We are writing in response to the article ‘Cambridge experts recommend teaching English as foreign language’ (May 25) that was based on an interview with Ian Mifsud of the Directorate of Quality and Standards in Education.
The article includes a number of statements that we think should be questioned. First, the casual use of the labels ‘second’, ‘non-native’ and ‘foreign’ when referring to Maltese speakers of English is misleading and fails to do justice to Malta’s richly bilingual reality.
Second, the article draws on a study of standards of English in Malta carried out by the Cambridge examinations body, an entity well known for its commercial interests in the EFL industry. That important detail notwithstanding, the Cambridge report drew some positive conclusions about English standards in Malta, but little was made of that in the article, which chose instead to focus on perceived shortcomings. This, we believe, amounts to a misrepresentation of the findings.
Third, it is being taken as fact that standards in the use of English are falling. This assertion is based on widespread opinion, ministerial statements and examiner reports. However, there is very little clarity about what ‘standards’ means. In fact, the perception that standards have declined may well be due to the increased access to education that has resulted in a much wider spectrum of students studying and sitting for their SEC exams.
If English in Malta is,in effect, demoted to foreign language status, this will most likelyhave a serious negative impact on the local economy
Fourth, even if research were to prove that standards are indeed falling, it would surely be unwise to assume that the best response is to lower the levels across the board, allowing the lowest common denominator to dictate the teaching and assessment methods for all. Instead, why not consider the possibility of finding ways to reward students with different abilities, while at the same time striving not only to retain but actually improve the standard of English in Malta?
Fifth, if English in Malta is, in effect, demoted to foreign language status, this will most likely have a serious negative impact on the local economy and on the job prospects of future generations. Having a workforce with a relatively high level of proficiency in English has been extremely beneficial for the Maltese economy, giving it an edge over numerous would-be competitors.
The repercussions of the proposed shift towards treating English as a foreign language would certainly be felt by the TEFL industry, the financial services industry and tourism, all of which have thrived thanks, in no small part, to Maltese bilingualism. A downgrading of English would also affect the ability of Maltese students to excel at English-speaking universities abroad, as they have been doing for decades.
Sixth, the article suggests some confusion between teaching methods and the subjects themselves, as it refers to recommendations for ‘teaching changes’.
These are already being addressed by the exercises to overhaul the education system, within which teachers should have more freedom to carry out many other communicative language teaching techniques such as ‘pair work’ or task-based learning.
Linking these methods of teaching to exam structures which are essentially restrictive because they only focus on the four skills traditionally favoured in foreign language examinations is a misjudgement. It is also essential to note that subjects like Italian and French – taught as foreign languages and begun in form one – are, in the Maltese context, additional, very useful languages.
On the other hand, both English and Maltese are used throughout education and are fundamental for students’ academic success.
Seventh, it is not insignificant that English is enshrined as an official language of Malta by the Maltese Constitution. In the spirit of the Constitution, we believe in an educational system that aims at, and fosters, bilingualism, which has many benefits both for individuals and the country as a whole.
In conclusion, we believe that the issue of English in Malta should be approached not only with more rigour, but also with more sensitivity to Malta’s history, culture and the specificities of the Maltese educational system.
As it is, too many questions remain unaddressed. For in-stance, there is a widespread perception that standards are falling in other subjects. Could it be, then, that the problem, if indeed there is one, is not exclusively related to English?
The situation is complex and needs to be studied carefully and in the round.
Simply lowering the assessment bar because of a perceived fall in standards would be hasty and ill-considered, and would risk firing the starting pistol for a short-sighted race to the bottom.
Surely our students, and the country as a whole, deserve better than that.
From the Department of English, Faculty of Arts, University of Malta.