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Publications - Works
of W.H. Samaranayake
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“Practical
English” and “English with a Smile”
were two volumes which first appeared in print in the
middle of the 20th century, and from then onward became
well established as the standard ‘teachers’
companion’ in the latter half of the Century, and
was prescribed as the principal textbook for the Teaching
of English to Sri Lankan students.
The author was the Founder Principal
in the early 1930s of St. Bernadette’s College,
Polgahawela, the doyen among educationists in Sri Lanka,
Mr. W.H.Samaranayake (now deceased). He was the first
academician to have used Sri Lankan indigenous themes,situations
and characters in establishing a teaching medium with
a local flavour as would appeal to Sri Lankans.
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Mr.Samaranayake
himself published these memorable volumes, and after 50
years, these works still retain their appeal and resonance
among students and teachers alike. Repeated reprints have
continued to be made available through the good offices
of the Expographic Book Shop, under the trading name “Samaranayake
Publishers”.
His first book of the series was “Practical
English” in 1940. This was followed by another in
the series “English without Tears” in 1951.
In 1952 it was revised and reprinted under the title “English
with A smile”, and in 1954 there was the Second
Book “English with a Smile”. Then in 1957
came the third book under the same theme “English
with a Smile”. They were used as prescribed class
text books in all schools in Sri Lanka until 1965.
They are still current as text books
for teaching English in Sri Lanka and are used in most
of private schools and where special tuition in English
is offered, and sales have been at around 30,000 to 40,000
copies per year. All of these books are published by Samaranayake
Publishers which remains under the purview of Mr. Ranjith
Samaranayake.
These books offer something special as
compared with similarly priced books printed in Sri Lanka.
For the quality of the content it is considered by the
student population as being at very reasonable rates and
therefore affordable. |
