“Demoting” English to foreign language status would be bad news for Malta, academics have warned.
In an opinion piece published in the Times of Malta today, the University of Malta English Department warns that introducing teaching and assessment methods normally used for foreign language teaching would likely have a “serious negative impact on the local economy and on the job prospects of future generations”.
The department, made up of 10 academics, was reacting to a report by this newspaper on a new study which suggests adopting the EFL methods.
In a detailed study of Maltese students’ English language proficiency, Cambridge University experts recommended a series of teaching changes, including an increased focus on pair work and task-based learning, the same methods used in schools teaching English as a foreign language.
The review, commissioned by the Education Ministry, assessed Maltese students aged nine and 14 on their command of the language using assessment methods applied in EFL schools. It found that, overall, youths had a good level of language proficiency, compared to non-native speakers, but highlighted particular gaps in their abilities, the way they were being taught and the assessment models used in exams.
The group of academics, however, argue that the repercussions of the proposed shift towards EFL methods would impact the TEFL and financial services industries, as well as have an overarching impact on tourism. Furthermore, a downgrading of English would also affect Maltese students’ ability to attend English speaking universities, they said.
They also raise the issue that English is an official language of Malta, and that “in the spirit” of the Constitution, the education system should foster bilingualism.
The Cambridge English Language Assessment splits language proficiency into students’ ability to read, write, speak and listen in English, the same four criteria used in EFL. When it came to writing, State school students were more likely to score levels which showed they had the capacity to “achieve most goals and express [themselves] on a range of topics”.
Independent school students were not far behind, however, they were less likely to score even higher marks and, as a result, scored lower grades overall.