Students’ Perception Regarding the Teaching Strategies of Government ESL School Teachers and Private Tutors: With Special Reference to a Grade Nine Government School in Galle, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Today, the English language has drawn 'global recognition' and is taught as the second language in most of the countries around the world. In Sri Lanka too, there is a considerable demand for learning English as a second language. English is being taught as a Second Language in government schools as well as in private institutes in Sri Lanka. However, the role of the teacher undergoes fundamental changes with the delivery of a multidimensional second-language program. It is the teacher who acts as a facilitator, resource person, and language model for the second-language classroom. Thus, this study examines the perception of the students regarding the teaching strategies used by government ESL school teachers and private tutors. The study was based on a mixed approach with a survey and a questionnaire. A mixed school in Galle District, Sri Lanka was used as the study area including one hundred and seventy-two students of grade nine using the justification sampling method. The interview was conducted considering the random sampling method with ten students. However, perception varies according to the attitudes of the students regarding the teaching strategies used by the teacher. According to statistical information, it is evident that a large number of students prefer private tutoring as an aid to their government school education in ESL learning. Therefore, the implementation of new strategies is discovered to be important to serve every student in a common ground. Motivational factors are of greater importance in enhancing the ESL knowledge of the students and making them competent in the acquisition of the language.