Speak English our way

Disna Mudalige

There have been much debate recently on the English Language teaching method in our country. English is taught in our schools since the period of colonization. Even though there is a small layer in the society which uses English as the first language, it is either a second or a foreign language for most of us. With the approach of modern computer technology and globalization the importance of English has been felt more than ever before.

It is at this critical juncture the special Presidential task force on “English as a Life Skill” was formed. It has come forward for a vast attitudinal change towards English by removing the common concept of ‘Kaduwa’ (sword) among students and the general public.

One of the activities of this task force was to develop a course for the general public to improve the English Language fluency. Presidential Adviser and Special Presidential Task force on “English as a Life Skill” Coordinator Sunimal Fernando said that their hope is to make English a common weapon for everybody.

Status of English in Sri Lanka

“English has been taught in our schools five hours per week for twelve years. There are about 23,000 government school teachers to teach English. As found out by a research conducted by the Presidential Secretariat, there are over 2400 private institutions outside the school system to teach English. Even with such enormous effort and resources being invested in the country, today there is only a few who could speak English fluently and confidently.

As we have found out there are two fundamental reasons for this condition and nothing more. One is that still the upper classes in the country, and specially the new entrants those who have entered into the English teaching class for the first time want to keep the monopoly of English towards themselves. Their strategy in doing that is asking the learners to speak English as ‘sudda’ does. They discourage students by ridiculing them over small pronunciation mistakes.

There is a huge attitudinal obstacle that has been generated by a small English speaking upper layer of the society. More than them, sociologically we have found out that, new entrants into the English speaking class is the main obstacle to promote English for all. They think about their difficulties encountered to enter into this class and try to close the doors for others to get in. So what is required is a huge national level attitudinal change, and the only way to bring about this change is by fighting and defeating the powers of small upper layer of the society with the use of state powers.

The efforts by former governments in this task failed because the program coordinators were unable to touch the ordinary people. People rejected those programs thinking that these would detach them from their roots. This time signs of successful results have emerged due to the use of teachers who live with the society and not aloof from the society. Nobody dares to object to this process since the fullest support of the State and the President is behind this,” Fernando observed.

Pronunciation

Different countries have different pronunciation and accents. British pronunciation is different from the American, where as Australian pronunciation is different from both above. What we have been doing is trying to imitate foreign pronunciation and accents which do not suit the Sri Lankan way. Fernando stressed that elocution has become a money oriented business that destroys the country as same as NGOs.

“Some NGOs tried their best to prevent the conclusion of war and keep the country in a turmoil. In the same manner, elocution industry tries to reserve English to those whom it is limited now. It does not encourage the learners to use a Sri Lankan style. Ultimately those who go for elocution classes neither speak like a British because they can never, nor speak like a Sri Lankan.

Speak English Our Way is introduced with the advice of the President to remove the fear in speaking English in our way. Our aim is to give all Sri Lankans the competence to speak English fluently like Finance Deputy Minister Sarath Amunugama, External Affairs Minister GL Peiris, Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga or Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivaard Kabral who may serve as models for Sri Lankan English,” he remarked.

Teaching Method

Fernando identified that the second fundamental reason for the failure of English is the teaching method. It is by using grammar in schools that a fear is generated among students. But naturally, we learn any language as a spoken language. Grammar becomes familiar with the use without a deliberate effort.

Presidential task force has now introduced this new method to government schools. All 23,000 English teachers in government schools will complete their special training to teach English using up to date methodologies by December this year. The syllabus is also changed accordingly. One period per week is allocated for spoken English. Fernando said that from 2012 onwards even the examination system would be changed and the speech would be tested in the O-L Examination.

“Unlike for most developing countries and unlike India, we have learned English for 12 long years, and English is being used frequently in our environment. English is there within our system, and what is required is to take it out”he said.

Special Course

With the help of experts in the English teacher training, a special course has been formulated to suit our country in order to meet this target.

Unlike the traditional English teaching methods carried out up to now, this 100 hour course gives special focus on the spoken element. A modern up to date teaching methodology is being used for this task without solely depending on grammar and reading exercises to teach the language.

This course is designed to give the ordinary people the competency of speaking English as the educated Sri Lankan elites whose roots are still Sri Lankan. This course has already been started at Bandaranaike Center for International Studies (BCIS), and due to its higher demand a decision has been taken to initiate this course in Ratnapura, Kurunegala, Anuradhapura and Tangalle.

The priority of this course is given to remove the fear in spoken English. It teaches proper English without an unnecessary stress on pronunciation and accent. Fernando said that a public examination appropriate for the 100 hour course is declared by Examination Department Commissioner General Anura Edirisinghe and the date of this examination will be announced in the near future.

These courses are conducted by 79 teachers who have obtained a special training on teaching English for second language learners at English and Foreign Language University in Hyderabad in India, which is considered as the world center to teach English for non native speakers of the language.

The necessity of this University aroused with the Information Technology Revolution that took place in India. About millions of employment opportunities related to IT field emerged with it. The need of a new methodology to teach English was strongly felt at that period to take the benefit of emerging employment opportunities in the country.

“Sri Lankan teachers who obtained the training in Hyderabad have changed it to suit our culture and requirements. We have only taken their methodology and not their English. Cost and the cultural appropriateness are two main reasons to select India for this training”, Kelaniya University Lecturer and Chief Coordinator of this course Dinali Fernando said.

Janith Pasindu (20), who have joined this course as a student after A-L commented with a positive note towards this course.

“We have learned English at school to a fair degree. We know the grammar and what we lack is the speaking fluency. Improving the spoken English is what I expect, and I think this course will be a great help for it. I have also participated in spoken English classes conducted by various institutions before. Compared to those crowded classes, in this class we can interact with the teacher easily and frequently,” he commented.

At the same time, some learners of this course also pointed out the fact that there should be a placement test to place students for different levels rather than mixing them all.

Most of them had followed several English courses within the range from Rs. 6000 to Rs. 30,000 prior to this. But some have abandoned them since their requirements are not met.

This also shows their keen enthusiasm in improving the English Language. This also confirms that the English teaching method we adhered up to now has failed in its task.

Colombo University Lecturer Yamuna Samarakoon who is a teacher of this course at the BCIS mentioned that they teach English using contexts and words familiar to our culture and people. In that way, they will be practiced to converse flowingly in English on daily events related to us, she expressed.

Contact numbers of 100 hour course coordinators are as follows. Kurunegala- Priyanka Kumarasinghe 0718341389, Mithila Weerasinghe 0718341516, Ratnapura- Jayantha Rathnayaka 0714487345, Tangalle- Gayathri Andrahennedi 0714800080 and Colombo- BCIS 2698019.