Spoken English suffers from focus on exams, writing

The teaching of English in state primary and secondary schools places too much emphasis on exams and on writing, at the expense of helping pupils learn how to speak the language, a national conference heard last week.

Ninette Lucia, an Education Officer for primary schools with an emphasis on the teaching of English, said there was "exam pollution" in the upper classes of primary schools, with teachers forced to teach only for the impending Junior Lyceum entrance exam.

Too much importance was given to writing, and not enough to oracy. "When I visit schools I find that a lot of children are not able to reply to questions in English. They should be able to speak before anything else."

She said pupils do not see the language as "a real one used for communication purposes, but just another subject on the curriculum".

"This is the reason why some children are failing in the subject. Teachers need to motivate the children to see the need for English, to promote a desire to learn it, and to make it a more enjoyable subject to learn." The pass rate in the English Junior Lyceum entrance exam hovers at around 50 per cent.

George Camilleri, Education Officer for English within the Curriculum Department of the Education Division, had a similar message for the participants of the conference held at Attard primary school, the first in a series to review the way subjects are being taught at school.

Teaching English in Malta, he observed, was "largely teacher-centred, text book-based, exam-driven with a heavy bias on writing".

Teaching should become more "learner-centred" - more enjoyable and meaningful to the students, taking into consideration their needs, interests and inclinations, and engaging them more in the lesson.

"Let's think about it: are there students in our classes that, day in, day out, never utter a word of English? Why exactly does it happen? Are there students who finish Form 5 (that is, after 11 years of daily lessons in English) and are unable to say, for example, 'I'm sorry, but I didn't understand what you were saying' when it so required.

"Why exactly does it happen? Is it because of the syllabus? Because of the textbook? Because of the exam?

"At the other end of the spectrum, why is it that even so-called high achievers find it sometimes impossible to articulate opinions, beyond saying yes and no? Is it because they have always relied on the teacher to provide them with an opinion?"

Mr Camilleri proposed an increase in emphasis on oracy: "The teaching of English in Malta has a strong traditional bias on reading and writing, probably a backwash effect of 'O' Level exams. Without undermining these strengths, we need to take up a broader approach to the language and this should be realised by giving more importance and credit to oral and aural skills".

Both Mr Camilleri and Ms Lucia had some good news on this front though.

Mr Camilleri said oracy had been introduced in final assessment schemes throughout the state secondary system, in line with the need to place more emphasis on speaking and listening skills.

Ms Lucia said a new syllabus for English in primary schools was in the process of being finalised. Listening and speaking are among the four language skills it will focus upon, with the others, of course, being reading and writing. A listening component has already been introduced to Year 4 and 5 exam papers.

She underlined several other positive developments, both in primary schools and at the Education Division.

"To begin with, the minister's recognition that it is important to discuss the teaching and learning of English at a national level is a step in the right direction."

New English course books will be introduced next scholastic year and examples of good practice are being identified and disseminated.

At school level, most classrooms have library corners and some schools also a reading room. A number of schools hold English Day once or twice a week, during which efforts are made to speak only in English and English-speaking persons are invited to address children.

Professional Development Sessions and in-service training courses designed to improve the teachers' English-teaching skills are held regularly.

In a survey carried out by Ms Lucia, teachers made various suggestions for improving English learning and teaching. They expressed the need for more parental involvement and participation, for exposing children to spoken English in kindergarten, and giving low achievers easier books to tackle.

Ms Lucia suggested that perhaps the teaching of English in school should start at the same time as Maltese, and not later as happens now.