Teacher Empowerment on Second Language Education, a Malnourished Baby

Abstract

As it was revealed in a preliminary survey, teacher empowerment programmes done in the Sri Lankan context focus more on content instruction and classroom pedagogy relating to general education. Empowerment programmes specifically designed to address crucial aspects of Teaching English as a Second Language are minimal. One of the objectives of this survey is to study genuine second language teacher needs to be addressed in teacher empowerment programmes . Another objective is to identify a benchmark for context sensitive teaching English as a second language teacher empowerment programmes and then to identify a framework for a quality teacher empowerment programme .A purposive sample of 100 teachers representing rural, semi urban and urban schools were selected to be the sample for the study. An available sample of 10 in Service Advisors was also interviewed to collect data for the study. The study was a qualitative research where questionnaires, semi structured interviews and classroom observations are the data gathering instruments. Data analysis revealed that the teacher empowerment programmes done were not based on the finding of the need analysis of the teachers of English. Problems that the teachers truly and practically faced in teaching English as a second language are not taken as the base line in organizing teacher empowerment programmes. Consequently the teacher teaches the average learner applying general approaches and methodologies unadapted. Second language teachers have not been fully empowered to accommodate pupils with low cognitive levels and common psycho social abnormalities. No mechanism was found to address the disadvantaged learners in the learning teaching process. Strategies to accommodate teacher feedback in decision making too are minimal. It is necessary to re define teacher empowerment programme and role of stake holders on Teaching English as a Second Language in Sri Lankan context.