Usage of Resources to Facilitate English Language Teaching and Learning in Government Schools in The Gampaha District

Abstract

Even though every child commences to learn English from their nursery, even after thirteen years of education of the English language, there are students who are unable to pass the General English Language paper at the Advanced Level examination. Thus in the process of teaching and learning any language, according to the evaluation report done by the Department of Examination (2013), using resources to facilitate the process is suggested as one of the key aspects for an effective teaching and learning process in English. This study provides an insight into the usage of resources to facilitate English language teaching and learning in five government schools in the Biyagama Divisional Secretariat in Gampaha district. The purpose of this study is to examine whether the present English language teaching methodology uses resources to facilitate the teaching and learning process that makes English language teaching at government schools effective. The study adopts a mixed method approach, comprising of both qualitative and quantitative data: student and teacher questionnaires and lesson observations. Both the data collecting methods are carried out to investigate whether the government English teaching classrooms still follow traditional teaching methods regardless of utilizing the resources that are more beneficial when teaching a communicative language like English. Thus the research sample consists of fifty eight participants; fifty students from nine classes and eight teachers who teach English for the selected classes. The findings of the study indicate that other than the text book or any other supplementary book given by the Ministry of Education, resources such as Internet and audio cassettes, videos and games are not at all incorporated when teaching English in these selected government schools. Thus the government should guide the English language teachers to use more resources to make the lessons that are taught, interesting and meaningful.