The Influence of Teachers’ Teaching Approaches on Senior Secondary Students’ English Language Learning

Abstract

Contemporary English is regarded as a significant language at the international level. Proficiency in English has become indispensable across diverse fields such as knowledge of development, scientific research, international trade, and communication technology. In Sri Lanka the foundations of English language competence are primarily provided at the school level. The teaching approaches adopted by English language teachers in schools play a decisive role in determining students’ future levels of English proficiency. In the Mannar District, there are two Education Zones, Madhu and Mannar. Within the Madhu Education Zone, there are two Divisions: Manthai West and Madhu. This study focuses on the level of English competency of Grade 11 students studying in schools belonging to these two Divisions of the Madhu Education Zone, as well as the influence of English teachers’ instructional approaches on students’ performance. Since both quantitative and qualitative data were employed, this study adopts a mixed-method research design. Descriptive analysis was used to carry out the study. The study population comprised of 200 senior secondary Grade 11 students from the Manthai West Division, 52 English language teachers, 10 school principals, one English Subject Advisor, and one English instructional resource person. In the current context, schools are progressively being transformed in line with the digital era. As a result teaching and learning approaches are expected to be aligned with to be these changes, promoring innovation, and effectively contributing to the enhancement of English language proficiency.