Learners Profile

        

Teaching Learning context including learner profile 

                    

The teaching practicum was conducted in Grade 12 and Grade 13 Business Studies classes. Both classes follow the Bilingual Education stream, where the subject is taught using both English and Sinhala. The classrooms are well arranged, furnished with individual desks and chairs, and spacious enough for students to participate comfortably in group activities, presentations, and discussions. Each classroom consists of fewer than ten students, which provides a supportive environment for personalized attention and continuous monitoring of learner progress.

The Grade 12 class consists of 11 students, all of whom have studied in the Bilingual Education stream since Grade 6. Therefore, they have a stable foundation in English vocabulary and are familiar with subject terminology. In the Grade 13 class, there are 8 students. Out of these, 7 students have followed Bilingual Education from Grade 6, while 1 student joined the BE stream only in Grade 12. This student requires additional support in understanding subject terms, but overall, the class is motivated and willing to learn.

Both classes show a positive attitude towards learning through English, although the level of language proficiency varies among students. The majority of the students prefer to use Sinhala during discussions but respond in English for subject-related questions. Female students tend to use English more confidently than male students. When dealing with complex concepts, students request Sinhala explanations, but they are comfortable reading notes and attempting written tasks in English. Most students enjoy pair work, small group tasks, and ICT-based activities such as smartboard presentations, quizzes, and videos.

The students demonstrate a strong interest in Business Studies because many concepts relate to their daily lives and current social issues. They actively participate in discussions about real-world business events, advertisements, market behavior, and entrepreneurship. However, they need guidance when constructing long structured answers, especially for Advanced Level evaluation questions. To support them, I used bilingual vocabulary lists, sentence starters, guided notes, and real-life examples to simplify learning.

The teaching–learning environment is supportive. The school has provided access to ICT facilities such as a smartboard and a wall-mounted television in the Grade 12 classroom. Students repeatedly requested the use of multimedia and PowerPoint slides because it made lessons more engaging. At the beginning of the practicum, I used fewer multimedia tools, but after receiving training on using the smartboard, I incorporated videos, diagrams, and interactive quizzes into the daily teaching process. This significantly improved students’ attention and participation. In the Grade 13 classroom, although the television was available, I mainly used printed notes, discussions, and board work, as the class size was small and the lesson flow remained interactive without technology.

The learners in both grades have good interpersonal relationships and cooperate well during group tasks. Sometimes, friendships influence group formation, as students initially prefer to stay with familiar peers, but with teacher guidance, they adapted to mixed grouping patterns. The students respond positively to a friendly teacher-student relationship. They often share personal experiences, ideas, and observations related to business situations they encounter in daily life.

Overall, the learner profile, classroom environment, resources, and school support contributed positively to the teaching–learning process, enabling meaningful teaching experiences and active student engagement throughout the practicum.

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