Use the links below to download handouts and/or slides from the papers and workshops listed below. We will add to this list as the documents are made available by the presenters.

(NOTE: Your computer must have a current version of Adobe Acrobat in order to open and view these files.)

Achieving Relevance in University General English Programmes with a Focus on Motivation    
Paper
Dr. E.A. Gamini Fonseka
Methodology / Research / Materials development / Curriculum development / Culture
Student absenteeism in General English classes has become a chronic problem in almost all Sri Lankan universities. The explanation given by many students is that they feel English is not very relevant to their academic interests or professional aspirations. On the basis of a survey conducted among students at the University of Ruhuna, this paper attempts to develop a model for building a direct relationship between student aspirations and English studies in order to achieve greater relevance in the university General English programme. In this exercise, student motivation in the pursuit of English is made a key focus.
(download slides)

“Apprenticeship and Guided Participation” in University English Language Teaching
Paper
Dr. Marie Perera
Teacher Training / Methodology / Research / Curriculum development
According to socio-cultural and activity theory, children learn through participating with others in common, purposeful activity. Two basic, interrelated concepts in this theory are apprenticeship and guided participation. Based on these concepts, this paper analyses an experimental teaching/learning situation in which a group of postgraduate students developed and conducted a language-proficiency course unit for undergraduates. Analysis of post-course evaluations indicated that this experiment was successful. Undergraduates learned English in a friendly and relaxed environment with opportunities for oral interaction, while the postgraduate students had an opportunity to put into practice what they were learning. Thus, through apprenticeship and guided participation, both groups benefited. This paper will provide insights into how existing resources can be best utilized to provide better teaching and learning opportunities for ELT at the undergraduate level.
(download slides)

Communication Skills - Time to Change?
Paper
Mrs. Rushira Kulasingham
Methodology / Business English
Oral communication skills are those most sought after by university students. This has become evident in the development of Business English courses for students in the Faculty of Management and Finance at the University of Colombo. This paper first looks at the underlying skills and language covered by teachers under the rubric of ‘communication skills’ in years past, and then discusses how the concept has changed over time. It also considers the qualities that make an effective communicator. The paper then goes on to discuss new ways in which teachers can develop students’ communication skills by focusing on the underpinnings of all effective communication – skills that can be implemented whatever the situation, e.g. negotiations, presentations, etc. Looking beyond superficial structures, the new approach discussed will help teachers develop communication skills at a deeper level while providing more effective ways of learning and performing.
(download slides)

Enhancing the Quality of English Language Teaching: Some suggestions Derived from Foreign Language Teaching in Sri Lanka
Paper
Dr. Neelakshi Chandrasena Premawardhena
Methodology                                 
Acquiring competency in English is a long felt need of undergraduates at Sri Lankan universities, the majority of whom are monolingual speakers from rural areas. Although English is taught as a second language in schools from Year 3 onwards, there is little significant improvement in students’ language skills at the time they graduate from university. However, recent studies have shown that at the end of three years of study, in which no more than four hours per week are devoted to teaching, students acquire higher competency in foreign languages than in English. This paper focuses on results of some recent studies conducted at the Department of Modern Languages, University of Kelaniya, which offers six foreign languages including German, French, Japanese and Chinese. The paper attempts to discuss how strategies used to teach these languages could similarly be adopted in the teaching of English. (download slides)

Exploiting Systemic Functional Grammar (SFG) to Teach Text Organization in Academic Writing
Paper
Mr. H.D. Thampoe
Writing / Grammar / English for Specific Purposes
Text organization, its teaching and learning, has always posed problems to teachers and students alike. Drawing upon the configuration (clause as message) of textual metafunction (one of the three metafunctions of language), the lexico-grammatical features which constitute it and non-structural resources (referred to by the term cohesion in SFG) used to establish additional relations within texts (made available in SFG developed by Halliday), this paper elucidates how teachers could help students write unified texts. The internal resources for structuring the clause as message, namely the thematic and information structures and the relevant lexico-grammatical features; the different patterns of organizing texts using these resources; and the ways by which cohesion is created in English, the resources crucial for text organization, are introduced. Texts are analysed to show how writers exploit these resources to encode information in texts.     
(download slides) (download references handout)

Introducing Technology in Teaching English: A Case Study
Paper
Ms. Indu Gamage
Methodology / Computer-assisted instruction
This study investigates how the introduction of technology has changed the face of English language teaching at the University of Ruhuna. One aim of the study was to examine how the introduction of new technologies affected the teaching of English as a foreign language. It is probable that at present, among different teaching strategies adopted by English instructors, the use of devices such as cassette recorders, overhead projectors and multimedia projectors plays a significant role. The study was based on a questionnaire distributed among instructors in the university’s English Language Teaching Unit, and the results will be used in a review of English teaching methodologies used at the university.
(download slides)

Language Skills and Global Competitiveness
Presentation
Mr. John Varley
English and Employment / Policy
Most of Sri Lanka’s export industries report that they could expand their business, create more jobs and earn more foreign exchange if they could find more Sri Lankan workers with good English language skills. This is a global phenomenon, part of the realignment of international economic activity. Competition in today’s global economy is not just among firms but also among international “value chains”. To be part of a successful value chain, Sri Lankan firms will in future have to demonstrate their command of several foreign languages – English first, but probably also Japanese and Chinese.  Sri Lanka lags far behind India in the number of workers who offer a combination of “English+Technical Computing skills,” but not that far behind many other countries in Asia. Sri Lanka has a legacy of English language ability that can be revived. Doing so will help Sri Lankan firms to win prized positions in tomorrow’s global value chains. It will also help the country to position itself as a competitive source of language and skills training in demand by other countries such as China.
(download slides)

Materials Development for Teaching English: The Process
Workshop
Mr. Rajeevan Karal    
Materials development
Materials production is a specialist job – not every good classroom teacher is necessarily a good materials producer. One of the most important factors in materials production, and one that is too often ignored, is the end user. Students often find English language courses uninteresting and irrelevant, and the exercises and tasks in English textbooks seldom challenge or motivate them. Reading materials selected for textbooks are often dated and do not reflect current English usage, and essay topics and stories do not appeal to young adult minds. This workshop aims to familiarize participants with the process of ELT materials development and sensitize them to the need to produce needs-based materials, keeping in view young adult learners’ interests and aptitudes.
(download slides)

“No Woman No Talk”: Gender Interaction and Scores on Speech Tests of ESL Students at the Open University of Sri Lanka
Paper
Ms. Vivimarie Medawattegedera
Speaking / Assessment / Research / Culture   
As gender is considered an important factor in language use, sociolinguists have shown great interest in the relationship between gender and language for over three decades. However there is a dearth of investigation into the relationship between gender and second language acquisition, especially in testing situations. This study aims to contribute to the body of research in this area by comparing performance when same-gender pairs and mixed pairs interact in a speech test for English as a second language. The major issues addressed are whether the role of women being supportive/cooperative in conversational interactions transfers itself to testing situations and how this is reflected in performance evaluation.

One hundred and sixty six students who took the final exam for the Certificate in Professional English conducted by the Open University were required to take ‘pair-tests’ for the oral component, and their scores were analysed for the effect of gender interaction on performance. Performance was evaluated for linguistic accuracy, content, fluency and confidence by two assessors in each instance. The analysis of scores found significant effects of gender interaction on performance. The findings of this study have implications for pair/group and role-play activities in the classroom as well as for training and conducting of oral tests in gender-sensitive ways.
(download slides)

Presentation Skills for Emergent ELT Leaders
Workshop
Mrs. Janet Orr
Professional Development / Speaking / Methodology
For ELT professionals moving into leadership roles, effective presentation skills are essential for success. This workshop focuses on strategies for preparing presentations, conducting workshops and leading discussions. Topics include structuring a session based on objectives, targeting your audience, preparing a script or plan, writing an agenda, and creating handouts and visuals.
(download slides) (download references handout)

The Use of Asynchronous E-learning for Academic Communication and Discussion         
Paper
Mrs. M.E.I. Nanayakkara
Writing / English for Specific Purposes / Methodology / Computer-assisted instruction
Asynchronous e-learning provides a platform and an opportunity for self-directed learning and professional development. In today’s high-tech, market-oriented society, the development of co-operative, team-based work skills and acquisition of knowledge have become of paramount importance. The goals and objectives have to be steered to prepare the learning environment so as to nurture such development. In this presentation, the principles of asynchronous e-learning, and its application in a university environment, will be discussed.(download slides)