International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) |Volume VI, Issue XII, December 2022|ISSN 2454-6186
Influence of English language proficiency on tertiary level education
Gopika.N1* and Kaveevendan.K2
1Main Library, Eastern University, Sri Lanka
2Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Eastern University, Sri Lanka
*Corresponding Author
Abstract: English is an international language, which is essential for interpersonal communication across the world. It is considered to be a common language in the field of education, business, trade, and commerce. It is found from the research studies that imparting proficiency in the English language should begin right from the school level education. Thus, the present study was carried out to assess the influence of English language proficiency on tertiary-level education in a target undergraduate student population (second year in biological sciences) at the Faculty of Science, Eastern University, Sri Lanka. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Collected data were analyzed by Excel software (Windows 10.0) to assess the significant influence of English language proficiency in tertiary education. In the current study, the sex ratio (male and female) was nearly 2:1 (63% and 37%) respectively. The national
school students showed a more successful rate for university entrance than provincial school. Further, the highest frequent usage of English than their mother tongue was noticed among university teachers (84%) when compared with school teachers (40%). Furthermore, the analysis showed that the majority of the students are using the English language in the university (87%), then school (40%). Most of the students were highly engaged in writing (94%), listening (83%), and reading rather than speaking skills (53%). Usage of the English language was higher (100%) in university education than in schools. Hence, the pass rate of English language proficiency was high at the tertiary level than the secondary level. Thus, this study recommends that school teachers should frequently use English in order to communicate with students while teaching.
Keywords: English, Tertiary level education, Graduate
I. INTRODUCTION
In the current globalized world, English is most common and primary language at international level and also it plays a critical role in many academic disciplines including Science, Engineering, Economics, International Relations & higher education. In the case of higher education English is the most important area, because other than Art subjects, English has been used as the medium of instruction.
Even though, English is a second language in Sri Lanka, it is inevitably helpful to higher education, accessing modern knowledge, developing scientific research, global communication livelihood in myriad ways. However, English is considered compulsory to get a job after graduation especially in private sectors. Further, English is the basic requirements to follow certain courses of study as well as for