Tamil & Sinhala

Learning a new language involves listening, speaking, reading, writing, and sometimes even a new alphabet and writing format. Young children are natural language acquirers; They are self-motivated to pick up language without conscious learning, unlike adolescents and adults. They have the ability to imitate pronunciation and work out the rules for themselves. KS1 & KS2 students study Tamil & Sinhala. They are given opportunities to express their thoughts and ideas in a different language. They are encouraged to understand and respond in speech and writing.

Junior school students learn a wide range of topics to expose students to a wide variety of vocabulary. They also study Sri Lankan culture by looking at Sinhala and Tamil New Year customs and cultures. In lessons, our children participate in games and activities that develop vocabulary, and as they progress, they build their knowledge into sentences and paragraphs. They engage in conversations and ask and answer questions on relevant topics. Students express ideas and respond to the ideas of others. Lessons include songs, video clips, and group and individual work. Progress is monitored by assessments at the end of each topic covering at least one of the four language skills- Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing.

In Tamil & Sinhala, Children learn the basics of colours, clothes, animals, pronouns, places around town, weather, seasons, places around the school, objects, prepositions and numbers. They enjoy learning Sinhala & Tamil and think that their knowledge of the language will help them later in life.

Learning a new language is an achievement anyone can be proud of and is extremely satisfying. Once the hard work and effort have paid off, children will experience the many benefits associated with learning a new language and they will have a newfound confidence. When students leave Junior School, they have developed their love for the Tamil & Sinhala languages and will have the confidence to communicate in Sinhala & Tamil on topics covered. They will also be ready to build on the foundation they have built as they move into senior school.