THE NEED OF DEVELOPING ENGLISH FOR TODAY’S SRI LANKAN TAMIL STUDENTS

In the history of English education in Sri Lanka, English is taught as a second language from the primary to secondary levels. English language was used as a medium of education until 1956. The educated upper class families in these communities obtained education and went abroad to continue their under graduate and post graduate studies. Many of them completed degrees in English literature. English medium education paved the way to many Sri Lankans to work under the British regime who ruled the country until its independent in 1948. As Sri Lanka is a developing country, it faces lots of challenges in various fields including learning English as a Second Language (ESL). There are three main communities in Sri Lanka. They are Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese. English language is taught and learnt as a second language. The Second World War too had a positive impact on the importance of English medium education and the acquisition of English as a Second Language.

After the end of the British regime native English speakers, missionaries, teachers and their families quit Sri Lanka. In 1957 the Sri Lankan leader S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike introduced mother tongue as the medium of education. For a decade the changes in the proficiency in the second language was not very noticeable. But from 1967 to date the proficiency levels in second language have fallen drastically. From then onwards the majority of the second language learners, especially the Tamil speaking students, gradually lost interest in learning English for the following reasons. The introduction of mother tongue education , less exposure to native English speaking environment, lack of trained English teachers , peer, parents and neighbors’ support to learn English have made a drastic impact on today’s Tamil speaking students’ proficiency in English language. For about a decade the Tamil students survived to learn and use English due to their parents’ knowledge of English.

The first and foremost factor which affected the Sri Lankan Tamil second language learners is the lack of English trained teachers. Today more and more English medium teachers are recruited as English teachers. Those teachers themselves have not properly learnt English grammar and other language oriented skills. the ESL text books carry lots of references to objects, activities and names in Sinhala.. The Tamils play less important roles in writing ESL text books and designing curriculum.

Tamil students had less opportunity to speak and listen in English during the thirty years of war. Whereas the Sinhala people had lot of advantageous facilities, English education links, situations and opportunities to listen and speak the language as their first language. The Tamils who are thickly populated in the North and East of Sri Lanka were further affected by the after war and gradual economic and educational developments.

A big gap in the process of learning and acquiring the second language could be observed in the Tamil speaking students of Sri Lanka today. The Tamils of Sri Lanka need to build up their knowledge. Today the Tamil students in Sri Lanka need English knowledge to openly discuss their educational, social, religious, cultural and political problems. As minorities they have to work hard to obtain good English knowledge to compete with the other communities which did not face any obstruction in education Further they need English to do reference in English for Academic and general purposes. They need exposure to the target language to speak flawlessly and with good accent to communicate, get information and pass information to impress others and to fulfill their objectives, to obtain good salary jobs, to correspond by writing in good English, and to listen in English and understand.

As English is a global language, todays Tamil students have to upgrade their English knowledge to suit their expected proficiency levels.as a result they can have access to latest news and inventions. They can upgrade their knowledge in other subjects such as science and technology by developing their English proficiency. English knowledge will enable them to enjoy English novels, films, songs and other literature. The knowledge of English is essential for travel and transportation purposes .in brief English language functions as a mode to impart their knowledge in any field. Finally todays Tamil students in Sri Lanka should realize the use and importance of English in their real life situation and take necessary steps to improve their English Knowledge for their present and future educational, professional and other objectives in their future endeavors.

– Bavvatharani R 

Nallur – Jaffna

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