http://www.digital.lib.esn.ac.lk//handle/123456789/291 2026-04-21T12:46:43Z http://www.digital.lib.esn.ac.lk//handle/1234/16088 Community language schools in Australia: Investigating the role of textbooks in shaping the construction of cultural identities of Sri Lankan and Indian Tamil students Shanmugam, Kulam Children of immigrants can be taught to accept diversity and multiculturalism by clearly understanding who they are and what adjustments they need to make in their socialisation process. Teaching programs at community language schools in Australia are part of the maintenance of languages and cultures of children with an immigrant background. As a community organisation, one of the roles of a community language school is preparing the younger generations of migrants to clearly understand their own identity and thereby make them ready to accept and respect the diversity in Australian society. Tamils are seen as one of the new waves of mass migration in Australia. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2021), there were 95,404 Tamil-speaking people in Australia. This was 30.4% higher than in 2016. More than 1,000 students and around 100 teachers are actively involved in the Tamil community language schools in New South Wales. As the aims and objectives of the Tamil community language schools indicate, students are expected to learn more about their own identity and heritage at the Tamil schools so that they prepare themselves to effectively live as Australian Tamils within the diverse Australian society. Nevertheless, and even though Tamils are one of the major emerging communities in New South Wales (NSW), there has not been any study about the Tamil-speaking communities in terms of language education practices. Therefore, this research has investigated how textbooks, shape the identity formation of students attending NSW Tamil schools. This study has focused on the textbooks (Years 4 to 8) used in Tamil community language schools in NSW. The research design has involved analysing the selected textbooks and conducting interviews with the principal and teachers at a NSW Tamil community language school, using the textbooks, regarding their experiences in relation to these teaching tools. Drawing on critical discourse analysis the data have been analysed as to how or whether the content of the textbooks could influence the identity formation process of the learners. The findings revealed that the content of the textbooks had been purposely chosen to represent elements of Tamil language, culture and identity, despite some overlapping between these elements. The results also indicated that grading of the contents and organisation of topics could have been made to better match with the learners’ cognitive levels. Inclusion of tasks for conversations would have enhanced opportunities for the learners to put language skills into practice and develop their abilities in spoken Tamil. The study recommends that the voices of learners and parents systematically be used to redesign the contents of the textbooks to make them more relevant and attractive, and better meet the learning needs of new generations of Tamils in appropriate ways. 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z http://www.digital.lib.esn.ac.lk//handle/123456789/4243 Washback effects of speaking assessment of teaching English in Sri Lankan schools Umashankar, Singanayagam Washback is a concept commonly used in applied linguistics to refer to the influence of testing on teaching and learning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the washback effect of a new system of English language speaking assessment in Sri Lanka. The new assessment was introduced with the intention of promoting the teaching and learning of English speaking skills in schools as part of a Presidential educational initiative called the English as a Life Skill Programme. The study examined the washback effect of the introduction of speaking assessments at both National and school levels from the perspectives of participants at three levels of the education system: the decision making level, intervening level (teacher trainers and in-service advisors), and implementing level (teachers and students). For this purpose, a mixed methods research approach was employed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants at the decision making level and intervening level to examine whether there were any important gaps in translating policy intentions to the implementing level participants (teachers and students). A questionnaire survey was conducted with teachers and students to investigate their perceptions of the assessment change and its effects on teaching and learning speaking in the classroom. Classroom observations were conducted to gain insights into actual classroom practices in relation to teaching and learning speaking, along with follow-up interviews to seek teachers’ accounts of their classroom practices. The study found that the assessment change did influence teachers’ and students’ perceptions of teaching and learning speaking in the classroom, as well as teachers’ instructional practices. Therefore, some of the policymakers’ intended aims were achieved. However, the intensity and direction of washback were shown to be influenced by several mediating factors such as teachers’ training and contextual factors such as the availability of classroom resources. The findings of this study suggest that assessment reforms can be used to promote change both in what is taught in the classroom and how it is taught, but to different degrees. The study indicated that washback does occur in this context, but it operates in a complex manner associated with many other variables besides the assessment itself. The findings of this study have implications for the improvement of future assessment policies in Sri Lanka, highlighting the importance of timely implementation of reforms and of monitoring them. The findings suggest that it is especially important to listen to key stakeholders’ (teachers’ and students’) voices in the initial planning and feasibility study phases of reform. A thesis submitted to the University of Bedfordshire, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z http://www.digital.lib.esn.ac.lk//handle/123456789/609 A study of rainfall fluctuations in the homogeneous rainfall regimes in Sri Lanka Manickam, Puvaneswaran 1992-01-01T00:00:00Z http://www.digital.lib.esn.ac.lk//handle/123456789/606 Response of the systems for lightning generated high frequency wave Velauthampillai, Jeyanthirahn 2009-01-01T00:00:00Z