Why not study languages? : reasons explaining language student number trends at post-secondary level in Malta

Abstract

This study investigates Post-Secondary students’ perspectives on foreign languages (FLs) and foreign language learning (FLL) and it aims to find out the factors leading to a decline in the number of students studying FLs at Post-Secondary level in Malta. A particular reference is made to the students’ perspectives on French and to the studying of this FL at Advanced level. This research adopts a quantitative methodology and is carried out through an online Google Forms questionnaire distributed to Post-Secondary students attending 4 Sixth Forms in Malta. Previous research highlights the importance of FLs, the decreasing number of FL students at varying levels in Malta, the factors influencing students’ decisions to avoid or to persist with FLL, and the negative attitudes held towards French. Results obtained show that very few Post-Secondary students are studying FLs in Malta, the majority of which are girls. Participants mostly agree that FLL in Secondary Education (SE) is of an average experience, is highly demanding and entails a moderate amount of workload. Success in this domain depends on personal aptitude to learn new languages and students who specialise in FLs do so due to their passion for languages. Most students who are not studying FLs feel no regret for their decision and they have no plans to study one at University. The main factors leading to the avoidance of FLs at Advanced level are preference towards other areas of study, previous poor performance in FLs, bad FLL experiences in SE, and low perceived importance of FLs for the students’ planned career. Students are not always encouraged by career guidance counsellors (CGCs) to take languages at Post-Secondary level - another possible factor leading to a decline in the number of FL students. French is mainly perceived as a beautiful sounding language which is difficult. Respondents think that Advanced level learners of French are not being subjected to unrealistic demands and the Secondary French language curriculum prepares them for the Advanced French program. Paradoxically, they maintain that a gap between French at Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) and at Advanced level exists, and hard work is necessary in order to obtain desired grades at the Advanced examination. The main factors which are believed to lead to a low number of students studying French at Post-Secondary level include: the perceived difficulty of this language, low grades previously achieved, past demanding workload and the unpleasant experience of learning it in SE.