Language use in the primary classroom: Maltese teachers’ views on multilingual practices

Michelle Panzavecchia,Sabine Little

doi:10.21283/2376905x.11.184

Michelle Panzavecchia, Sabine Little

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.21283/2376905x.11.184

Copy DOI

Abstract

   Recent global migration trends and an increase in worldwide human mobility are currently contributing to unparalleled challenges in the area of literacy and education within multicultural and multilingual societies (Leikin, Schwartz, & Tobin, 2012). Malta, a small island in the Mediterranean, is one country currently seeking ways in which to adapt to the realities of today’s diverse classrooms. This paper details original research into Maltese teachers’ perceptions and practices in multilingual classrooms. Following a brief overview of Malta's language history and educational system, we draw on the experiences of eight bilingual primary school teachers through in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Recent demographic changes in Malta necessitate a paradigm shift in education. With Malta’s challenges mirrored at global level, this study makes an important contribution to understanding the issues faced by educators and children, exploring pathways towards an equitable and socially just education for all.  

Highlights

The world is presently undergoing an unparalleled rise in global immigration, leading to a shift in societies towards more cultural, ethnic and linguistic diversity
Human mobility reached 258 million in 2017 (United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, 2017), with migrants comprising 14% of the population residing in high-‐income countries, an increase of almost 5% since the beginning of the millennium (United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, 2017)
The present study focuses on participants’ perceptions of bilingual and multilingual classrooms, together with their views and practices related to translanguaging pedagogies

Summary

Introduction

The world is presently undergoing an unparalleled rise in global immigration, leading to a shift in societies towards more cultural, ethnic and linguistic diversity. The past decade’s global demographic shifts have led to populations becoming increasingly linguistically and culturally diverse This diversity is increasingly represented in the classroom, with global figures showing that multilingualism in schools is on the rise. In the US, the most recent census in 2014 revealed similar numbers, with 22% of the school population (5-‐17 years old) speaking a language other than English at home (Camarota & Ziegler, 2015). While these figures illustrate an increasing trend within individual countries, gaining a holistic, international overview is difficult, since countries adopt diverse reporting and tracking strategies. Some countries track first-‐ generation migrants only, leading to issues with respect to the reporting of multilingual children, due to an oversight of children born in-‐country to migrant parents (European Commission, 2019)

Objectives

Methods

Results