The effectiveness of teaching science subjects through English medium: A narrative analysis of teacher experiences and perceptions in Sri Lankan secondary schools

Abstract

This article analyses four narratives told by four teachers teaching science subjects in four different public secondary schools in the district of Gampaha in Sri Lanka. Gampaha is the second most populous district in Sri Lanka, and is known for excellent results in General Certificate of Education (Advanced Level) exams which school leavers sit at the end of the secondary school cycle. The teachers’ narratives focus on the policy and practice of teaching science subjects through English at secondary level, which was reintroduced in a small number of selected government schools in Sri Lanka in 2002. After using the two local languages, Sinhala and Tamil, for nearly half a century, the Sri Lankan education authorities decided to bring back the English medium to the teaching of science subjects at secondary level as a third language option. One of the policymakers’ reasons was an apparent decline in the English-language fluency of students at this level. To implement the new policy, science teachers (who had themselves been taught in Sinhala or Tamil) were asked to teach in English. More than a decade into the English-medium option, the author interviewed four of them. Their testimonies about their experiences in teaching science subjects offer valuable insights into the difficulties experienced by both teachers and students when teaching and learning in a foreign language such as English. The author’s analysis of his respondents’ statements reveals hidden realities which challenge the benefits of reintroducing English as a medium of instruction (MOI) for science subjects. Thus, the lived experiences of the teachers may help to inform language policy in education in Sri Lanka, and perhaps also in other countries.