English will continue to be treated as having a specific status, alongside Maltese, in a policy which promotes bilingual education, the government said in a statement.
This is reflected in the present curriculum and will be strengthened in the coming years through improved programmes and continuing professional education opportunities for teachers.
The government issued the statement in the wake of the publication of the Cambridge Engloish Benchmarking assessment.
The purpose of the benchmarking exercise was to obtain a snapshot of the standards of English Language Proficiency at the Primary and Secondary school levels. The study allowed also for a comparison of local standards of English with international ones based on the Common European Framework for Languages (CEFR) by Cambridge English, a reputable and independent authority in the field of English assessment.
The Ministry has maintained a policy of bilingual education where English is given utmost importance as one of the two official languages of Malta. Therefore the expectations for English attainment are much higher than for attainment in foreign languages. The data and results from this study are to be interpreted with this consideration in mind. English will continue to be treated as having a specific status, alongside Maltese, in a policy which promotes bilingual education. This is reflected in the present curriculum and will be strengthened in the coming years through improved programmes and continuing professional education opportunities for teachers.
Findings
The main findings of the benchmarking exercise showed that most Maltese students achieved the desired levels of English Language proficiency. Some areas for improvement were identified. The highest scores were achieved in the speaking and listening skills, whereas some students require additional support in the reading and writing skills.
In planning the way forward, students will be supported to maintain and improve further those skills where they achieve well, with increased intervention for those students who require additional support. A clear strategy which involves both revised programmes and more intensive professional development opportunities for teachers is being implemented by the Directorates of Education.
The Way Forward
Further professional development opportunities for teachers are already being run in conjunction with Cambridge English. Experienced teachers of English are being trained in order to train other teachers at both primary and secondary levels to be able to implement effective methodologies in the teaching, learning and assessment of English.
The Learning Outcomes Framework plays also a key role in this strategy. All the language skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking for all languages, as well as grammar and literature for Maltese and English) will be given importance. The LOF is also intended to provide feedback on the acquisition of skills and competences to learners, parents and educators so as to inform better further learning. Moreover, the outcomes based approach adopted will situate the learner at the centre of the educational experience.