Research on Attitudes of Students to the GCE General English Course with Special Emphasis on Schools of the Balangoda Educational Zone, Sri Lanka

Today, educators are faced with the challenge of addressing the needs of the growing number of students whose primary language is not English. While mastering other skills and content in other subject areas, there is the necessity for these learners to gain proficiency in English. Teaching English as a second language to all Sri Lankan school children irrespective of their social, economical or geographical background has been a major educational policy of successive governments in Sri Lanka since the early 1950s. This continues to be the declared government educational policy as in recent years more than ever, the country's need for English-speaking citizens has come to be realized. Teaching of English at the Advanced Level is considered an appropriate means of achieving the goals to equip them with the necessary knowledge and technical skills required for the modern employment market. The results of this cross sectional survey analyses the attitudes of students to the GCE AL General English course in four state schools. This paper further attempts to develop a model for building a direct relationship between student aspirations and English studies in order to achieve greater relevance in the GCE AL General English programme.The findings made in this study regarding the attitudes of students to General English in the Balangoda Educational Zone may provide useful insights for improving educational policy with regard to English education, as well as the quality of the English course offered by schools. Key words: Second Language; Teaching; General Education DOI: 10.4038/suslj.v8i1.1848 Sabaramuwa University Journal Vol. 8(1); December 2008, pp 19-31