Optimal Use of L1 and L2 in Teaching Chinese to Sri Lankan Students: Approaches and Challenges

Dassanayake, Noel

doi:10.46627/silet.v2i3.78

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…All of the proper names are selected from either East Asian or Western settings. Dassanayake (2021) has proposed that a partial immersion or a translanguaging instructional model would preferably be more appropriate for teaching foreign languages, specifically in teaching the Chinese language in Sri Lanka. Another key issue raised by the informants is that they quite often find the English translations in global textbooks incomprehensible and misleading.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of an Evaluation Checklist for Localized Chinese Language Textbooks in Sri Lanka

Dassanayake

2023

Lingua Cultura

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The research analyzed the limitations of existing Chinese language textbooks in Sri Lanka and proposed a tentative checklist for evaluating localized Chinese language textbooks. The discourse on the effectiveness of global textbooks in local contexts and the need for evaluating such textbooks had seen new paradigm shifts in parallel to the transformations in new language environments. A majority of the institutes and programs teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language in Sri Lanka were using global CFL textbooks as their main study material, and their effectiveness had not yet been evaluated by researchers. The research conducted a quadruple perspective analysis, including an online survey with learners and teachers to examine the issues in existing CFL textbooks, a review of existing literature on textbook evaluation, an analysis of existing CFL textbooks in Sri Lanka, and an examination of existing language textbook evaluation criteria. The findings of the survey indicate that global textbooks have not catered to the specific language requirements of the informants. Insensitivity to the local and regional cultural content, minimal utilization of learners’ L1 repertoire, ambiguous inapt translation of vocabulary, and market-oriented presentation of teaching-learning content is found to be core issues, and high pricing and inaccessibility also are influential issues. Based on the quadruple perspective analysis, the research has developed a tentative evaluation checklist of 37 items with a specific emphasis on localization and culture sensitivity.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of an Evaluation Checklist for Localized Chinese Language Textbooks in Sri Lanka

Dassanayake

2023

Lingua Cultura

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“…Chinese language is among the newest foreign languages introduced to the Sri Lankan education system and has a brittle research history where most aspects of pedagogy have been largely neglected. One of the key issues within the field is the extensive use of global textbooks where English becomes the link language between the learner, the textbook, and the teacher (Dassanayake, 2021). Global textbooks are often laden with ideological content and can contribute to the weakening of the socio-linguistic spirit of learners through the neglect of their native language repertoire (Dassanayake, 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Translanguaging Practices and Recontextualizing Learning Material: A Corpus-Based Study of Global Chinese Language Textbooks Used in Sri Lanka

Yasasri

2024

LLT Journal

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Despite the abundance of studies investigating translanguaging pedagogy, recontextualizing learning material has rarely been a concern of recent studies. The present study employs content analysis and critical discourse analysis to examine two global CFL textbooks used in Sri Lanka to evaluate their compliance with translanguaging practices. Three imperative aspects of translanguaging pedagogy, namely representation of culture, instruction language, and nationalism and socio-cultural polarization were the key areas of concern in content analysis. In the culture domain analysis, references from the textbooks were fed into 10 child codes and 3 parental codes in NVivo12. The results demonstrated that there is a critical inequity in the representation of local and global cultures in the textbooks which is especially distinct in the interlocutors and their nationality options. Socio-cultural polarization of the source culture with the West was evident in the critical discourse analysis and adaptation was predominantly promoted as a unilateral affair where the foreign learner continually adapts to the target culture. The study proposes that contextual sensitivity and ideological impartiality should be ensured in recontextualizing textbooks for translanguaging practices in Sri Lanka from three aspects, namely incorporation of L1 into textbooks, integration of multiculturalism and freeing textbooks of ideological and hegemonic practices.

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“…22 Using the mother tongue in learning a second and foreign language is not new. 23 The Language in Education Policy (LiEP) of 1997 requires English to become the language of teaching and learning (LoLT) from Grade 4. In other words, non-native learners are taught all content subjects in English instead of their home languages.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Self-Directed learning to mitigate the Post-Covid-19 Pedagogical needs of Rural English First Additional Language Learners

Mokoena

2022

EHASS

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Perhaps, one major lesson that can be drawn from the COVID-19 pandemic is the danger of learners’ over-dependence on teachers. This situation requires serious scrutiny, especially in rural schools where remote learning faces serious challenges. Therefore, enhancing learners’ learning autonomy in the post-pandemic era is necessary. In response, this paper seeks to provide insights into how self-directed learning may be used to mitigate the pedagogical needs of English first additional language (FAL) learners in rural South African schools. Fifteen English FAL teachers in this study responded to the question: What could be done to promote rural English FAL learners’ self-directed learning in the post-COVID-19 era? The paper follows a qualitative research design and adopts self-determination theory as a lens. The study uses observation, online interviews and document analysis for data generation. The findings indicate that English FAL teachers view self-directed learning as a tool to monitor learner progress, promote ownership, increase learning opportunities, and enhance school-home connections. Self-directed learning mitigates English FAL learners’ pedagogical needs by fostering a sense of ownership among rural English FAL learners, designing activities that promote learner-centred learning, creating supportive learning environments, and increasing parental involvement. The study recommends that English FAL teachers may use tasks with clear instructions to allow learners to complete them independently and with less teacher dependency. In addition, parents and teachers may communicate consistently to maintain and strengthen home-school relationships that foster learners’ self-directed learning and parental involvement. Keywords: COVID-19, English FAL, Post-pandemic, Self-directed learning, Rural learners

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Optimal Use of L1 and L2 in Teaching Chinese to Sri Lankan Students: Approaches and Challenges

Cited by 3 publications

References 29 publications

Development of an Evaluation Checklist for Localized Chinese Language Textbooks in Sri Lanka

Development of an Evaluation Checklist for Localized Chinese Language Textbooks in Sri Lanka

Translanguaging Practices and Recontextualizing Learning Material: A Corpus-Based Study of Global Chinese Language Textbooks Used in Sri Lanka

Using Self-Directed learning to mitigate the Post-Covid-19 Pedagogical needs of Rural English First Additional Language Learners

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