The future of Italian in Malta

One of the aims of the Council of Europe on education and mobility is to encourage member states to relate their national examinations to a framework of ability levels mapped out in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Locally, the indications seem to be that, at least at SEC level, the syllabi are to be more or less the same for Italian, French and German, the foreign languages most opted for in our schools. The details are not yet in the public domain but the underlying principle seems to be that if all languages receive the same hours of weekly tuition, then the expected level of attainment should be the same in each case. This guiding principle is dubious: take the case of Arabic with its different alphabet and direction of writing, and one is immediately convinced that not all languages offer the same challenges to the learners.

Consider the Italian language vis-à-vis Maltese. Half of the words in our language are of Italian origin, most of them without any change whatsoever. Does this not give a head start to those opting to learn Italian, rather than French or German? Should therefore those studying these last two be expected to reach the same level as in Italian in the same number of hours?

Are the opportunities for exposure to these two languages, even with cable or satellite TV, as numerous as for Italian? How many parents can understand and are therefore prepared to watch French or German programmes and translate for their children? Or help them with their homework even? What comparison is there between the number of Italian magazines in our homes and French and German publications?

One could object that there are also many families who are untouched by any of these advantages. There is only some truth in this. For then on, does this have to mean that we go on lowering standards for this kind of 'social justice'?

Italy and Italian have a long and important history in Malta; they are an integral part of our ethnic and cultural heritage. Our language, in all its manifestations, owes much to Italian. One can say without fear of contradiction that a sound knowledge of Maltese calls for a good knowledge of Italian. Even in a globalised world Malta still sits just below Sicily. It is from Italy that most help, financial and other, has been arriving for centuries, and it is with Italy that Malta has had most ties, commercial and others. Or is it, now that we are in the EU, that these facts no longer carry the same weight?

We Maltese have always considered Italian an 'easy' language. Some 80 per cent of the Maltese take pride in saying they can understand the language and around half of us say they can speak it. On the other hand, we consider German, and even French, to be difficult languages and the percentages of those who dare claim to understand or speak them come nowhere close to the above.

Now, all of a sudden, it seems we are trying to rewrite history and claiming that these languages are to be considered in all respects on a par. Mastery of any of the three languages is equally achievable. I should think that teachers of Italian who take pride in their work would have little to boast of if, with all the advantages they enjoy, they could take their students only as far as their German colleagues do in the same number of hours, with all the handicaps the latter have to deal with.

Anyone who has been in the business long enough will tell you that proficiency in Italian has fallen in the last 15 years or so, and the most obvious reason is known to all. So does this justify equating the learning of Italian with that of French or German?

As far as Italian is concerned, this will mean a further lowering of achievement targets. Considering that most Maltese go only as far as SEC level, such a step will mean that the vast majority of those opting for Italian will be denied a good part of their present entitlement.

Pruning of syllabi, some might think, will make for more 'passes' and this will satisfy students, parents, teachers, and several others. There is only one snag: this hope will prove to be an illusion, even in the short term. The national interest, however, lies in raising standards and stretching the better achievers to fulfil all their potential while not denying the less able learners the possibility of attaining some form of certification.

Finding satisfaction in the least common factor is the last haven of the defeated. If wider certification, in itself a commendable step, is desired, this can be achieved through the School Leaving Certificate, by pegging it at just below SEC and giving it more credibility, recognition and currency.

The consequences of pitching the SEC examinations at a lower level may not be clear to everybody. Some may also remain unconvinced that this step will of necessity entail dragging down Intermediate, Advanced, BAs and B.Eds. One should hope that all the stakeholders involved - Ministry, Division, Departments of Italian in the Faculty of Arts and in the Faculty of Education - are being consulted on this major development in language teaching in Malta.

I allow myself the luxury of a prophecy: one effect of the envisaged move is that the examination in Italian will be considerably easier, so easy that very few high fliers will opt to study it at school. We will revert to a not too distant past when what mattered was the certificate, not the actual learning. Back then, very few high fliers opted for Italian and one could obtain certification after only a few months of private tuition. Teachers of Italian will feel they are not really needed; indeed a number of them will be redundant.

I should not like to think that anyone wants this.