;0-3;5 and 3;6- 3;11 years). Children’s speech abilities were assessed using an informal picture based assessment tool developed for Sinhala, based on the Diagnostic Evaluation of Articulation and Phonology (Dodd et al 2003). Results: Sinhala speaking children have acquired all vowels by 3:0 years. The order of acquisition of consonants is consistent with that of English speaking children. Stop sounds, approximants, lateral sounds and nasals including /m/ and /n/ emerged first in Sinhala- speaking children. Fricatives and trills were found to be later sounds. However, none of the pre-nasalised stop sounds were used by 3:11 year olds. The phonological processes used by children showed universal and language - specific patterns. Denasalisation of pre-nasalised stops and lateralisation were found as language specific error patterns in Sinhala speakig children. Conclusions: The study revealed significant effects of age and maternal education on phonological development. The findings of this study can be used to make tentative, yet clear diagnoses of Sinhala – speaking children with speech difficulties, and in planning and implementing intervention.Item Accessing tertiary education: Rights and realities for students experiencing disabilities(University of Kelaniya, 2013) Hettiarachchi, S.; Daskon-Attanayake, L.; Das, A.; Jalil, I.; Chanaka, W.; Walisundara, D.; Ranaweera, M.; Rassool, R.Although the right to higher education is ensured in the Education Acts of Sri Lanka, in practice, the challenges faced by persons with disabilities within the university system questions this assumed prerogative. Anecdotally, the provision of special recording devices has enabled students with particular disabilities such as visual impairment, to better access the curriculum, while others such as those experiencing hearing difficulties or dyslexia may have inadequate support. This study aims to identify the barriers and facilitators to accessing higher education within two universities: the University of Kelaniya and the University of Sri Jayawardenepura. It aims to gather information via individual semi-structured interviews and focus groups. The data will be analysed qualitatively using key principles of Framework Analysis (Ritchie & Spencer, 1994). The findings will have important implications for policy and practice.Item Charming the unseen snakes(University of Kelaniya, 2013) de Zoysa, A.M.; Jayatunga, M.; Hettiarachchi, S.; Pathirana, H.; Gunesekera, M.The initial documentation of sociolinguistic data of a remote discourse community of Tulu speakers is the essence of this paper. A pilot study to collect first hand experience of documenting evidence of discourse communities8 was conceptualized by a team of researchers converging from disciplines such as Language Studies, Linguistics, Musicology, Cultural Studies, Gender, and Disability Studies from the University of Kelaniya. Consultations and briefing with researchers who have worked with discourse communities and similar communities preceded the visit to the community of “Snake charmers”. De-briefing of data collection, critical analysis of literature produced so far on the Tulu language and contextualizing the ongoing research concluded the three day pilot study. The methodology for the study is the audiovisual recording of the initial meeting with a remote discourse community of the Telegu people. The Ahikuntaka community of Devagama, living in Aligambay in the Akkaraipattu District (Eastern Province) was visited over the Vesak weekend of 2013 to make initial contact and build rapport with the discourse community. This objective of this paper is to demonstrate the challenges of sociolinguistic or ethnographic research in the 21st century. It pinpoints some issues that are glossed over, or overlooked as being irrlevant to the topic when presenting facts in reports, because they have not been included in the research proposal. It will also record difficulties, disappointments and disenchantments when working in “exotic settings”. The paper highlights the difficulties of data collection with ‘researcher as observer’ in the context of ethical clearance. In terms of the discourse community, the results of the study show the sociolinguistic issues of identity under threat. The only educated villager calls herself a Tamil speaker and takes pains to hide her Telugu/Tulu roots. Similarly, the villagers identify themselves as Tamils in the official domain, as in filling out electoral register forms, and in claiming that the traditional occupations of snake charming and palmistry are no longer practiced, contrary to the general belief that these are the occupations of the Tulu speaking community.