This new scholastic year will be remembered as the year of the many firsts: the introduction of the co-ed in secondary State schools, the tablet pilot project, banding, the fight against absenteeism… But there is yet another first.
From this scholastic year, all schools must strive harder to improve the level of English they teach.
This is in line with one of the measureable targets contained in the Framework for the Education Strategy for Malta 2014-2024, which was launched on February 21, and the National Literacy Strategy for All in Malta and Gozo: 2014-2019.
This strategic framework is the vision of the Ministry for Education and Employment. The framework includes four main targets that reflect education in Malta within a European and global context.
Towards the end of this year, the ministry will be publishing a comprehensive action plan that includes all measures emanating from all the strategies and plans that address the four targets of the framework (http://education.gov.mt/strategy/Pages/strategy.aspx).
The Ministry for Education and Employment will be engaged in consolidating the past successes in education but will also consider the present realities of a competitive and changing world.
As well as emphasising Maltese identity by teaching children to have a good grip of Maltese language, it will also be considered necessary that the Maltese people, especially youth, will have a good command of the English language and also have the option of learning other world important languages.
Many schools are placing the learning of languages (Maltese and English) as a priority. Primary schools are strengthening the teaching of languages through an action plan, through textbooks and even through libraries in classes and in schools.
Even in secondary schools, the learning of languages is a priority. Through qualified teachers, an effort is being made so that the minimum standard of languages for students will be higher.
The National Literacy Strategy is promoting a balanced literacy where different methods are used so all students will achieve a good level in the main languages.
All schools must strive harder to improve the level of English they teach
This method includes shared reading, guided reading and phonics. Also, teachers are advised to use these tools so that learning is more enjoyable and varied.
There are also a number of initiatives like ‘Read with Me’ and ‘The Reading Ambassadors’, which are being launched with the aim to encourage reading from an early stage. In every college, there are also specialised literacy teams consisting of a head from the Literacy Department, teachers and specialised literacy teachers.
This aims at having a solid plan on how a better level of knowledge of languages can be reached.
In the benchmark exams of year 6 pupils, between 2011 and this year, there appears to be a gender gap in the results in favour of female pupils. Standardised scores were used for the plotting of graphical results of English language benchmark exams.
That females do better than males is also reflected in SEC exams. SEC results for English in general have been stable from 2007 to 2013, with 38.6 per cent failing and 61.4 per cent passing (grade 1-5) in 2013.
To tackle the problem of different levels in the same school and classroom, primary State schools are obliged to include a statutory action plan in their development plan.
These are designed to reach the needs of those students who have been identified as having an “expected literary benchmark”.
This is done after a necessary assessment is carried out with the students through a checklist prepared for the purpose.
The literacy strategy is also incorporated in the pilot project of one tablet per child. One of the aims of using the tablet for teaching and learning purposes is to improve the creativity tools both in reading and in writing.
In the pilot project that has just been launched the tablet will be considered as an e-reader, with all the benefits that digital texts have compared to printed material.
The education system does not stop at secondary level. So a good command of the English language is a must at tertiary level. This is one of the reasons why, in 2012, the Centre or Proficiency in English was established within the Department of English at the University of Malta.
The aim of this centre is to have an English support system for all university students. Another aim is to raise awareness about a suitable level of English used by university students.
The centre is also working on a study on the use of English in Malta.
Besides taking care of our university students and their level of English, it is also necessary to assist all teachers in the primary and secondary schools and grade their level of English and even provide a proficiency test or courses if the need arises.
Etienne Grech is a family doctor and a Labour MP.