A Brief Introduction to Teaching-Learnng Context

 

I am an English instructor at the University of Peradeniya, a prestigious institution located in the central province of the country. Our university is funded by the University Grants Commission and hosts approximately 12,000 students across nine faculties, with the Arts faculty being the largest.

The ESL program, also known as "English for Humanities and Social Sciences," is essential to the University of Peradeniya's academic structure, particularly for the Arts faculty. It encompasses a wide range of students entering the university's diversified academic landscape and serves as a required cornerstone for first and second-year students. This course is more than just a language course, it is created to give students the linguistic skills and competency they need to succeed in their chosen fields of study. Here, the English language acts as a link between students from various linguistic backgrounds, facilitating efficient communication both inside the academic setting and within the multicultural and multilingual university community.

The ESL course is mandatory for all first and second-year students in the Arts faculty. Third-year students have the option to continue the ESL course if they aim to obtain the Diploma in Intermediate English for Humanities and Social Sciences.

My teaching responsibilities primarily revolve around the ESL class, comprising first-year students from the Arts faculty, all aged between twenty to twenty-five. These students are grouped according to their performance on a placement test taken on their first day at the university, with groups numbered from 1 to 32. The lower-numbered groups include students who scored lower on the placement test.

I'm currently teaching the first year, second year and third year undergraduates, a diverse set of students with varying English language proficiency levels. These students come from different departments within the faculty, with some pursuing their main subjects in English medium. Their exposure to the English language prior to university varies greatly, from having learned it since kindergarten to never having had English teachers, even during their O/L examinations.

A minority of students in my classes exhibit lower proficiency levels in English. After conducting further investigations, I found that these students lacked English teachers in their schools. However, they are highly motivated and enthusiastic about learning English, recognizing its importance. They are eager to take on the challenge of learning a new language.

The majority of my students have Sinhalese as their mother tongue, with a few Tamil students as well. They come from diverse family backgrounds. While many had limited exposure to English before coming to the university, they now use it as a lingua franca within the institution, as they interact with people from different linguistic backgrounds. This diversity adds a valuable dimension to the classroom, encouraging cross-cultural interactions and enriching the language learning experience.

Additionally, most of the academic texts in other subjects are also in English medium, emphasizing the importance of the language. ESL courses are compulsory during the first two years, and the results in this course can impact their eligibility for special degree programs.

The Department of English Language Teaching consists of 32 teaching staff members. Most of them come from English-speaking backgrounds and are well-trained to leverage their qualifications and capabilities in instructing students. They hold Bachelor's degrees, and some have completed their Master's degrees, while others are experienced teachers with fluency in English.

The Head of the Department of English is responsible for text selection, and Quality Circle meetings occur twice a month to make decisions regarding the teaching-learning process and student improvement. Teachers also collaborate to devise solutions for scaffolding the weaker minority of students.

As for facilities, our classrooms are well-organized and equipped, providing students with a comfortable and distraction-free learning environment. Multimedia projectors are available in most classrooms, allowing teachers to integrate new technology into their teaching methods. In addition to traditional teaching strategies, teachers use slideshows and innovative activities. Students receive handouts as well as worksheets to enhance their learning experience.

Students' progress is assessed through various means aligned with the curriculum. They undergo two examinations in each semester, the mid-semester and end-semester exams. In-class tests are also conducted to evaluate their comprehension and progress. Furthermore, assignments focusing on speaking, listening, and reading skills play a significant role in improving their English proficiency.